2025 Compare Cities Overview:
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Merced, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Merced older or younger than people in San Luis Obispo?
- The Median Age in Merced is 3.6 years older than in San Luis Obispo.

Are housing costs cheaper in Merced or San Luis Obispo?
- Merced housing costs are 60.0% less expensive than San Luis Obispo housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Merced or San Luis Obispo?
- The average commute for residents of Merced is 8.4 minutes longer than it is for residents of San Luis Obispo.

Things to do in San Luis Obispo?
San Luis Obispo, California is located on the Central Coast and offers stunning views of rolling hills and the Pacific Ocean. It's a great place to live with its temperate climate, excellent restaurants and unique shops. Every year locals flock to the famous Thursday night Farmer’s Market or to outdoor festivals like the SLO County Fair. For outdoor activities there are plenty of parks and trails plus beaches for surfing and swimming.

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.

 San Luis Obispo, CAMerced, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,993329,725,481
 Median Income$61,862  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock29.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$932,400  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock9.3%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time15.16  Unlock26.38
Reviews for San Luis Obispo    21 Reviews

MY FIANCEE AND I ARE LOOKING TO MOVE TO SLO FOR RETIREMENT ( NEXT MONTH ) WE ARE BOTH ARTISTS AND HOPE OUR TALENT WILL HELP WITH COST OF LIVING IN SLO!!! ANY  More

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Over 10 years ago

In almost any season of the year in San Luis Obispo, you’ll find the sun shining and the temperature hitting around 70º at some point in the day. With the temperature  More

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San Luis Obispo and surrounding areas are beautiful, great weather, beaches, farms markets, a downtown area full of some of the best bars and restaurants, wine country,  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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