Visalia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chico
Visalia
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 8%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
72 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 34%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 11%
vs14 · Bottom 5%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 3%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Access
62 · Bottom 24%
vs67 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 28%
vs48 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Chico | Visalia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 207,929 | 478,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,928 | $71,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,305 | $28,185 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 127/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,700 | $330,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,414 | $1,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 58.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 10.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.9% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 860 | 2,015 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.7% | 36.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.7" | 12.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 32.1 | 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.
Visalia
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, inland flooding, wildfire.
Full profiles: Chico, CA Metro Area · Visalia, CA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology