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What BestPlaces Users Say about Merced
Merced is a city located in central California, known for its agricultural industry and proximity to Yosemite National Park. It has a population of approximately 83,000 people and is home to the University of California, Merced. The following are excerpts from various user reviews on bestplaces.net, offering insights into living in Merced.
Summary: Many users on bestplaces.net have mixed opinions about living in Merced, California. Some appreciate its affordable cost of living and close-knit community, while others mention concerns about safety and the lack of job opportunities. Overall, it seems that Merced has a tight-knit community and affordable living, but it may not be the ideal place for those seeking job opportunities or a bustling city life.
Review 1: "I have lived in Merced for over 30 years and it has been a great place to raise a family. The cost of living is affordable and the people are friendly. However, job opportunities can be limited and the city does have some safety concerns. Overall, I am happy with my decision to make Merced my home." - Nancy R.
Review 2: "Merced has a strong sense of community and there are many local events and festivals to enjoy. The housing market is also affordable, which is a plus. However, the lack of job opportunities and limited options for entertainment can make it feel like a small town." - Mark B.
Review 3: "I moved to Merced for the affordable housing and found that the community is very welcoming. However, I have noticed an increase in crime and safety concerns in recent years. It's something to consider before moving here." - Sarah D.
Review 4: "I have lived in Merced for most of my life and I love it. The cost of living is low and it's a great place to raise a family. But it may not be the best option for young professionals looking for job opportunities." - Brian G.
based on 44 ReviewsGet to know Merced with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Merced
Merced is a black hole of badness - 9/19/2013
Merced,
A city where most adults ride old bicycles not to stay in shape or save money, but because their drivers license were taken away. Crime. Drive around Merced around 3:00AM and you will find MORE people on the street than during the day. What are they doing...Crime.
What sound do you hear constantly if you live in Merced. Sirens, sirens, sirens.... Police, Ambulance, Fire....never stops.
Hospitals? Emergency rooms are full of people wanting drugs or on drugs and nobody has insurance...so you pay.
Drugs? 70% of people under 50 are on drugs. Meth is king in Merced.
Business? Recycling center where drug addicts bring cans and other stolen stuff to get money to buy more drugs. Ambulances service is always busy. It is the "Taxi" service in Merced. People call 911, and get a ride across town. Really!
If there was a documentary on Merced, no one would believe it. It is just to terrible for a sensible person to believe. Unfortunately, it is
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Merced - 1/6/2013
Merced is a toilet & smells like one. Even the COPS don't obey the laws of traffic & are too lazy & lackadaisical to do their jobs. More bums/trampas than Los Angeles, terrible roads, Gas prices are higher here than Los Angeles, litter everywhere and skilled office workers if you're White, you'll never get a job here. Got 'stuck' here a little while & so glad to
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The Good and Bad of Merced - 6/10/2012
I have lived here in Merced for my entire life of 31 years and it certainly has changed over the years. Our city was listed in Forbes for being one of the most miserable cities to reside in; this has some truth to it, but to an extent. Like any city, there's good and bad everywhere. There certainly are neighborhoods that are crime and gang-ridden. But then we also have very lovely, quiet, middle-class neighborhoods, such as the area near Lake Yosemite, Bear Creek, East 21st Street, and rural areas of Merced, that are very pleasant to live. I would highly recommend buying/renting in those areas if you are planning to move here. There's a mixture of cultures here, but it's predominately Hispanic. Unemployment is high, and the jobs that are available are mostly in the health-care (LVN, CNA, Dental/Medical Assistant), retail, fast-food, and blue-collar industry. We have a University of California here, but unfortunately there aren't any jobs for these graduates, and so they end up moving
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The worst city in the USA - 5/8/2012
Merdead, CA is the worst city in the USA. Let me get into detail:
- The worst unemployment rate in the nation
- The highest illegal immigration rate in the nation
- The highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation
- Even with the two colleges, the "dumbest" city in the nation
- Nothing to do for fun and nowhere to shop
- Litter on every street
- Murders every day
- Bad traffic
- More expensive than SF and LA combined
- More McDonald's fast food restaurants than you can shake a stick at
- Public works fines you for garbage in the recyclable (blue) can while they have no way of knowing you did it. This has already happened to me.
That alone should say enough. I want to move to Atwater (two bowling alleys, better shopping, crime rate is a lot lower, more job opportunities, better restaurants, and everything else beyond imaginable), but
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Yeah, I said it. I love Merced. - 3/14/2012
Merced is located in central California in the San Joaquin Valley, about 280 miles north of L.A. and 130 miles south of San Francisco. Sure, you could live the good life in those two places, but if what you want is a smaller, less-populated city, Merced is the place for you.
