CITY
Chico
California · 105,081 residents (2025 est.) · 34.5 sq mi
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The short version
Chico is home to 102,188 people in California. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 42,234 people. The median age is 31.1, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. That trails the California median by roughly 32%. 22.7% of locals live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 85%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
102,188
+70%since 2000
from 59,954 in 2000
105,081 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
34.5 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024102K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(4,544)
5 to 95.7%(5,788)
10 to 145.2%(5,275)
15 to 197.7%(7,849)
20 to 2417.2%(17,559)
25 to 3415%(15,305)
35 to 4412.1%(12,372)
45 to 5410%(10,246)
55 to 648.5%(8,718)
65 to 748.8%(8,954)
75 to 843.9%(3,966)
85 and over1.6%(1,612)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$66,977
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $29,359 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
45.4%
+22.2 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.8%
Other services5.6%
Wholesale trade4.3%
Retail trade4.1%
Finance & insurance3.3%
Public administration3.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
Professional, scientific, technical2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
Construction1.8%
Education & health services1.1%
Manufacturing0.1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$468,100
+85%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $138,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
7.0
−17%since 2009
from 8.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
55
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic77.2%(46,258)
Black2%(1,174)
Hispanic / Latino12.3%(7,351)
Asian4.1%(2,488)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic64.6%(66,064)
Black2.2%(2,278)
Hispanic / Latino20.5%(20,988)
Asian5.2%(5,323)
Other7.4%(7,535)
66
+32%since 2009
from 50 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican17.1%(17,459)
Central American0.8%(854)
South American0.6%(601)
Puerto Rican0.5%(475)
Salvadoran0.3%(344)
Spaniard0.3%(300)
Peruvian0.2%(225)
Nicaraguan0.2%(206)
Cuban0.2%(173)
Guatemalan0.2%(168)
Colombian0.1%(132)
Chilean0.1%(101)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(67)
Venezuelan0%(48)
Costa Rican0%(43)
Honduran0%(35)
Argentine0%(28)
Panamanian0%(23)
Dominican0%(8)
Asian origin
Hmong1.3%(1,372)
Chinese0.9%(885)
Filipino0.7%(728)
Vietnamese0.6%(612)
Asian Indian0.5%(486)
Korean0.3%(259)
Japanese0.2%(186)
Taiwanese0.2%(173)
Indonesian0.1%(151)
Mien0.1%(93)
Laotian0.1%(88)
Pakistani0.1%(82)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.3%(291)
Tongan0.2%(244)
Samoan0.1%(123)
Fijian0%(41)
Chamorro0%(11)
Ancestry
German14%(14,297)
English12.4%(12,676)
Irish11.5%(11,750)
Italian6.7%(6,831)
American3.6%(3,671)
Scottish3.1%(3,145)
French2.6%(2,613)
Portuguese2.1%(2,189)
Norwegian1.9%(1,901)
Swedish1.3%(1,312)
Dutch1%(1,003)
Polish1%(997)
+ 44 more ancestry groups with data
Russian0.9%(887)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(776)
Welsh0.7%(713)
Danish0.7%(697)
British0.6%(655)
Arab0.6%(602)
Czech0.6%(592)
Greek0.5%(480)
Finnish0.4%(406)
Subsaharan African0.3%(342)
Swiss0.3%(333)
Hungarian0.3%(316)
Canadian0.3%(289)
French Canadian0.3%(277)
Croatian0.2%(252)
Ukrainian0.2%(214)
Romanian0.2%(180)
Nigerian0.2%(180)
Austrian0.2%(177)
Armenian0.2%(167)
Iranian0.1%(140)
Lebanese0.1%(132)
Turkish0.1%(96)
Jordanian0.1%(55)
Slovak0.1%(55)
Australian0%(49)
Belgian0%(47)
West Indian0%(40)
Latvian0%(36)
Lithuanian0%(35)
Israeli0%(32)
Iraqi0%(26)
Slovene0%(25)
Jamaican0%(23)
Brazilian0%(17)
Serbian0%(17)
Trinidadian & Tobagonian0%(16)
Cape Verdean0%(14)
Egyptian0%(12)
Palestinian0%(10)
Ethiopian0%(9)
Syrian0%(8)
Ghanaian0%(3)
Haitian0%(1)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
93.5%
+6.2 ptssince 2000
from 87.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
77.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 77.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
96.8%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 95.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married52.6%(22,039)
Married37%(15,507)
Widowed1.3%(526)
Divorced9.2%(3,846)
Women 15+
Never married46.1%(20,598)
Married34.6%(15,454)
Widowed7.3%(3,248)
Divorced12%(5,363)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
15.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 15.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
1.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
64.6%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 66.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
40.7%
+3.0 ptssince 2020
from 37.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)24.9%(870)
Gulf War (1990s)22.5%(785)
Vietnam era36.2%(1,262)
Korean War7.3%(256)
World War II1.6%(57)
Share of the 3,487 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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CHICO VS
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CHICO VS
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CHICO VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Chico, California?
Chico, California has about 102,188 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chico, California?
The typical household in Chico, California earns about $66,977 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chico, California expensive?
In Chico, California, the median home is worth about $468,100, and the typical rent is about $1,488 a month.
How educated are people in Chico, California?
About 42.2% of adults age 25 and over in Chico, California hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chico, California?
About 22.7% of people in Chico, California live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chico, California grown since 1990?
Yes, Chico, California has grown since 1990. The population has added about 62,109 residents, a change of about 155 percent over that period.
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CaliforniaDATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024