Chico, CA
Census place 0613014 · pop 102,188
Home of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Bidwell Park, and California State University, Chico.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.7% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
713 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.9% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
22.7% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$468,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
1957 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
46 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$66,977 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
2 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,607/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.78% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
93.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
42.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
28.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
Frequently asked
- Is Chico, CA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Chico scores 39/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is commute time and its weakest is unemployment rate. California overall ranks #49 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Chico, CA?
- Chico reports 713 violent crimes per 100k and 1957 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Chico, CA expensive to live in?
- Chico has a median home value of $468,100 and typical rent around $1,607/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Chico, CA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (5.7%) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Chico, CA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is commute time (18 min) — 87/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Bidwell Park, and California State University, Chico.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.