Inflation and rising living costs have made it harder for 8 out of 10 (79 %) Merced County residents to pay bills, buy food, or cover medical expenses.

Recent research we performed on behalf of Legacy Health Endowment revealed:

• Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) chose not to fill a prescription medication due to cost.

• More than a third (34 percent) were unable to eat three meals a day because food was not available or too expensive.

• Nearly one-quarter (24 percent) ate just one meal a day because food was not available or too expensive.

• A quarter of residents avoided going to a grocery store due to rising inflation and the overall cost of living, while 24 percent avoided going to the doctor.

Beyond healthcare, Merced County families are grappling with fundamental survival:

• More than half (52 percent) are struggling to pay their bills.

• Nearly a supermajority (63 percent) is living paycheck to paycheck with no ability to save.

• Nearly a quarter (23 percent) have fallen behind on utility payments within the past six months, while more than a quarter (26 percent) have not been able to make a credit card payment during that time.

A strategic memorandum can be downloaded here, while the full presentation on results can be found here.