Chico, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Chico, CA Summary

Cost of living in Chico research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Chico is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Chico is 121, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Chico is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Chico ranks as the #204 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Chico ranks as the #4,857 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Chico is $369,500.

  • The median income in Chico is $60,507.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
121
Chico's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Chico, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Chico has an overall cost of living index of 121, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Chico has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Chico ranks as #204 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Chico ranks as the #431 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Chico, check out:

204 out of 635
In California
4,857 out of 6,412
In America

Chico Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Chico. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Chico is 117.

  • The Groceries index in Chico is 106.

  • The Health index in Chico is 123.

  • The Housing index in Chico is 132.

  • The Transportation index in Chico is 131.

  • The Utilities index in Chico is 111.

Living Expense Chico California National Average
Overall 121 139 100
Services 117 110 100
Groceries 106 112 100
Health 123 109 100
Housing 132 204 100
Transportation 131 126 100
Utilities 111 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Chico Cost of Living Vs. CA

Chico, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Chico is $369,500.

  • The Median Rent in Chico is $1,223.

  • The Median Income in Chico is $60,507.

  • The Home Value To Income in Chico is 6.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Chico is 0.24x.

Statistic Chico California United States
Median Home Value $369,500 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,223 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $60,507 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.1x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Chico, CA
$369,500
Median Home Value
$1,223
Median Rent
$60,507
Median Income

Chico, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Chico Services Costs Vs. California

Item Chico California
Shampoo $1.24 $1.06
Movie $13.93 $10.68
Bowling $20.08 $14.67
Haircut $24.02 $18.62
Beauty Salon $62.28 $39.05

Detailed Chico Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Chico California
Ground Beef $5.05 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.31 $1.39
Milk $2.66 $2.05
Potatoes $3.2 $3.29
Pizza $17.03 $10.62
Beer $9.52 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.79 $2.34

Detailed Chico Health Costs Vs. California

Item Chico California
Optometrist $148.5 $108.57
Doctor $194.75 $116.17
Dentist $94.8 $99.13

Detailed Chico Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Chico California
Gasoline $3.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $51.87 $50.07

Detailed Chico Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Chico California
All Electricity $192.37 $167.67
Phone $186.51 $175.64

Chico SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Chico

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Chico. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Live Oak, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.4x Chico.

  • Magalia, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 0.9x Chico.

  • Paradise, CA has a cost of living index of 113, 0.9x Chico.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Chico
Live Oak, CA 16,948 170 1.4x
Magalia, CA 10,537 110 0.9x
Paradise, CA 7,730 113 0.9x
Gridley, CA 7,510 106 0.9x
Colusa, CA 6,359 110 0.9x
Willows, CA 6,241 109 0.9x
Durham, CA 5,989 134 1.1x
Williams, CA 5,520 110 0.9x
Palermo, CA 5,387 109 0.9x

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