| Measure | MercedCalifornia, United States Remove Merced | Santa ClaraCalifornia, United States Remove Santa Clara |
|---|---|---|
| Scores (out of 10) | ||
| Overall score | 6.6 | 5.3 |
| Connector Score | 8.5 | 8.5 |
| Safety | 7.0 | 8.1 |
| Affordability | 8.5 | 1.0 |
| Transportation | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Car-free friendliness | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Walkability | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Things to do | 6.3 | 6.0 |
| Food & dining | 5.9 | 4.5 |
| Places to stay | 5.7 | 6.0 |
| Nature & outdoors | 5.5 | 2.0 |
| Scenic value | 5.5 | 3.0 |
| Family friendliness | 7.4 | 6.6 |
| Solo-traveler friendliness | 5.4 | 5.6 |
| Nightlife | 5.0 | 4.3 |
| Remote-work friendliness | 6.5 | 5.2 |
| Road-trip convenience | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Train-trip convenience | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Bus-trip convenience | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Cost (per person per day, USD) | ||
| Budget | $104 | $170 |
| Mid-range | $154 | $248 |
| Luxury | $253 | $421 |
| Living there | ||
| Cost of living index (national = 100) | 80 | 188 |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent | $1,400 | $3,000 |
| Population | 100K | 133K |
| Getting there | ||
| Accessible by | Drive Train Airport | Drive Train Airport |
| Car recommended | — | — |
| Travel time from Merced | — | 1 h 55 min details |
| Character | ||
| Best for | History, Budget stays | — |
| Known for | National & state parks, Lakes & rivers, Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Food scene, Wineries & breweries, Live music, Shopping, Family & kids | Museums & galleries, Historic sites, Theme & amusement parks, Live music, Pro sports |
| When to go | Peak: Late spring through fall when Yosemite… | — |
Scores and costs are estimates from public data and our own research; check the city pages for sources and dates.