Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Merced, CA
The average asking rent in Merced, CA is $2,036/month as of 2026-08. That is +1.5% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$2,036/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+1.5%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Merced, CA.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $2,036 | -0.24% |
| 2026-07 | $2,041 | +0.59% |
| 2026-06 | $2,029 | +0.59% |
| 2026-05 | $2,017 | +0.55% |
| 2026-04 | $2,006 | +0.70% |
| 2026-03 | $1,992 | -0.10% |
| 2026-02 | $1,994 | +0.61% |
| 2026-01 | $1,982 | -0.65% |
| 2025-12 | $1,995 | +0.05% |
| 2025-11 | $1,994 | -0.60% |
| 2025-10 | $2,006 | +0.05% |
| 2025-09 | $2,005 | -0.05% |
| 2025-08 | $2,006 | +0.25% |
| 2025-07 | $2,001 | +0.76% |
| 2025-06 | $1,986 | +0.66% |
| 2025-05 | $1,973 | +0.46% |
| 2025-04 | $1,964 | +0.05% |
| 2025-03 | $1,963 | +0.05% |
| 2025-02 | $1,962 | +0.15% |
| 2025-01 | $1,959 | +0.20% |
| 2024-12 | $1,955 | +0.36% |
| 2024-11 | $1,948 | +0.10% |
| 2024-10 | $1,946 | -0.15% |
| 2024-09 | $1,949 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices