Merced

Merced is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. As of 2014, the city had a population of 81,743. Incorporated on April 1, 1889, Merced is a charter city that operates under a council-manager government. It is named after the Merced River, which flows nearby.Merced, known as the "Gateway to Yosemite", is less than two hours by automobile from Yosemite National Park to the east and Monterey Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and several beaches to the west. The community is served by the rail passenger service Amtrak, a major airline through Merced Regional Airport, and three bus lines. It is approximately 110mi from Sacramento, 130mi from San Francisco, 45mi from Fresno, and 270mi from Los Angeles.In 2005, the city became home to the tenth University of California campus, University of California, Merced, the first research university built in the U.S. in the 21st century.