Charlotte, NC vs Merced, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Charlotte

68.1

#1344 nationally

Merced

64.3

#1702 nationally

Merced leads in walk score (42 vs 26). Charlotte leads in median household income ($71,659 vs $59,233). Charlotte leads in cost of living index (102 vs 121).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Charlotte, NC	Merced, CA
WhereAtHome Score	68.1 (#1344)	64.3 (#1702)
Population	897,720	93,692
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$397,231	$397,570
Median Household Income	$71,659	$59,233
Average Commute	27.1 min	27 min
Walk Score	26	42
Crime Level	Moderate	21.5
School Rating	6.5	N/A
Cost of Living Index	102	121
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	D+32.9	R+4.4