Median Income
$185,368
household / year
Median Home Value
$686,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$2,651
gross / month
Cost of Living
112
national avg = 100

Is Merrick, NY a Good Place to Live?

Merrick is a small city of 21,004 in New York, with a median household income of $185,368 and a 3.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 112 (US average = 100), which is 12% above the national average.

Strengths: Merrick stands out for solid school ratings (A+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes. Whether Merrick is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Merrick city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 112.5

Merrick's overall cost of living index is 112.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Merrick costs roughly 12% more than the average American city.

Metric Merrick, NY National Avg
Median Home Value $686,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $2,651 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 95.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $185,368 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Merrick's violent crime rate is 133.0 per 100,000 residents — 65% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
133.0 /100k
Property Crime
1044.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Merrick is served primarily by BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Merrick, NY National Avg
School District BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.1:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 62.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Merrick sees average highs of 41.8°F in January and 85.1°F in July, with 42.8 inches of annual precipitation and 25.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricMerrick, NY
Average High — January41.8°F
Average High — July85.1°F
Annual Precipitation42.8"
Annual Snowfall25.5"

Demographics

MetricMerrick, NYNational Avg
Population21,004—
Median Age42.938.9
Unemployment Rate3.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time38.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)87.5%59.3%
Black or African American1.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.6%18.9%
Asian4.1%6.3%
Under 1822.8%22.2%
65 and over17.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Bellmore, NY 1 mi Freeport, NY 2 mi Wantagh, NY 2 mi Roosevelt, NY 3 mi North Merrick, NY 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Merrick

Merrick, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code:

11566

Merrick vs Other Cities

Merrick, NY vs Bellmore, NY Merrick, NY vs Freeport, NY Merrick, NY vs Wantagh, NY Merrick, NY vs Roosevelt, NY Merrick, NY vs North Merrick, NY

Frequently Asked Questions

Merrick's cost of living index is 112, where 100 is the national average. That puts Merrick roughly 12% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $686,400 and median rent is $2,651/month.
Merrick's violent crime rate is 133.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1044.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Merrick are operated by BELLMORE-MERRICK CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has several elementary, 1 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.1:1. 62.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Merrick, NY has a population of 21,004, a median household income of $185,368, and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Merrick averages 41.8°F in January and 85.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 42.8 inches with about 25.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Merrick, NY is covered by 1 ZIP code: 11566.
The population of Merrick, New York is 21,004 with a median age of 42.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Merrick: cost of living index 112 (100 = US average), median home $686,400, median household income $185,368, crime index 41 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Merrick side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.