Upper-half FMR gap - Merced, CA MSA
Displayed gap in Merced, CA MSA: +31.0% (HUD $1,503 vs ACS $1,147) · counties in FMR rows: Merced County .
FMR gap dispatch plate
CBSA 32900 · Merced, CA -31.0% shortfall
GAP-GENEROUS · FMR-ABOVE · SPREAD-PLUS · PHOTO-FINISH · COUNTY-SPARSE · BOOK-FULL
- GAP-GENEROUS 31.0% surplus
- FMR-ABOVE #277/396 · P70
- SPREAD-PLUS +$356
- PHOTO-FINISH Sebring
- COUNTY-SPARSE 1 county
- BOOK-FULL HUD+ACS pair
Nearest shortfall peer: Sebring, FL Metro Area (+0.0pp)
HUD's reference overshoots the ACS median by $356/mo. Lease-up odds are usually better than in shortfall markets, though still compare Sebring, FL Metro Area before assuming portability helps.
Instrument codes from this metro’s HUD FMR vs ACS shortfall band, national FMR quartile, dollar spread, gap peer, county footprint, and book completeness, not a moving recommendation.
Shortfall neighbourhood around Merced, CA
Metros nearest this CBSA on voucher-vs-market shortfall (HUD FMR vs ACS 2-BR median). Full ladder: /gap/.
- Staunton-Stuarts -30.94
Staunton-Stuarts: -30.9% shortfall
-30.94 % shortfall
- Yuba City -31.02
Yuba City: -31.0% shortfall
-31.02 % shortfall
- Sebring -31.03
Sebring: -31.0% shortfall
-31.03 % shortfall
- Merced · this metro -31.04
Merced · this metro: -31.0% shortfall
-31.04 % shortfall
- Cape Coral-Fort -31.08
Cape Coral-Fort : -31.1% shortfall
-31.08 % shortfall
How does Merced, CA compare with nearby FMR areas?
These are the twelve metros closest to Merced, CA on the displayed voucher-vs-market margin. Their county lists are HUD FMR-area coverage, not a claim that the markets are interchangeable.
- Sebring, FL Metro Area
-31.0% shortfall · HUD $1,271 vs ACS $970 · $+$301/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Highlands County.
- Yuba City, CA Metro Area
-31.0% shortfall · HUD $1,550 vs ACS $1,183 · $+$367/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Sutter County, Yuba County.
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area
-31.1% shortfall · HUD $1,961 vs ACS $1,496 · $+$465/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Lee County.
- Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA Metro Area
-30.9% shortfall · HUD $1,261 vs ACS $963 · $+$298/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Augusta County, Staunton city, Waynesboro city.
- Flagstaff, AZ Metro Area
-31.2% shortfall · HUD $1,921 vs ACS $1,464 · $+$457/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Coconino County.
- Chambersburg, PA Metro Area
-30.8% shortfall · HUD $1,379 vs ACS $1,054 · $+$325/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Franklin County.
- Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area
-30.8% shortfall · HUD $1,252 vs ACS $957 · $+$295/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Lackawanna County, Luzerne County, Wyoming County.
- Kahului-Wailuku, HI Metro Area
-30.8% shortfall · HUD $2,492 vs ACS $1,905 · $+$587/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Kalawao County.
- Cleveland, TN Metro Area
-31.3% shortfall · HUD $1,233 vs ACS $939 · $+$294/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Bradley County, Polk County.
- Lynchburg, VA Metro Area
-30.7% shortfall · HUD $1,187 vs ACS $908 · $+$279/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Amherst County, Appomattox County, Bedford County, Campbell County, Lynchburg city.
- Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area
-31.4% shortfall · HUD $1,390 vs ACS $1,058 · $+$332/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Catoosa County, Dade County, Hamilton County, Marion County, Sequatchie County, Walker County.
- Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH Metro Area
-30.7% shortfall · HUD $1,273 vs ACS $974 · $+$299/mo
HUD FMR-area counties: Greene County, Miami County, Montgomery County.
Source: HUD USER FY2026 Fair Market Rent area records and Census ACS 2019–2023 median gross rent.
CA FMR scale context
These are the closest FY2026 2-BR FMR values in CA; they help place this HUD reference on its state scale, but do not substitute for each metro’s ACS rent comparison.
- Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA $1,483 (−$20)
- Visalia, CA MSA $1,474 (−$29)
- Hanford-Corcoran, CA MSA $1,469 (−$34)
- Yuba City, CA MSA $1,550 (+$47)
- Redding, CA MSA $1,590 (+$87)
- Chico, CA MSA $1,625 (+$122)
- Madera, CA MSA $1,376 (−$127)
- El Centro, CA MSA $1,362 (−$141)
- Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area $1,664 (+$161)
- Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA $1,742 (+$239)
Low-FMR contrast (scale only)
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA ($1,060 2-BR); Mayagüez, PR Metro Area ($536 2-BR); McHenry County, ND HUD Metro FMR Area ($1,000 2-BR); Mobile, AL MSA ($1,083 2-BR) . Opposite-quartile FMR metros for scale, not gap substitutes for Merced, CA MSA.
Merced, CA MSA gap inputs
- HUD 2-BR FMR (FY2026): $1,503/mo
- ACS 2019–2023 2-BR median: $1,147/mo
- Displayed gap: +31.0%
- National FMR percentile: 70 (#277/396)
displayed % = (HUD 2-BR − ACS 2-BR median) / ACS median × 100
Issuing PHAs for Merced, CA MSA
CA HCV agencies (scale-keyed)
- HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF REDDING
- Imperial Valley Housing Authority
- Housing Authority of the City of Glendale
- Housing Authority of the City of Oxnard
- CITY OF SANTA ROSA
- Housing Authority of the County of Yolo
- City of Oceanside Community Development Comm
- Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura
Full payment standards for Merced, CA MSA · Payment standards vs FMR
Source: HUD USER Fair Market Rent FY2026, Census ACS median gross rent. Gap is PlainVoucher-derived. Methodology.
Disclaimer. For informational purposes only, not a substitute for PHA counseling or legal advice. Median gross rent reflects rents paid by current tenants; asking rents for available units typically run higher. Actual PHA payment standards can differ from HUD FMR by ±10%. Always confirm the current payment standard with your PHA. PlainVoucher is not affiliated with HUD or any PHA.