Government town · 19.8% of jobs are government, including public universities (U.S. 12.1%)
Palermo is part of the Chico area. This page covers the whole metro.
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Around Chico
Broadway Street Chico, California · Photo: Daderot, CC0
Of about 32,746 rented homes in the Chico area, 83% rent for under $2,000 a month and 97% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 23%
$1,000 to $1,499: 36%
$1,500 to $1,999: 24%
$2,000 to $2,499: 10%
$2,500 to $2,999: 4%
$3,000 or more: 3%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in the Chico area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
1,522 students · 23.1 students per teacher · 6 schools · grades K to 8
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$398,224
What a typical home sells for across the Chico area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Cost of living
About 1% above the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $101 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 101.2 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 1 hr 33 min at rush hour
To downtown Sacramento, CA, 84 miles. About 1 hr 31 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
21 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $1,616 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in CA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Median household income
$68,574
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.69% of home value a year
About $690 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 13.30%
CA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
