Ideal CityOpen the map

Chico vs Redding

Chico, California versus Redding, California: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Chico

Solid · objective livability50/100

Redding

Solid · objective livability50/100

Chico and Redding score about the same overall (50 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorChicoRedding
Affordability
Median Household Income$66k$67k
Cost of Living$54k$57k
Home Value$428k$343k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate0.74%0.72%
Income Tax13.30%13.30%
Sales Tax8.85%8.85%
Estimated total tax burden21.03%19.89%
Unemployment6.9%5.9%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F47°F
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F82°F
Annual Precipitation28.3 in41.4 in
Annual Snowfall0.1 in0.7 in
Sunny Days293 days281 days
Summer Humidity52°F50°F
Comfortable Days84 days64 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk50.474.9
Air Quality42 AQI42 AQI
School Quality62.470.9
Violent Crime1066/100k0/100k
Property Crime1661/100k0/100k
Community
Population102,79093,327
Median Age30.438.8
Racial Diversity0.420.35
Male/Female Ratio0.960.95
Political LeaningEvenR+34
White (%)67.9%74.5%
Black (%)2.0%1.5%
Hispanic (%)19.2%12.2%
Asian (%)4.9%4.1%
Other / Multiracial (%)6.0%7.7%
Getting Around
Commute Time18 min17 min
Walkability9.0/2014.5/20
Airport Distance74 mi136 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.5%90.6%
Amenities Nearby20.9228.07
Park & Nature AccessExcellentLimited

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chico or Redding more affordable?
Chico has the lower cost of living: its index is $54k, compared with Chico's $54k and Redding's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Chico versus $1k in Redding.
Is Chico or Redding safer?
Redding has the lower violent crime rate. Chico reports 1066/100k and Redding reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Chico or Redding?
The median home value is $428k in Chico and $343k in Redding, so homes are more affordable in Redding.
See each on the map

Explore ChicoExplore Redding

Full profiles