Snelling Courthouse, 2010
Snelling’s story
156 years in pictures
The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 1910 and 4 maps from 1918 on.
- 1870Snelling is settled
SnellingCA
Population 243: a town settled in 1870.
Population
243
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$462K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$47K
median
Median age
31.0
years
Jobs based here
31
A commuter town
Settled
1870
156 years ago
Is Snelling a good place to live?
Snelling’s typical July afternoon high is 96°F, above both the California town median (89°F) and the median of U.S. towns (85°F). Only 4 of the 848 California towns we compare have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Snelling. Snelling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
243 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Snelling.
Schools
The schools Snelling’s kids attend
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Snelling-Merced Falls Union Elementary school district. 55 students attend the town’s public school.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snelling-Merced Falls ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–8 | Grades K–8 | 55 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Snelling faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by drought
87risk score of 100
Expected damage from storms and floods is higher here than in 87% of U.S. communities. Households in Snelling have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2022.
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingHeat waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Snelling are worth about $462K, by Zillow’s estimate
$462KZillow home value
62% of households live in a home they own in Snelling. Home values are up 3.9% over the year to September 2026.
Typical home value
Snelling$462K
California$762K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commute
Snelling has 0.4 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
0%work in town
The top destinations are Merced (24%), Turlock (5%) and Modesto (4%). In Snelling, the average trip to work is 32 minutes. The median commute is under 27 miles. 4.1% of Snelling residents live below the poverty line.
| Snelling | Typical California town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 32 minutes | 28 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 10% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Snelling0%
Merced24%
Turlock5%
Modesto4%
Atwater2%
27 mi
median commute distance
31
jobs based in Snelling
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2024 · ACS
Climate
Expect mild winters and hot summers in Snelling
96°summer high
In Snelling, the January low is 38°F.
Typical low → high °F
Winter39–58°
Spring47–74°
Summer60–94°
Fall50–78°
Nov 25
typical first frost
Feb 26
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
96°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Snelling is
The share of adults in Snelling who get no exercise outside work is 28%. Two figures for adults here: 18% smoke cigarettes, 27% say their health is fair or poor.
| Snelling | Typical California town | Typical U.S. town | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 14% | 14% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 11% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 22% | 19% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. California
0 better18 too close to call14 worse
| What stands out | Snelling | CA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 10% | 5.1% |
| More smokers | 17.5% | 10.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 8.7% | 5.6% |
Mercy Medical Center
12.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Snelling
16pages on Snelling
The big questions
Out and about
Getting set up
Moving to Snelling: who provides what
Snelling is unincorporated, so Merced County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPG&E37.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesMerced CountyMerced County provides services here
SchoolsMerced Union High School DistrictSnelling-Merced Falls Union Elementary School District2 districts serve Snelling; 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 code9536995369 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.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Snelling for work
Where Snelling’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
31jobs based in Snelling
0%of working residents work in town
27 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2024
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Snelling
University of California-MercedUniversity or college · Public · Merced10.9 mi$15,623 in-state tuitionMerced CollegeCommunity college · Public · Merced13.3 mi$1,200 in-state tuition
College town 19 of every 100 Snelling residents are enrolled in college, against 8 across California.
About Snelling
Census-designated place in California, United States
Snelling (formerly Snelling's Ranch) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Merced County, California, United States. It is located on the north bank of the Merced River 17 miles (27 km) north of Merced, at an elevation of 256 feet (78 m). The population was 238 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 256 ft
- ZIP code
- 95369
- Area code
- 209
Questions about Snelling
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Snelling, CA a good place to live?
Snelling has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Snelling is in here
Say something about Snelling.
Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.