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Fullerton vs Chico

459 miles apart. The biggest differences: home values (+93% in Fullerton) and work in town (+43.1 pts in Chico).

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Fullerton, CAA college townCalifornia · 140,968 people
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Chico, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 102,188 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

FullertonA college town
College town5 collegesCalifornia State University-Fullerton HistorySettled in 188723 places on the National Register HealthHealthier than 73%of U.S. towns on CDC estimates All about Fullerton →
ChicoAn outdoors town
Outdoors#87 most conserved land in CA93 miles of trails across 22 parks and preserves Famous people55 notable peopleborn in Chico Housing$461K typical home40% below the CA typical home All about Chico →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Home values+93%
Homes cost more in Fullerton
Fullerton $902,600Chico $468,100
Work in town+43.1 pts
More of Chico’s workers stay in town
Chico 53.5%Fullerton 10.4%
Household income+56%
Households in Fullerton earn more
Fullerton $104,286Chico $66,977
Rent+47%
Rent runs higher in Fullerton
Fullerton $2,194Chico $1,488
Property tax bill+56%
Tax bills are bigger in Fullerton
Fullerton $5,697Chico $3,656
Average commute13 min
Chico has the shorter commute
Fullerton 31 minChico 18 min
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $3,280 more a month in Fullerton

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Fullerton$6,000/mo
Typical home $1.04M (Zillow) · tax rate 0.63% · or rent about $2,194/mo · Housing →
Chico$2,720/mo
Typical home $461K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.78% · or rent about $1,488/mo · Housing →

The difference: $3,280 a month, about $39,400 a year, between Fullerton and Chico.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C−FullertonSafer than 21% of U.S. towns DChicoSafer than 13% of U.S. towns
Schools
A−FullertonBetter than 80% of districts in the state A−ChicoBetter than 78% of districts in the state
Health
B+FullertonHealthier than 73% of U.S. towns B+ChicoHealthier than 69% of U.S. towns
11Fullerton
11Chico

Lists won, of 23 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 844 towns #12#806 Lowest depressionHealth · 844 towns #99#830 Most new homesHousing · 438 towns #370#85 Shortest commuteGetting around · 843 towns #558#41 Highest incomeIncome · 843 towns #337#687 Cheapest rentCost of living · 830 towns #540#202 Most affordableCost of living · 835 towns #606#270 Fewest smokersHealth · 844 towns #158#424

Left end = #1 in California. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Fullerton’s rankings →

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
FullertonChico
Snow a year0″0″
January low—38°F
July high—94°F
Growing season (days)—279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)89th60th
Outdoors & history
FullertonChico
Trails39 mi93 mi
Conserved land8.1%25.8%
Settled18871860
National Register places239
Archive photos—12
Famous people born here—55
Community
FullertonChico
Library hours a week36 hrs36 hrs
Colleges in town52
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined01

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

459 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

FullertonCAChicoCA
Fullerton ↔ Chico459 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

FullertonChico
People
Population 140,968Highest 102,188Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +6.3%Lowest CA: +6.1% +17.7%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 36.9±0.8Highest about the CA average 31.1±0.6Lowest 18% below CA
Kids under 18 22.1%±1.2Highest CA: 22% 18.4%±0.9Lowest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 15.2%±0.8Highest CA: 15.7% 14.2%±0.7Lowest CA: 15.7%
Fullerton and Chico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 43.5%Highest CA: 37.1% 42.2%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 10.1%±0.7Lowest CA: 7.6% 17.7%±1Highest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $104,286±$3kHighest 5% above CA $66,977±$3kLowest 32% below CA
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $902,600±$13kHighest 23% above CA $468,100±$8kLowest 36% below CA
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,194±$37Highest 8% above CA $1,488±$35Lowest 27% below CA
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,697Highest 11% above CA $3,656Lowest 29% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 62.4%±3.7Highest CA: 55.3% 62.2%±3.2Lowest CA: 55.3%
Fullerton and Chico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 12.3%Lowest CA: 12% 22.7%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 51.8%Highest CA: 55.9% 43.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 7 yrs older than CA 1983Highest 7 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 31 minHighest 6% above CA 18 minLowest 38% below CA
Work from home 14.9%±1.2Highest CA: 17.2% 13.5%±1.2Lowest CA: 17.2%
Fullerton and Chico are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 10.4%Lowest 53.5%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.3 miHighest 4.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.97Lowest 1.12Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Anaheim (10%)Oroville (5%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ChicoFew work in Fullerton
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 8.1%Lowest 25.8%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 39.1 miLowest 93.3 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.8 miLowest 2.7 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 45Highest 22Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 114Highest 79.5Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #164 of 574 in CA#236 of 574 in CA
School district Fullerton Elementary · Fullerton Joint Union HighButte County ROP · Inspire School of Arts and Sciences District
High school in town Troy HighPleasant Valley High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.2Highest 22.4Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Fullerton neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Fullerton’s Town Square.

Chico neighborsTown Square →
T Weaver · 1w

Discovering Hidden Chico Gems

1 neighbor in Chico can answer.

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Bordering Fullerton

+ Compare
Brea47,469 people · $922K homes
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Anaheim344,521 people · $831K homes
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La Habra61,970 people · $782K homes
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Buena Park82,871 people · $839K homes

Towns like Fullerton

+ Compare
Orange138,266 people · $946K homes
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Tustin78,981 people · $950K homes
S
+ Compare
San Buenaventura (Ventura)109,857 people · $827K homes
+ Compare
Oceanside172,242 people · $770K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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