The Town FilesChico, California
City in Butte County · population 101,475 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $468,100
- Household income
- $66,977
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 95°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 31.1
Chico is a city of 101,475 people in Butte County, California. The median home is worth $468,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). It ranks better for cycling than 94% of California towns, better for young professionals than 91% of California towns, hipper than 90% of California towns.
How Chico ranks
Percentile among California towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of California towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chico is worth $468,100, below the typical California town ($596,900). Homes cost about 7.0 times the median household income of $66,977, which is more affordable than 41% of California towns. Median rent is $1,488 a month. 43.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chico | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $468,100 | $596,900 |
| Median rent | $1,488 | $1,827 |
| Median household income | $66,977 | $91,557 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.0× | 6.4× |
| Homeownership | 43.4% | 67.4% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1977 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Chico
| People | Chico | Typical California town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.1 | 40.2 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 17.7% |
| Under 18 | 18.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.2% | 27.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.7% | 10.3% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.5% | — |
| Work from home | 13.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 17.8 min | 27.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 93.3% |
Weather in Chico
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 36.2°F. About 27.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical California town: 0.0 in). Expect about 99 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chico since 1950, compared with 2 for the typical California town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on December 19, 2023 about 3.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 19, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on October 2, 2016.
Severe weather in Butte County since 1996
Butte County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2024 | Fire | FM-5519: Park Fire |
| July 2, 2024 | Fire | FM-5502: Thompson Fire |
| April 13, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4769: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 3, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4699: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 10, 2023 | Flood | EM-3592: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Butte County
Butte County had 78,999 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,521 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Chico itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Public schools in Chico
34 public schools with 15,231 students, about 21.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Valley High | 9-12 | 1,922 | 22.6 |
| Chico High | 9-12 | 1,873 | 22.6 |
| Bidwell Junior High | 6-8 | 1,010 | 25.9 |
| Chico Junior High | 6-8 | 931 | 24.5 |
| CORE Butte Charter (charter) | K-12 | 898 | 17.6 |
| Marsh (Harry M.) Junior High | 6-8 | 764 | 20.6 |
| Shasta Elementary | K-5 | 633 | 21.8 |
| Emma Wilson Elementary | K-5 | 613 | 24.5 |
| Chico Country Day (charter) | K-8 | 574 | 25.0 |
| Rosedale Elementary | K-5 | 555 | 24.1 |
| Marigold Elementary | K-5 | 538 | 22.4 |
| Sierra View Elementary | K-5 | 469 | 20.4 |
Towns near Chico
- Butte Creek Canyon, CA6.0 mi · 780 people · home $695,300
- Durham, CA9.1 mi · 5,834 people · home $700,100
- Hamilton City, CA10.3 mi · 2,263 people · home $302,800
- Cohasset, CA10.6 mi · 830 people · home $500,000
- Butte Valley, CA11.1 mi · 945 people · home $462,100
- Paradise, CA11.2 mi · 4,764 people · home $416,000
- Magalia, CA11.9 mi · 7,795 people · home $280,600
- Forest Ranch, CA12.2 mi · 1,304 people · home $445,800
Chico questions
Is Chico, California a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chico scores better for retirees than 39% of California towns and quieter than 19%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.1).
How much does a house cost in Chico?
The median owner-occupied home in Chico is valued at $468,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,977, so homes cost about 7.0 times income. Median rent is $1,488 a month.
What is the weather like in Chico?
July highs average 95.2°F and January lows 36.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.4 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Chico get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chico since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on December 19, 2023. The typical California town has had 2.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)