Livingston, California, 2009
Livingston’s story
153 years in pictures
Census counts: 803 in 1930, 14,172 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2009 and 4 maps from 1916 on.
- 1873Livingston is settled
LivingstonCA
A town of 14,690, settled in 1873.
Photo: Publichall · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
14,690
2025 Census estimate · +3.9% since 2020
Typical home
$420K
−1.1% in a year
Household income
$74K
median
Median age
33.0
years
Jobs based here
5,545
Balanced
TownGrade
D−
#735 of 841 in CA
Is Livingston a good place to live?
Livingston grades D− overall, ranked 735th of 841 in California. What it does well: 2% of its land is conserved. Livingston’s midsummer high is 95°F, above both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Livingston's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 99% of U.S. towns. The typical home is worth about $420K, 6.4 years of the Merced metro’s $66K median household income.
How Livingston grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within California), ordered by how far Livingston is from typical.
Cost of livingDOpen →HealthEmanuel Medical Center 10.6 miles awayCOpen →Jobs & income$74K median household incomeCOpen →SafetyCOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listCOpen →SchoolsC+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 10.9 of 20; 5.7% of households have no car; 0.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors2 miles of trailsB−Open →History2 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life1.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsD−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.0; 11% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Livingston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Livingston, and how to reach them.
PowerMerced Irrigation District24.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Livingston water system1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Livingston’s trash rules yet
SchoolsLivingston Union School DistrictMerced Union High School District2 districts serve Livingston; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn California you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereMerced County Registrar of Voters - ElectionsMerced County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP code9533495334 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Livingston.
Livingston has more 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and trades workers with Turlock and other neighbors.
HousingCost of living grade D
Livingston earns a D for cost of living
Zillow values the typical Livingston home at about $420,000, down 1.1% in a year, 45% below the California typical home. In Livingston, the median rent is $1,315 a month. 63% of Livingston households own their home.
$420KZillow home value
| Livingston | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,315 a month | $1,898 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 63% | 64% | 73% |
Typical home value
Livingston$420K
California$762K
−1.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsC+
Livingston’s public schools trail 59% of California districts
Two of the 6 schools are below, and why each made the list. The largest public high school is Livingston High, with 1,169 students. The public schools here belong to the Livingston Union school district.
41%of CA districts it outscoresC+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 809 | C− |
| Livingston HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,169 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within CA on state tests and graduation
HealthC
On CDC estimates, Livingston is less healthy than 74% of U.S. towns
In Livingston, 37% of adults get no exercise outside work, and 42% feel lonely. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Livingston is ahead of California on 1 and behind on 17. Among adults in the town, 33% worry about having enough food.
26%healthier than U.S. townsCHealth Grade
| Livingston | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 22% | 19% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 24% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 36% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. California
1 better14 too close to call17 worse
| What stands out | Livingston | CA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4% | 6.4% |
| More uninsured adults | 21.4% | 10.6% |
Emanuel Medical Center
10.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
19th
percentile among CA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC
Crime per resident in Livingston is higher than in 71% of U.S. towns
Within California, it does better than 53% of towns. In Livingston, the violent crime rate is 3.4 per 1,000 residents.
29%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Livingston | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 3.4 per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.8 per 1,000 residents | 13.3 | 9.9 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Livingston3.4
California4.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Livingston14.8
California18.2
U.S.15.5
29th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
53rd
percentile among CA towns
50
violent crimes reported in 2025
220
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Livingston
The Merced weather station, 13 miles away, records that about 106 days a year reach 90°, more than in 96% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 95.4°, hotter than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 38.8°.
The January low for Livingston comes to 39°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
95°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–58°
Spring48–75°
Summer61–93°
Fall51–78°
Nov 24
typical first frost
Mar 3
typical last frost
+1.5°
vs. the 20th-century average
95°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
About one in six working residents works right in Livingston
Livingston has about as many jobs (5,545) as working residents, but only 993 people both live and work here. The average commute takes 22.5 minutes, against 28.7 across California.
The top destinations are Turlock (9%), Merced (7%) and Modesto (6%). For most workers, Livingston is a place to come home to: only 17% work in town. Its average commute stands at 23 minutes. Jobs based in Livingston grew to 5,545 in 2023, 525 more than in 2013.
17%work in town
| Livingston | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 4.5% | 14% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 10% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 6.6% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Livingston17%
Turlock9%
Merced7%
Modesto6%
Atwater3%
17 mi
median commute distance
5,545
jobs based in Livingston
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 52% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
OutdoorsB−
Open space protected for good: 1.7% of Livingston
There are 1.7 miles of trail across 9 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves in Livingston: 9, covering 44 acres. Also worth knowing: its trail network density comes in at 0.5 miles per square mile.
#548for trails in CA
| Livingston | California towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 1.7% | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 1.0 | 0.4 |
1.7%
conserved · 39 of 2,356 acres
1.7 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Joseph Gallo Park | 0.4 mi | 7 |
| 2. Max Foster Sports Complex | 0.1 mi | 14 |
| 3. Arakelian Park | 0.2 mi | 8 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
Natural hazards: high risk in Livingston, mostly inland flooding
Livingston’s FEMA hazard score is 62 of 100. Federal aid has come to Livingston households in 2 declared disasters; the latest was in 2022. FEMA puts 48% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 38% to earthquakes.
62risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesHeat waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Livingston
20pages on Livingston
The big questions
SchoolsC+Behind 59% of CA districts · 6 schoolsSafetyC3.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthCBetter than CA on 1 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$420K typical home · down 1.1% in a yearWork & commuteC$74K median household income · 5,545 jobs hereNatural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 62% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Livingston
California State University-StanislausUniversity or college · Public · Turlock11.9 mi$8,246 in-state tuitionMerced CollegeCommunity college · Public · Merced14.1 mi$1,200 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Livingston residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Livingston
City in California, United States
Livingston is a city in Merced County, California, United States. Livingston is located 7 miles (11 km) west-northwest of Atwater, at an elevation of 131 feet (40 m). According to the 2020 census, the city population was 14,172, up from 13,058 in 2010. Livingston's total area is 3.678 square miles (9.53 km2), including undeveloped farmland annexed in anticipation of future growth.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1922
- Area
- 3.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 131 ft
- ZIP code
- 95334
- Area code
- 209
Questions about Livingston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Livingston, CA a good place to live?
Livingston grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #735 of 841 in California. It grades C for health, C for safety and C+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Livingston, CA safe?
Within California, it does better than 53% of towns.
Is Livingston, CA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.
What is Livingston, CA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Eunice Sato and Noel Edwin Manoukian.