Skip to ContentThe Chico area is a set of towns in the northern Sacramento Valley and the Sierra foothills, from Chico (about 105,000 people) to Gridley (about 7,300). Median rent runs from $1,093 to $1,488 across the six towns we have Census figures for. This page points you to the numbers, the town pages and the sign-up steps. It describes places, not who lives where.
Checked October 29, 2026
- 6towns with Census figures
- $1,093 to $1,488median gross rent, 2020-2024
- 17.8 to 25.3 minmean commute by town
- 3pages: rent, checklist, drive times
Towns at a Glance
| Town | Area on this site | Population | Median rent | Median home value | Mean commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | Chico | 105,081 | $1,488 | $468,100 | 17.8 min |
| Oroville | Oroville & Lake Oroville | 20,451 | $1,093 | $311,600 | 19.9 min |
| Paradise | Paradise & The Ridge | 10,023 | $1,241 | $416,000 | 24.3 min |
| Gridley | Durham, Gridley & Biggs | 7,258 | $1,176 | $312,800 | 25.3 min |
| Orland | Orland & Glenn County | 8,381 | $1,146 | $342,200 | 20.4 min |
| Red Bluff | Red Bluff & Corning | 14,404 | $1,121 | $299,900 | 20.1 min |
Durham, Biggs, Corning, Chester and the Lake Almanor basin are on this site as places to visit, but we did not pull Census figures for them. Not Confirmed
How to Read The Numbers
- Chico and Red Bluff have the lowest owner-occupancy: 43.4% and 42.8%, against 57.3% across Butte County and 74.8% in Paradise.
- Chico also has the highest median rent and home value in the table, and the shortest commute.
- Gridley has the longest mean commute, 25.3 minutes. QuickFacts does not say where workers travel to.
- Paradise is rebuilding after the 2018 Camp Fire, so its five-year housing figures describe a town in transition. The Town of Paradise (paradiseca.gov) has the official recovery and permit information.
Where to Go Next
- Rent and Home Values by TownThe full Census table and HUD Fair Market Rents for Butte, Glenn and Tehama counties.
- New Resident ChecklistDMV, voter registration, PG&E and City of Chico garbage and sewer, each linked to the agency.
- Population and HousingAge, ownership, education and poverty for Chico, Butte County and Oroville.
- Jobs and WagesUnemployment, labor force and the average wage for the Chico metro area.
- Chico Drive TimesRoad time between Chico and the other towns.
Visit Before You Decide
Plan a Visit covers getting here, transit and where the lodging areas are. Our events calendar shows what is on this month.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Chico, Oroville, Paradise and Butte County: census.gov (checked October 29, 2026)
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts, Gridley, Orland and Red Bluff: census.gov (checked October 29, 2026)
- Town of Paradise: paradiseca.gov (checked October 29, 2026)
On The Map
Cite this page: It's Chico, “Moving to The Chico Area”, itschico.com/living/moving-to-the-chico-area/ (updated ). By the It's Chico editorial team. Free to quote with attribution and a link to this page; data and tables are licensed CC BY 4.0.