Merced, CA vs Port Arthur, TX

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.

Merced

64.3

#1702 nationally

Port Arthur

77.7

#224 nationally

Port Arthur leads in cost of living index (85 vs 121). Merced leads in median household income ($59,233 vs $45,357). Merced leads in walk score (42 vs 33).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric	Merced, CA	Port Arthur, TX
WhereAtHome Score	64.3 (#1702)	77.7 (#224)
Population	93,692	55,547
Typical Home Value (ZHVI)	$397,570	$125,021
Median Household Income	$59,233	$45,357
Average Commute	27 min	23 min
Walk Score	42	33
Crime Level	21.5	19.7
School Rating	N/A	N/A
Cost of Living Index	121	85
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored	R+4.4	R+8.9