The City of Merced, known as the Gateway to Yosemite, is less than two hours by automobile from Yosemite National Park to the east. To the west, is just a couple of hours away from Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Just 110 miles south of Sacramento and 270 miles north of Los Angeles, Merced is served by the rail passenger service Amtrak, the Merced Regional Airport and is accessed by State Routes 99, 140 and 59.
The first Merced post office opened in 1870, and the city incorporated in 1889, currently operating under the Council-Manager form of government. During World War II, the Merced County fairgrounds was the site of a Japanese internment Camp.
Merced has wet, cool winters and hot, dry summers. The average January temperatures are a maximum of 55.0°F and a minimum of 36.0°F, and the average July temperatures are a maximum of 97.1°F and a minimum of 60.9°F. Most of the rainfall occurs during the winter (with 48 days of measurable precipitation) and averages 12.21″ annually. Snow is relatively rare in Merced (averaging .6″ annually), however, the city’s proximity to the Sierra Nevada has resulted in some instances of heavy snowfall.
The 2010 United States Census reported Merced’s population at 78,959. There were 27,446 housing units at an average density of 1,177.1 per square mile (454.5/km²), of which 10,637 (42.7%) were owner-occupied, and 14,262 (57.3%) were occupied by renters.
Recreation opportunites include Applegate Park and Zoo, bike trails, downtown live stage theater, the County Courthouse Museum (circa 1889), a county library and the Merced Multicultural Arts Center. A short distance from the city limits is the Castle Air Museum, Challenger Learning Center, Castle Science and Technology Museum, Lake Yosemite and Merced Falls. In 2005, Merced became the home of University of California, Merced, (UCM), opening it’s doors to the first 1,000 students in September 2005 with the goal of accomodating 25,000 students.
Merced’s economy has always been based on agribusiness and the presence of Castle Air Force Base which closed down in 1995. Over the past 20 years, industry has diversified in the area to include printing, fiberglass boat building, warehousing, distribution and packaging. Re-use of the air force base is moving forward, primarily with industrial development.
The top employers in Merced are County of Merced, University of California Merced, Mercy Medical Center Merced, Merced City School District, Merced Union Hight School District, AT&T Mobility, Merced College, City of Merced, Quad/Graphics, and Walmart.
Century 21 M&M and Associates‘ Merced office is located at 2995 R Street Suite 102 and 20 of the areas finest Realtors® are ready to with all of your real estate needs; buying a home, selling a home, commercial and agriculture. Call toll free at (800) 696-5305 to consult with a member of this award winning real estate team.
*Information courtesy of Wikipedia
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