City
Merced
Merced is an incorporated city in Merced County with an estimated 2025 population of 99,724. It handles many rules and services inside its limits. The county still handles property records, taxes, elections, public health, and many household programs.
Starting point
Confirm the address is inside local limits first.
If the address is inside Merced, city offices may handle local permits, code, and services. If it is outside local limits, county planning or building may handle the work instead.
What changes the answer: A mailing city is not always the same as city government jurisdiction.
Place answer
Merced utility and street questions still use phone lanes
Merced's important-number page separates billing, water, sewer, storm drains, street maintenance, refuse, trees, signals, and other Public Works questions by phone line.
Read the local noteCity offices
Start with the task in front of you.
Merced is incorporated. Start with the city for work inside its limits, while Merced County still handles property records, taxes, courts, elections, many benefits, and county alerts. Merced County handles local public health.
- Property Open the property-tax guide
Assessed value, exemptions, tax bills, and appeals
Merced County assessor handles value and exemptions. The clerk of the board handles a formal value appeal. The tax collector handles the bill, payment, and penalties.
- Records Open the records guide
Deeds, birth and death records, marriage records, and name changes
Merced County recorder is the usual office for deeds and many public records. Vital-record access depends on the record and year. A legal name change or divorce decree can involve Superior Court.
- Property work Open local-office help
Building permits, ADUs, zoning, code, water, and septic
Start with the city planning or building office for an address inside Merced. Start with the county for an address outside local limits.
- Housing Open rent and housing help
Rent rules, repairs, notices, and eviction papers
Start with a local rent, housing, or code office if one serves the address. Court papers go to the Superior Court self-help path, and the deadline on the papers keeps running.
- Household help Open the benefits guide
CalFresh, Medi-Cal, CalWORKs, General Assistance, and IHSS
Merced County social-services agency is the main local office. Coverage, food, cash aid, and in-home support remain separate programs with separate notices.
- Public health Open health and benefits help
Vaccines, disease reporting, health records, and local health programs
Merced County public health is the local health jurisdiction. Health coverage and benefits still use separate programs and offices.
- Business Open the business guide
Business setup, seller's permits, local licenses, and regulated work
State filings and tax accounts do not replace Merced zoning, licensing, building, fire, or health approvals for the address.
- Neighborhood services Open local-office help
Potholes, streetlights, graffiti, trash, and service requests
For a city-maintained street or service inside Merced, start with the local request system. County roads, Caltrans routes, utilities, private property, and separate service providers use different reporting systems.
- School and care Open the school and care guide
School enrollment, student records, and child-care checks
The school district handles assignment and records. County offices can help with some family services, while the state licenses child-care facilities.
- Parking Open parking help
Residential, guest, overnight, and local parking permits
A local parking permit is separate from a citation, moving ticket, and toll notice. Match the permit to the address, vehicle, district, or parking facility.
- Tickets Open ticket help
Traffic court, parking citations, and toll notices
Merced County Superior Court handles traffic court matters. A city or issuing agency handles parking. The toll operator handles toll notices.
- Safety Open emergency checks
Emergency alerts, evacuations, smoke, roads, and power
Use the county or city alert system for local warnings. Follow the local emergency office for evacuation wording, then check the matching state fire, smoke, road, or utility update.
Official city links
Start local when the address is inside Merced.
The official website is always listed. A direct service link appears only after an official public page has been checked; an unlisted service has not been guessed.
County offices
County offices still handle countywide work.
Merced does not replace the county for records, property taxes, courts, elections, benefits, public health, or county alerts. The official links stay together below.
Merced County
City, county, and district responsibilities
The city line changes some rules, but not every public office.
The mailing address can say Merced even when the property sits outside local limits. Check the city line before relying on a local rule or permit page.
City limits choose the local permit office
Inside Merced, the city usually handles permits, zoning, parking, business licenses, and local code. Outside the city line, start with county planning or building.
The county still handles county work
Merced County handles property value and tax bills. It also handles deeds, elections, health, and many aid programs. Living inside Merced does not move those jobs to the city.
A provider can have its own boundary
Water, sewer, fire, schools, transit, trash, and power may belong to a special district or other provider. Use the address, parcel, or service bill to find the right agency.
Practical notes
Office, map, permit, and paperwork notes for Merced
Place answer · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 3, 2026
Merced Civic Access handles permits and licenses
Merced Civic Access handles permit, planning, and business license applications, with tools for fees, contractors, permits, inspections, and project status.
Place answer · Home and property · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Merced refuse questions start with city limits
Merced Refuse handles solid waste collection inside city limits, including residential and commercial service, street sweeping, leaf collection, alley cleanup, tire amnesty, and bulky drop-off.
Place answer · Cars and driving · Reviewed July 6, 2026
Merced riders should know The Bus route map
The Bus gives Merced County a fixed-route and paratransit system, with Merced, Atwater, Los Banos, and intercity route groups listed together.
County practical note · Home and property · Reviewed July 4, 2026
Los Banos street reports ask for the nearest cross street
Los Banos has a street issue form for problems like illegal dumping, potholes, and streetlights, and the form works best with a cross street or pole detail.
County practical note · Rules and licenses · Reviewed July 1, 2026
Winter wood burning in the Valley gets a daily status
In the San Joaquin Valley, residential wood-burning rules can change by county and day during the winter Check Before You Burn season.
Stories & Notes
Stories and local context in Merced County
Place story · History and culture
Merced's old courthouse is now a county memory keeper
The Merced County Courthouse Museum sits in an 1875 courthouse that served the county for a century before becoming one of Merced's key history stops.
Place story · Outdoors
Applegate Park Zoo gives Merced a small rescue-animal stop
Merced Applegate Zoo sits inside Applegate Community Park and focuses on animals that need care, including California native species from wildlife rescue situations.
Place story · Outdoors
Merced National Wildlife Refuge makes wetlands easy to see by car
Merced National Wildlife Refuge has wetlands, grasslands, vernal pools, riparian areas, a five-mile auto tour route, nature trails, cranes, and geese on the Pacific Flyway.
Countywide story · Outdoors
San Luis Refuge lets Merced County slow down for wildlife
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge has auto tour routes for wetland views, winter birds, tule elk, and quiet wildlife watching.
County place story · History and culture
Dos Palos has a name story locals still care about
Dos Palos traces its name to two trees, then to a farm colony, a nearby Colony Center, and a local pronunciation that lasted for generations.
County place story · History and culture
Gustine's name and museum point back to Henry Miller country
Gustine grew from railroad, dairy, and Henry Miller ranch land, with the Gustine Museum keeping early town, courthouse, jail, and farm-country history together.
County place story · History and culture
Livingston turns sweet potato harvest into a family weekend
Livingston's Sweet Potato Festival gives the Merced County farm town a harvest-centered tradition with food, family events, and local pride.
County place story · History and culture
Castle Air Museum keeps Atwater's air-base story visible
Castle Air Museum gives Atwater a big aviation-history stop, with historic aircraft on original Castle Air Force Base ground.
- 2025 population
- 99,724
- Land area
- 26.046 sq mi
- Water area
- 0.014 sq mi