It's small-town living in a medium-sized city. If you're small-town folk, in central Merced, you have some small, family-owned drugstores, just like in a small town (like Snelling). If you're big-city folk, the north side of town has everything you need, but don't even bother going in the mall (boring, outdated, etc.). For a shopping mall, I'd go to Modesto (about 45 minutes north of Merced). Downtown Merced is very beautiful, and it features a newly-renovated theater, two pool halls, an ice cream shop, and more.
Don't let anybody tell you that Merced is boring. Downtown Merced has two pool halls, two theaters only one block away from each other, a nickel arcade on the north side of town,
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The best place....near hell. - 4/24/2011
OK, Merced isn't the worst place to live but consider these factors:
1. Weather.It can get as hot as 110F and as cold as 30F during the years I lived in Merced.
2. Gardening. Digging a hole in the ground can be back breaking because most of Merced's soil isn't soil but clay! Yes, it's hard as rocks and you would need to soak the ground for days before digging or use a jackhammer to do the work.
3. Education. Quality high schools do not exist in Merced. Most - if any - people who move to Merced with children eventually find themselves frustrated with poor quality of schools. That's if they care about quality education for their kids.
4. Social value. Merced has one of the highest crime rates in the nation. Many are either on drugs, don't speak English, or both. There's a growing and overwhelming Hispanic (Mexican) population in Merced.
5. Culture. There isn't much. No symphony. No decent cafe. No art gallery. No museum worthwhile to spend your
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Check merced Ca out... disregard all the negative - 1/25/2011
merced california is a beatiful [place to live....i have lived hear all my life...i currently resideon the island of kauai hawaii.. and i can verify to you misguided people that merced california is a great place to live... the only place i would never recommend is the west also known as the south side of merced... which is heavily populated by hispanics and asians.. but if you can tolerate either than great place to live usuallt criminals wont attack neighborhoods on the southside.. i have lived hear 15 years not a year or two like the rest of the people judging my town and i have seen it all just like any other town in the united states.. you have your good and your bad.. Merced is nothing like real threatening citys like oakland, compton, richmond va, richmond ca, baltimore, memphis, hollywood florida, east L.A i can keep on going ... our town is nothing like these town we have typical crime.. the best advice is not to move to the west side or also known as southside.. their is
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Poor Quality of Life - 5/15/2010
Merced use to be a decent city when I was growing up here. It is now a gang infested disgusting city to be stuck in. Gangs shoot right into crowds of people that have nothing to do with a gang but just do it for some reason. Moving away is not as easy as some may think especially when a person has a lot of ties in a particular place like I do. Graffiti is rampant, but the city does it's best to eradicate the graffiti when it is done. I must say the city is doing a good job of painting over the graffiti as soon as it happens, usually. After may years of neglect, Merced City is finally starting to repair some of the very very bad streets. Traffic is very bad in downtown Merced areas especially around noon and from 3-6pm. Don't move here if you can help
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A Terrible Town To Live In! - 4/18/2010
Merced, CA is quite possibly the worse possible city in all of California if not for sure Central CA. Modesto, CA was voted as the worst city in CA by one magazine I can't remember the name of. Merced, CA has none of the likeable amenities like Modesto, CA with so many unlikeableness to boot. Gang crimes are the worse in the nation per capita, teen pregnancies are the worse in the nation, unemployment must be about the worst in the nation and is the worst in Central CA for sure at 21.97% as of this writing. The streets are out of a city that doesn't take care of anything but the city top brass pet projects that do not matter. The city spends millions on a multi level parking garage above and across the street from city hall spending millions while the city streets are in terrible despairingly bad condition. Graffiti is a norm in this city and in the county. You go into stores that you think you are in third world nation with all the Spanish being spoken out loud because the
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A Terrible Town To Live In! - 4/17/2010
Merced, CA is quite possibly the worse possible city in all of California if not for sure Central CA. Modesto, CA was voted as the worst city in CA by one magazine I can't remember the name of. Merced, CA has none of the likeable amenities like Modesto, CA with so many unlikeableness to boot. Gang crimes are the worse in the nation per capita, teen pregnancies are the worse in the nation, unemployment must be about the worst in the nation and is the worst in Central CA for sure at 21.97% as of this writing. The streets are out of a city that doesn't take care of anything but the city top brass pet projects that do not matter. The city spends millions on a multi level parking garage above and across the street from city hall spending millions while the city streets are in terrible despairingly bad condition. Graffiti is a norm in this city and in the county. You go into stores that you think you are in third world nation with all the Spanish being spoken out loud because the
Read More