Chico receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Chico
Oroville
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
46 · Bottom 43%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
46 · Bottom 8%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Access
53 · Bottom 5%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 26%
vs27 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Chico | Oroville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 102,188 | 19,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,977 | $52,270 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,830 | $26,452 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,973/sq mi | 1,421/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $468,100 | $311,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,488 | $1,093 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 53.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.2% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.7% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 230 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 48.4% | -96.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 96°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 40°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 25.7" | 25.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 74 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.1 | 35.8 | 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.
Oroville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Chico, CA · Oroville, CA · How this is calculated: methodology