2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Carlsbad, NM vs Merced, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Merced older or younger than people in Carlsbad?
- The Median Age in Merced is 5.5 years younger than in Carlsbad.

Are housing costs cheaper in Merced or Carlsbad?
- Merced housing costs are 102.9% more expensive than Carlsbad housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Merced or Carlsbad?
- The average commute for residents of Merced is 5.3 minutes longer than it is for residents of Carlsbad.

Things to do in Carlsbad?
Carlsbad is a city located in southeastern New Mexico that is known for its stunning landscape of caves, limestone cliffs and deserts dotted with cacti. It is home to Carlsbad Caverns National Park which contains over 100 limestone caves filled with unique formations that attract nature-lovers from across the globe. There are also several recreational activities available like rock climbing and ATV tours along with various art galleries featuring local history exhibits to explore!

Things to do in Merced?
Merced, California is a mid-sized city located in Central Valley known for its proximity to Yosemite National Park or Lake Yosemite making it an ideal spot for outdoor recreation.

 Carlsbad, NMMerced, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,993329,725,481
 Median Income$70,745  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock29.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$183,800  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock9.3%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time18.25  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Carlsbad    16 Reviews

I've only been here for a few months, but I can quickly sum up this town as a rundown truck stop, perpetually buffeted by relentless wind, dirt, and hot air. The gas  More

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Over 3 years ago

We used to visit here every few years from Michigan just to see the Living Desert State Park. A very long way to drive to spend a a couple of days in this hauntingly  More

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Been here 9 years. Very difficult place. Price gouging, extremely expensive to live here. Crazy amounts of crime, cops do nothing. Very crowded, bad traffic and crazy  More

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Reviews for Merced    44 Reviews

Merced is totally slept on - you want a little bit of everything CA has to offer, at a fraction of the price of other CA cities? Merced is the place to go. The town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Good place to live. More affordable than most of california. The city is growing and there is alot of business and growth here. Moved from the Bay area years ago and  More

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Great place to live. Lots of progress and changes coming to the city. Great place to raise a family. UC Merced is expanding and businesses are investing. Downtown is  More

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