Chico receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oroville
Chico
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 1%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
12 · Bottom 3%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
72 · Top 42%
vs72 · Top 42%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 15%
vs46 · Bottom 8%
Access
70 · Bottom 12%
vs53 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 5%
vs47 · Bottom 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Oroville | Chico | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,752 | 102,188 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,270 | $66,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,452 | $38,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,421/sq mi | 2,973/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $311,600 | $468,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,093 | $1,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 53.0% | 43.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.2% | -2.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.2% | 42.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.4% | 22.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 230 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 2.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -96.8% | 48.4% | 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 | 55 mi | 74 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 19.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 31.1 | 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
Oroville
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Chico
Elevated or high exposure: drought, wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Oroville, CA · Chico, CA · How this is calculated: methodology