Rental numbers for Merced County, CA
The typical home here runs -$1,216 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 1.2%. 0 of 5 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 6.0%.
- Gross yield
- 5.9%
- typical home, Zillow
- Median ZIP yield
- 6.0%
- 5 ZIPs with full data
- Cash flow
- -$1,216/mo
- at 7.78%, 25% down
- Typical price
- $417,000
- Zillow ZHVI, Aug 2026
- Typical rent
- $2,036/mo
- Zillow ZORI, Aug 2026
ZIP codes in Merced County
17 with published figures
| 95341Merced | $363,000 | $2,036 | 6.7% | 3.6% | -$864 | +5.1% |
| 93665Firebaugh | $284,000 | $1,450* | 6.1% | 3.0% | -$825 | n/a |
| 95348Merced | $414,000 | $2,102 | 6.1% | 3.1% | -$1,153 | +2.3% |
| 93635Los Banos | $461,000 | $2,292 | 6.0% | 3.1% | -$1,284 | +2.7% |
| 95301Atwater | $422,000 | $1,941 | 5.5% | 2.7% | -$1,335 | n/a |
| 95365Planada | $296,000 | $1,360* | 5.5% | 2.5% | -$980 | n/a |
| 95340Merced | $404,000 | $1,712 | 5.1% | 2.3% | -$1,421 | +0.7% |
| 95333Le Grand | $351,000 | $1,360* | 4.7% | 1.9% | -$1,335 | n/a |
| 95334Livingston | $425,000 | $1,610* | 4.5% | 1.8% | -$1,664 | n/a |
| 95324Hilmar | $484,000 | $1,810* | 4.5% | 1.9% | -$1,845 | n/a |
| 95388Winton | $364,000 | $1,360* | 4.5% | 1.8% | -$1,404 | n/a |
| 93620Dos Palos | $367,000 | $1,360* | 4.5% | 1.8% | -$1,412 | n/a |
| 95315Delhi | $415,000 | $1,430* | 4.1% | 1.4% | -$1,747 | n/a |
| 95322Gustine | $420,000 | $1,450* | 4.1% | 1.6% | -$1,713 | n/a |
| 95369Snelling | $473,000 | $1,360* | 3.5% | 0.7% | -$2,264 | n/a |
| 95374Stevinson | $655,000 | $1,360* | 2.5% | 0.4% | -$3,321 | n/a |
| 95303Ballico | $782,000 | $1,360* | 2.1% | -0.2% | -$4,339 | n/a |
* HUD Fair Market Rent, 2 bedroom, where Zillow publishes no rent index. Conservative.
Trends
Five years to August 2026
- Price, 12 months
- -0.5%
- Rent, 12 months
- +1.5%
- Rent minus price growth
- +2.0 pts
- Property tax
- 0.67%
- effective rate, ACS 2024
Show the numbers
| Month | Typical value | Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2021 | $371,319 | $1,698 |
| Aug 2022 | $429,478 | $1,789 |
| Aug 2023 | $406,884 | $1,856 |
| Aug 2024 | $426,190 | $1,932 |
| Aug 2025 | $419,588 | $2,006 |
| Aug 2026 | $417,261 | $2,036 |
HUD Fair Market Rent
FY2027, Merced, CA MSA
| Bedrooms | Studio | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair Market Rent | $1,200 | $1,262 | $1,517 | $2,087 | $2,477 |
The 40th percentile gross rent for a standard unit, set by HUD each October and used for Section 8 payment standards. It runs below market rent; Zillow's index is shown above where it exists.
Supply
- Permits per 1,000 households
- 6.3
- 541 units, last 12 months
- National percentile
- 55th
- among US counties
Tools
Test a listing in Merced County against today's rate.
Open the calculatorPart of the Merced, CA metro.
Questions
- Is Merced County good for rental property?
- The typical home here runs -$1,216 a month at 7.78% with 25% down, breaking even at about 1.2%. 0 of 5 ZIP codes with full Zillow data in this county are cash-flow positive; the median gross yield is 6.0%. The figures use a typical home, 7.78% with 25% down and default costs shown on each ZIP page. They describe the market, not any one property.
- What is the property tax rate in Merced County?
- About 0.67% of value, from Census ACS median taxes paid over median home value. On a $417,000 home that is about $2,804 a year.
- What is Fair Market Rent in Merced County?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent here is $1,262 for a 1-bedroom, $1,517 for a 2-bedroom and $2,087 for a 3-bedroom. Typical cash flow at today's rate is -$1,216 a month.
Sources and method
- Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), mid tier, smoothed and seasonally adjusted
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical home value by ZIP, county, metro and state, and the price trend.
- Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), all homes plus multifamily, smoothed
Zillow Research. Read: 2026-08.
Typical market rent by ZIP, county and metro, and the rent trend (tier A pages).
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2026
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2026.
Rent by bedroom count for every ZIP. The rent used on tier B pages, and a reference on all pages. It is the 40th percentile gross rent, so it runs below market.
- HUD Fair Market Rents by county, FY2027
US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Read: FY2027.
County rent by bedroom count on county pages.
- American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020 to 2024 (B25103 median real estate taxes paid, B25077 median home value, B11001 households)
US Census Bureau. Read: 2020 to 2024.
Effective property tax rate (median taxes paid divided by median value) by ZIP code tabulation area, county and state; households for the permits ratio.
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, 30-year fixed (FRED series MORTGAGE30US)
Freddie Mac via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Read: 2026-09-24.
The weekly 30-year rate. The site adds a disclosed investor premium to it for the loan payment.
- Building Permits Survey, county monthly files
US Census Bureau. Read: 2025-09 to 2026-08.
New housing units permitted in the last 12 months per 1,000 households, a supply-pressure signal.
Data: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI), HUD, US Census Bureau, Freddie Mac. Every formula is on the methodology page.
Estimates from public data for a typical property. Not investment, tax or legal advice. Your property, financing and costs will differ.