Bellingham, WA vs Merced, CA Cost of Living
Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024
Merced is slightly cheaper than Bellingham — 4.8% lower overall cost of living.
To match an $80,000 salary in Bellingham, you would need $76,100 in Merced. Calculate your salary ↓
Category Breakdown
Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.
Salary Equivalency Calculator
Enter your current salary in Bellingham to see what you'd need to earn in Merced to maintain the same purchasing power.
Formula: salary × (98.3 ÷ 103.3) = salary × 0.9516. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.
Housing Market
Bellingham, WA
- Median Home Price
- $621,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $1,975
- Housing Index
- 112.9
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 26.2×
Merced, CA
- Median Home Price
- $420,000
- Median Monthly Rent
- $2,075
- Housing Index
- 78.6
- Price-to-Rent Ratio
- 16.9×
Bellingham has 30.4% lower housing costs compared to Merced.
Income & Job Market
Bellingham, WA
- Median Household Income
- $86,200
- Per Capita Income
- $49,100
- Unemployment Rate
- 4.2%
- Population
- 92,314
Merced, CA
- Median Household Income
- $65,000
- Per Capita Income
- $37,100
- Unemployment Rate
- 8.6%
- Population
- 86,333
Affordability at a Glance
Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).
73% of income left after rent (median)
62% of income left after rent (median)
Related Comparisons
Bellingham vs other cities
Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.
Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.
This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.