Chico, California Income Statistics
Chico Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Chico Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Chico | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $66,822 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,480 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.3% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.7% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Chico is about 33% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Chico (5.7%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Chico earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Chico, California grew by 74.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $66,822 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Chico has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2022, at 13% lower. The gap has narrowed from 25% in 2009 to 17% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Chico
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 11,615 households (32.1% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 29.5% of households in Chico had an income under $35,000 and 16.7% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Chico has a larger share of households earning $15,000 to $24,999 (10.7% vs 6.4%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (9.7% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 2,347 | 6.5% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,492 | 4.1% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,871 | 10.7% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,958 | 8.2% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,991 | 11.0% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 5,151 | 14.3% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 4,712 | 13.0% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 5,598 | 15.5% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 2,498 | 6.9% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 3,519 | 9.7% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 36,137 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 8,177 residents (11.3% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 12.8% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 11.7% of Chico residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 35.1% had some income but less than $25,000, and 18.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Chico has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (14.6% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (11.3% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 8,420 | 11.7% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 10,557 | 14.6% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 6,143 | 8.5% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8,633 | 11.9% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 7,281 | 10.1% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 8,476 | 11.7% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 9,280 | 12.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 5,291 | 7.3% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 8,177 | 11.3% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 72,258 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 11.7% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Chico
| Metric | Chico | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.567 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,156 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $56,428 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.7% | 12.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Chico, it is 0.567, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 12% more than women's income in Chico, California. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $235,480 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chico, California has narrowed from about 20% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,055 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Chico | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,208 people are unemployed in Chico, California.
The average commute time in Chico is 13 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Chico, California has fallen from 11.9% to 6.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.9% in 2012 and fell as low as 6.6% in 2023.
Chico has stayed well above the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never dropped below it. It came closest in 2023, at 1.4 points higher. The gap has narrowed from 3.2 points in 2011 to 1.6 points in 2024.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chico, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Chico, California.
How Rich Is Chico, California?
Chico has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $66,822, about 33% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Chico, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Chico, California rose 75%, from $38,288 to $66,822. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +75% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Chico in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Chico, California was $66,106, up 2% from $64,721 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Chico in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Chico, California was $54,494. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $66,822.
What is the Gini coefficient in Chico, California?
The Gini coefficient in Chico is 0.567. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Chico, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chico, California has narrowed from about 20% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,055 since 2009.
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