Tucson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chico
Tucson
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 8%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
72 · Top 31%
vs64 · Bottom 45%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs18 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 3%
vs76 · Bottom 18%
Access
62 · Bottom 24%
vs73 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 28%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Chico | Tucson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 207,929 | 1,060,490 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,928 | $70,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,305 | $40,140 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 115/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,700 | $319,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,414 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 65.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -4.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 36.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 4,790 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.7% | 5.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 99°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 41°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.7" | 11.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Chico
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Tucson
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Chico, CA Metro Area · Tucson, AZ Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology