Merced County, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Merced County, California
County
County of Merced
Images, from top down, left to right: The historic Merced Theatre, San Luis Reservoir, UC Merced, The B-29A Super Fortress exhibit at the Castle Air Museum in Atwater
Seal
Location in the state of California
Country	United States
State	California
Region	San Joaquin Valley
Incorporated	April 19, 1855
Named for	Merced River, originally El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ("River of Our Lady of Mercy" in Spanish).
County seat	Merced
Largest city	Merced
Government
• Type	Council–CEO
• Body	Board of Supervisors
Area
• Total	1,979 sq mi (5,130 km2)
• Land	1,935 sq mi (5,010 km2)
• Water	44 sq mi (110 km2)
Highest elevation	3,801 ft (1,159 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	281,202
• Density	142.09/sq mi (54.862/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (Pacific Daylight Time)
ZIP code	93620, 93635, 93661, 93665, 95301, 95303, 95312, 95315, 95317, 95322, 95324, 95333, 95334, 95388, 95340, 95341, 95343, 95344, 95348, 95365, 95369, 95374
Area code	209
FIPS code	06-047
GNIS feature ID	277288
Congressional district	13th

Merced County (ⁱ/mərˈsɛd/ mər-SED) is a county in California. It's located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley. This area is part of California's large Central Valley.

In 2020, about 281,202 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Merced. The county gets its name from the Merced River. Merced County is north of Fresno County and southeast of Santa Clara County.

History of Merced County

Merced County gets its name from the Merced River. In 1806, an expedition led by Gabriel Moraga found the river. They named it El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced, which means "River of Our Lady of Mercy" in Spanish. They discovered it after a long, hot journey across the San Joaquin Valley.

Between 1841 and 1844, during Mexico's rule, four large land grants were made in this area. These grants were called Mexican land grants.

Merced County was officially formed in 1855. It was created from parts of Mariposa County. Later, in 1856, some of its land was given to Fresno County.

Geography and Nature

Merced County covers a total area of about 1,979 square miles. Most of this area, 1,935 square miles, is land. The remaining 44 square miles (about 2.2%) is water.

Protected Natural Areas

Merced County is home to important natural spaces. These areas help protect wildlife and their homes.

• Merced National Wildlife Refuge
• San Luis National Wildlife Refuge

People of Merced County

The population of Merced County has grown a lot over the years. In 1860, only 1,141 people lived here. By 2020, the population had reached 281,202.

Who Lives in Merced County?

The people of Merced County come from many different backgrounds. This makes the county a diverse place.

In 2020, about 61.83% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. About 24.44% were White (not Hispanic). Other groups include Asian (7.05%), Black or African American (2.91%), and people of mixed races (2.69%).

Economy and Jobs

Merced County has many different types of businesses. These businesses provide jobs for local residents.

Some of the largest employers in Merced County include:

Merced County is also famous for its farms. It grows 90% of California's sweet potato crop! This is thanks to people like John Buttencourt Avila, known as "the father of the sweet potato industry."

Getting Around: Transportation

Main Roads

Several major highways run through Merced County. These roads connect the county to other parts of California.

• Interstate 5
• State Route 33
• State Route 59
• State Route 99
• State Route 140
• State Route 152
• State Route 165

Public Transport

You can get around Merced County using public transportation.

• Merced County Transit, also called "The Bus," offers local rides in Merced. It also connects most cities in the county.
• The University of California, Merced has its own bus system called Cat Tracks. This system connects with Merced County Transit.
• The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, or YARTS, can take you from Merced to Yosemite National Park.
• For longer trips, you can use Greyhound buses or Amtrak trains.

Airports

Merced County has several airports.

• Merced Regional Airport is near downtown Merced. It offers passenger flights.
• Other airports for general aviation (smaller planes) include Castle Airport, Gustine Airport, and Los Banos Municipal Airport.

Cities and Towns

Merced County has several cities and many smaller communities.

Cities in Merced County

• Atwater
• Dos Palos
• Gustine
• Livingston
• Los Banos
• Merced (This is the county seat, meaning it's where the county government is located.)

Smaller Communities (Census-Designated Places)

These are areas that are not officially cities but are recognized for census purposes.

Population Ranking of Communities

Here's how the cities and towns in Merced County ranked by population in 2010:

Education in Merced County

Merced County has many school districts for students of all ages.

K-12 School Districts

These districts serve students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

High School Districts

These districts focus on high school education.

• Le Grand Union High School District
• Merced Union High School District

Elementary School Districts

These districts are for younger students, usually from kindergarten to 8th grade.

Higher Education

The University of California Merced is a major university located in the county.

Places to Visit

Merced County has some interesting places to see.

• The former Castle Air Force Base is a historic site.
• The United States Penitentiary, Atwater is a federal prison located near Atwater.

Images for kids

• 

  Interstate 5 shield

• 

  California State Route 33 shield

• 

  California State Route 59 shield

• 

  California State Route 99 shield

• 

  California State Route 140 shield

• 

  California State Route 152 shield

• 

  California State Route 165 shield

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Merced para niños