NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Merced, CA

Metro Market Score 64.8 (Difficult), ranked #225 of 298 metros. 408 establishments, 6,261 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 64.8
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

⚡Rising Wages

Accommodation and Food Services employment in Merced contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the bottom quartile at 9.4. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration
10.4
LQ: 0.81
Rank #31 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
60.1
$26,465 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 9.4
Employment growth index
Rank #271 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
100.0
YoY wage change index

408 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Merced

408
Establishments
+2.8% YoY
6,261
Total Employment
-3.4% YoY
$26,465
Average Annual Wage
+11.9% YoY
0.81
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Merced vs California Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to California overall. The state ranks #47/51 for entry risk.

Measure Merced CA Statewide
Overall Score 64.8 Difficult 57.2 High
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #225 of 298 metros #47 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Merced

Information 16.0 Healthcare and Social Assistance 17.5 Administrative and Support Services 19.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 29.9 Construction 30.0 Finance and Insurance 34.4 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 38.3 Other Services 43.0 Retail Trade 56.2

Accommodation and Food Services in Other California Metros

Fresno 39.2 #46/298 Hanford-Corcoran 50.6 #120/298 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara 53.3 #140/298 Chico 53.8 #147/298 El Centro 54.7 #155/298 Visalia 56.9 #163/298 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 60.6 #197/298 Redding 62.2 #208/298 Bakersfield-Delano 64.2 #220/298 Stockton-Lodi 64.5 #221/298

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Merced's accommodation and food services sector, the employment growth component (90.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.