What Are The Pros And Cons Of Living In Chico, CA?

California is a state that’s filled to the brim with cool cities for tourists as well as potential homeowners. Some, like San Francisco, are popular because they are simply larger than others. Chico is a smaller town that is starting to gain a little bit of popularity. But, is it really ready to be called a great place to move to? It’s time to weigh in on the perks and pitfalls.

A reasonable cost of living, good schools, family-friendly activities, and decent weather are the major draws to the city. However, a high crime rate, high cost for shelter, and lagging economy might be a problem. Overall, most people seem to be okay with living in Chico.

This is a city that is often said to be a “love it or hate it” type of place. Our guide will give you a good snapshot of what Chico has to offer.

For the most part, life in Chico is going to be fairly reasonable considering the overall price tag of California. The cost of living index puts Chico at 117.4, and that’s including the above-average cost of homes. This means that a person who has $100,000 as a salary in a typical town would have to earn $117,400 per year to live the same quality of life.

Overall, it’s on par with California’s average cost of living. So while it’s not super cheap, most Cali folks won’t notice that big of a problem with their budgets.

It’s no secret that Chico has great school systems, especially since the city has a university within its premises. Of course, you don’t have to be a college student to appreciate the schools. Chico’s school systems feature above-average graduation rates, better than average test scores, and attentive teachers.

Since it is a college town, there is a lot of emphasis on education. The positive peer pressure is real, and so are the opportunities for after-school programs. Oh, and if you are a parent looking for quality private schooling? This place will be fully stocked with schools that have been applauded by multiple boards.

When most people hear the phrase “college town,” family-friendly is the last thing that comes to mind. Though there is a somewhat active nightlife, Chico is still incredibly family-friendly. There are tons of playgrounds and parks that are perfect for outdoor exercise, plus quite a few mom groups too.

The local library regularly hosts events for all ages, and if you are a fan of the arts, you have a ton of choices to explore. There are so many different ways to increase your excitement throughout the area. Even if you’re not artsy or sporty, there’s going to be at least one or two things that you’ll find fun here.

While there are many parts of California that struggle with wildfires, Chico isn’t one of them. The area is known for having tons of green fields and more. During July, the temperatures tend to be around 83 degrees max—and that’s the hottest it’ll get. Does this area have the occasional heatwave? Yes, but there’s good news.

The icy cold that can often be felt in parts of the West Coast is not as visible here. In fact, winters are fairly mild compared to other parts of the country. This makes Chico a great place for people who want to stay outside most of the year. With that said, there have been wildfires in other areas nearby. However, these have been unlikely in the past.

To a point, it’s kind of expected that places with a high number of college students will have higher crimes. However, this doesn’t explain all of Chico’s crime problems right away. In recent years, the city of Chico has witnessed a spike in violent and property crime. The violent crime rate is 534 crimes per 100,000. The property crime is 2567 per 100,000 residents. Both of these are above the national average.

This is one way of looking at things. Another way of seeing it is that you have a 1 in 183 chance of being a violent crime victim in Chico. Another is that Chico is safer than only 14 percent of other cities. And yet another way is knowing that a crime is reported every two hours and six minutes in the city.

While Chico did not make our list of the most dangerous cities in California, it’s still getting to be a rough neighborhood. Both drug addiction and gang activity are to blame. The truth is that much of the crime is being blamed on homeless people in the area. Whether or not it’s true, though, remains to be fully determined.

Housing is always going to be rough in Cali, but Chico takes things to a scary level at times. Despite the high crime rate, the median home value currently rests at $413,900. This means that it’s one of the more expensive places to live on our radar, even though the crime tends to be pretty high. Rent isn’t much better, either. The median rent is around $1200 according to most sources that we found.

The high cost of housing is one of the many reasons why Chico has seen a spike in homelessness. Other reasons include a wildfire that destroyed nearby cities in recent years, as well as a higher rate of transients. City officials have begun to push for a shelter due to the uptick in homelessness. Even so, it’ll be a while before it will be a solution.

Check out the pros and cons of living in Malibu.

Chico is a bit of a strange town. On one hand, it’s a town that has plenty of job opportunities for people who are geared in academia. On the other hand, the city actively has a poverty problem. Around 23 percent of households live below the poverty level, which is pretty shocking when you take a look at the housing market there.

To make matters worse, the median household income is $53,324. This is below the national median, and also means that the above-average cost of living is extremely hard to manage for most families in the area. This tends to lead to a deceptively low quality of life for many. Since there is a current problem with crime, it’s often assumed that the economy has something to do with it.

Most of the jobs in this town are retail-based or in restaurants. This means that you’re not going to be privy to a lot of high wages. The unemployment rate also happens to stand at 7.1 percent. That’s way above the average for a city of its size, suggesting that Chico is having a harder time attracting businesses to the city than others.

Related Questions

Which city has the highest unemployment rate in California?

While Chico’s unemployment rate is fairly high, the truth is that it’s far from the highest unemployment rate in the state. The city with the highest unemployment rate in California is El Centro, a town that is notoriously struggling with its ability to put food on the table. The area has a painfully high unemployment rate of 22.5 percent.The sky-high unemployment rate has a lot to do with the local business climate. Due to bad sales and high crimes, many El Centro companies are fleeing for better venues.

What is the safest part of Chico, CA?

Chico is generally not seen as a safe city, but there are areas where you can expect to see a better level of overall safety. Most people agree that the East Side of Chico is the safest area. The quiet residential parts of the city fall in at a close second. Even in the nicer parts of the city, you still need to have a security system. It’s just a good way to avoid having break-ins, which have been on the rise.

What kind of foods are popular in Chico’s restaurant scene?

Pizza is a classic, as are most other types of “fast food” items. However, this isn’t the only stuff you’ll find in Chico. The area has an incredible set of upscale Steakhouses, wine bars, as well as several Italian restaurants. If you are a fan of high-end barbecue and craft beer, you will enjoy some of the hipster-friendly offerings in the region.A good rule of thumb is that you can find almost any type of food you want in Chico’s. This is doubly true if you love Asian cuisine, thanks to the thriving Asian community here.