Chico, CA housing market
The typical Chico home is worth about $461,000, up 0.6% in a year, 40% below the California typical home. Homes typically sell in 35 days, close to asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Chico compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Chico at a glance
A seller's market
Supply is tight — about 2.1 months of homes for sale at the current pace. Buyers should expect competition on well-priced homes.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Chico | California |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $314,000 | $453,000 |
| 2018 | $335,000 | $501,000 |
| 2019 | $354,000 | $539,000 |
| 2020 | $399,000 | $551,000 |
| 2021 | $423,000 | $607,000 |
| 2022 | $465,000 | $703,000 |
| 2023 | $464,000 | $727,000 |
| 2024 | $455,000 | $758,000 |
| 2025 | $458,000 | $782,000 |
| 2026 | $463,000 | $767,000 |
| August 2026 | $461,000 | $764,000 |
225 new homes permitted in 2025
Builders were permitted 225 new homes in Chico in 2025: 99 single-family houses and 126 in buildings with two or more homes, worth about $36 million to build. That's 2.2 per 1,000 residents, about the pace of California as a whole. Over the past 10 years, Chico has permitted 5,182 homes in all.
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Chico gained 15,288 residents while 4,480 new homes were permitted: about 3.4 new residents per new home. Building and growth moved roughly in step. Across California: 2.7 new residents per new home.
How Chico ranks on housing keeping up with growth →
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Jan–Aug) | 135 | 55 | 80 | $21.9 million |
| 2025 | 225 | 99 | 126 | $36 million |
| 2024 | 231 | 58 | 173 | $32.1 million |
| 2023 | 215 | 169 | 46 | $36.7 million |
| 2022 | 804 | 249 | 555 | $112.9 million |
| 2021 | 769 | 240 | 529 | $109.4 million |
| 2020 | 497 | 299 | 198 | $87.5 million |
| 2019 | 822 | 293 | 529 | $120.1 million |
| 2018 | 449 | 341 | 108 | $89.1 million |
| 2017 | 636 | 273 | 363 | $101 million |
| 2016 | 534 | 282 | 252 | $86.2 million |
| 2015 | 521 | 256 | 265 | $76.9 million |
| 2014 | 396 | 201 | 195 | $58.8 million |
| 2013 | 390 | 227 | 163 | $64.7 million |
| 2012 | 184 | 126 | 58 | $33 million |
| 2011 | 126 | 88 | 38 | $20.5 million |
| 2010 | 422 | 67 | 355 | $44 million |
| 2009 | 181 | 127 | 54 | $31.3 million |
| 2008 | 227 | 169 | 58 | $37.6 million |
| 2007 | 368 | 261 | 107 | $59.2 million |
| 2006 | 530 | 437 | 93 | $75.8 million |
| 2005 | 602 | 430 | 172 | $82.7 million |
| 2004 | 837 | 491 | 346 | $104.3 million |
| 2003 | 946 | 624 | 322 | $110.3 million |
| 2002 | 504 | 474 | 30 | $62.1 million |
| 2001 | 514 | 464 | 50 | $68.2 million |
| 2000 | 508 | 339 | 169 | $59.1 million |
How Chico ranks on new homes being built →
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, through August 2026.
Chico and its neighbors
| Town | Typical value | 1-yr change | 2-bed rent | New homes 2025 | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | $461K | +0.6% | $1,740 | 225 | $66,977 |
| Durham | $601K | +3.6% | $1,620 | — | $95,417 |
| Butte Creek Canyon | — | −0.4%† | $1,700 | — | $105,819 |
† FHFA price index change, where Zillow has no home value for the town.
6.9 years of income
The typical Chico home costs about 6.9 years of the town's median household income, less than across California (7.7 years).
How Chico ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,740
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Chico is $1,740 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Chico pay a median of $1,488, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put. A two-bedroom takes about 31% of the town's median household income, above the 30% guideline for affordable housing.
Studio $1,240 · 4 bedrooms $2,920
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (95926, 95928, 95973; Chico, CA MSA), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Chico
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.