Rent by ZIP code in Merced
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95348 | Merced County | $2,115 | +3% |
| 95341 | Merced County | $2,062 | 0% |
| 95340 | Merced County | $1,795 | -13% |
Rent by bedroom count in Merced
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Merced County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,200 | +7.5% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,262 | +4.0% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,517 | +0.9% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,087 | +1.0% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,477 | -1.0% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Merced?
Typical rent across Merced County is $2,036 as of August 2026. That is up 1.5% from a year earlier and up 20.1% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Merced County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,757 | +17.4% |
| 2022 | $1,803 | +2.6% |
| 2023 | $1,874 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $1,974 | +5.4% |
| 2025 | $2,013 | +2.0% |
| 2026 (through August) | $2,036 | +1.1% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Merced rent questions
- What is the average rent in Merced, CA?
- Typical asking rent in Merced is $2,062 a month as of July 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,795 to $2,115.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Merced?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Merced County is $1,517 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,262 and a three bedroom is $2,087. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Merced?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Merced County is $2,036 as of August 2026, up 1.5% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Merced?
- ZIP 95340 has the lowest typical asking rent in Merced at $1,795 a month, compared with $2,062 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Merced?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Merced rent of $2,062, that is about $6,186 a month, or $74,232 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Merced sits in the Merced, CA metro area.