Merced is a city located in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It serves as the county seat of Merced County and was officially incorporated on April 1, 1889. The city derives its name from the nearby Merced River.
Operating under a council–manager government, Merced is a charter city with a population that grew to 86,333 as of the 2020 census. This figure represents an increase from the 78,958 residents recorded in 2010.