CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

37.31° N · 120.59° W · GEOID 0645006

McSwain

Merced County, California · part of the Merced, CA metro

CaliforniaMcSwain, CAMcSwainMcSwain

The short answer

McSwain is home to 5,783 people. Median household income is $139,131 a year and median rent is $1,516 a month, 13.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $690,100, about 5.0x annual median household income.

What sets McSwain apart is how far household money goes. Money left after rent is $118,200, against $69,900 in its closest peers. Also notable: OpenStreetMap shows 0 parks per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 95% of places its size. It is the lowest of 655 California places we track.

63OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

McSwain scores better than 63% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 77th of 654 in California.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%61
Economy 20%87
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%0
Education 10%53
Commute 10%62
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,516
11% above the median place
Median household income
$139,131
73% above the median place
Median home value
$690,100
116% above the median place
Unemployment
3.2%
35% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about McSwain

  • HousingOwning with a mortgage costs about $1,454 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 94% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track.
  • Affordability27% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 95% of the 2,214 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to McSwain

Merced County loses about 3.0 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in9,237
Moved out9,936
Net−699

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within California, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within CaliforniaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$51K
Leavers$54K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Merced County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
4.6% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 0.4% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Merced County report $51,100 a year in income on average; those leaving, $54,100, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$60,600 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,516 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,970 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $690,100.
Getting to work
23 minutes each way on average; 5.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Perry, UT matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
0.4%
78% below the median place
Income of households moving in7
$51,109
28% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$54,074
23% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure4.6%19% below
Moved from another state1County figure0.4%78% below
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-3.0400% below
Income of households moving in7County figure$51,10928% below
Income of households moving out7County figure$54,07423% below
02

What it costs to live here

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 97 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

McSwain13.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$60,640
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
13.1%
36% below the median place
Home price to income
5.0x
31% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
13%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$118,100
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in McSwain, $1,516 a month, and local prices for everything else (102.3 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like McSwain, but easier on the budget

Places that match McSwain on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Perry, UT6810.6% vs 13.1%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in McSwain.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to McSwain? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
27.2%
46% below the median place
Median home value1
$690,100
116% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,970
59% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,51611% above
Rent to income113.1%36% below
Property tax rate10.6%31% below
Home price to income15.0x31% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure98.33% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,5176% below
HUD area median income4County figure$75,80029% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,37734% above
Median home value1$690,100116% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure0.8%75% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure45.7%11% below
Homeownership173.8%11% above
Renters paying 30%+127.2%46% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,97059% above
Vacant homes1County figure5.3%25% below
Median year built119951% above
03

Work and pay

Works from home is 5.5%, 56% below the median place.

Works from home1
5.5%
56% below the median place
Median household income1
$139,131
73% above the median place
Income per person1
$65,037
62% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Unemployment3.2% −35%
Poverty rate17.1% +59%
Mean commute23 min −7%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$139,13173% above
Income per person1$65,03762% above
Unemployment13.2%35% below
Average annual pay6County figure$56,82614% below
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure3.4%8% below
Jobs6County figure85,66343% below
Poverty rate117.1%59% above
Mean commute123 min7% below
Works from home15.5%56% below
Commutes by transit1County figure0.5%40% below
04

Who lives here

Household size is 3.7, 47% above the median place.

Household size1
3.7
47% above the median place
Median age1
33.8
13% below the median place
High school or higher1
85.0%
8% below the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Born abroad17.9% 2.0×
No health insurance8.2% +28%
Homes with broadband91.8% −0%
Bachelor's or higher33.6% +5%
All 8 people measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15,7836093rd largest
Median age133.813% below
Bachelor's or higher133.6%5% above
High school or higher185.0%8% below
Household size13.747% above
Born abroad117.9%102% above
No health insurance18.2%28% above
Homes with broadband191.8%0% below
05

Life in McSwain

The nearest National Park Service site is Yosemite National Park, about 65 miles away.

16 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k0.0 −100%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k0.0 −100%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Yosemite National Park 65 miles
  • Pinnacles National Park 66 miles
  • Hain Wilderness 66 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars12.8 −38%
Shops19.0 −37%
Arts, recreation and fitness1.5 −63%
Doctors' offices and clinics12.3 −39%
Child care centers1.4 −39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site10
64.7
110% above the median place
Shops per 10k8
19.0
37% below the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
1.5
63% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure116above (median 9)
Public school students12County figure59,456above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher12County figure22.043% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure12.838% below
Shops per 10k8County figure19.037% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure1.563% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure12.339% below
Child care centers per 10k8County figure1.439% below
Parks per 10k90.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k90.0below (median 9.4)
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k90.0below (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k90.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails90.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1064.7110% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles100below (median 2)
National Register listings11County figure1623% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Annual precipitation is 11.5 in, 74% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached McSwain. Larger places are fetched first.

Annual precipitation13
11.5 in
74% below the median place
July average high13
94°F
8% above the median place
Tornado risk14
26.2
68% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureMcSwainAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure94°F8% above
January average low13County figure39°F55% above
Average temperature13County figure63°F14% above
Annual precipitation13County figure11.5 in74% below
Natural hazard risk14County figure96.85% above
Tornado risk14County figure26.268% below
Wildfire risk14County figure92.251% above
Heat wave risk14County figure97.78% above
Median air quality index15County figure5016% above
Good air days15County figure51.0%26% below
08

McSwain in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 13% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 13% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, McSwain does better than 60% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 44%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,516/mo (2024)$1,990/mo$1,630 to $2,420/mo+4.6%
Median household income$139,131 (2024)$178,500$150,500 to $211,000+4.2%
Median home value$690,100 (2024)$986,000$716,000 to $1,358,000+6.1%

The median home would be worth 5.5 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.0 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like McSwain

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Winters, CA$1,568$122,951Compare
South Weber, UT$1,469$138,600Compare
Pleasant View, UT$1,741$129,462Compare
Rosedale, CA$1,637$135,966Compare
Rosedale, CAPleasant View, UTSouth Weber, UTWinters, CAMcSwain, CAMcSwainWintersSouth WeberPleasant ViewRosedaleMcSwainSouth WeberPleasant ViewRosedale

Places built like McSwain

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how McSwain performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
McSwain, CA13.1%6.6%/yrn/a
West Loch Estate, HI26.1%2.7%/yrn/aCompare
Highgrove, CA15.4%13.2%/yrn/aCompare
Ewa Villages, HI16.6%3.3%/yrn/aCompare
Maili, HI26.0%4.8%/yrn/aCompare
Fowler, CA21.8%3.0%/yr15.0%Compare
Lake Mathews, CA23.7%-1.6%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is McSwain a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 63 out of 100, better than 63% of the places we rate and 77th of 654 in California. Owning with a mortgage costs about $1,454 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 94% of the 2,469 places under 10,000 people we track. 27% of renter households spend 30% or more of income on rent, a lower share than in 95% of the 2,214 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 76 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is McSwain expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 13.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $690,100.

What salary do you need to live in McSwain?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $60,640 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to McSwain?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Winters, CA, South Weber, UT, Pleasant View, UT and Rosedale, CA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares McSwain with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for McSwain itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/mcswain-california

Citytistics. “McSwain, California.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/mcswain-california/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.