Chico, California
Chico is a city of 102,188 people in Butte County, California, founded in 1860.
Why visit Chico
Townapedia lists 15 museums and landmarks, 41 parks and trails, 204 places to eat, 23 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include El Rey Theater, Honey Run Covered Bridge, Chico Air Museum and A. H. Chapman House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 95°F; January lows average 36°F.
Weather in Chico
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chico
Chico ( CHEE-koh; Spanish for "boy" or "small/little") is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. Located in the Sacramento Valley region of Northern California, the city had a population of 101,475 in the 2020 census, an increase from 86,187 in the 2010 census. Chico is the cultural and economic center of the northern Sacramento Valley, as well as the most populous city in California north of the capital city of Sacramento. The city is known as a college town, as the home of California State University, Chico, and for Bidwell Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world.
From the Wikipedia article Chico, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do7
Honey Run Covered Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 6.4 mi
The bridge was lost in the Paradise/Camp Fire and is now being slowly rebuilt by volunteers
Museums and landmarks15
A. H. Chapman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Single-family detached home in Chico, California
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Chico Midtown Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
United States historic post office
Chico station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Railroad station in Chico, California
South Campus Neighborhood
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Neighborhood in Chico, California
Chico Art Center
Museum · 2.9 mi
450 Orange Street, Chico
Mo-Fr 12:00-16:00; Sa-Su 10:00-16:00; PH off
Silberstein Park Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
3 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds41
29 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes204
Amigos De Acapulco
Restaurant · Mexican · 2.5 mi
820 Oroville Avenue
Tu-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 10:00-16:00; Mo 11:00-17:00
Big Hot Crab
Restaurant · Seafood · 2.4 mi
701 Main Street, Chico
Tu-Th 15:00-21:00; Fr-Su 12:00-21:00
Burger Hut
Restaurant · Burger · 1.8 mi
3211 Cohasset Road, Chico
Su-We 11:00-19:00, Th-Sa 11:00-20:00
Everyday Vietnamese Cuisine
Restaurant · Vietnamese · 2.9 mi
951 Nord Avenue, Chico
Mo off; Tu-Sa 11:30-15:00,17:00-21:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Halo Hawaiian BBQ
Restaurant · Hawaiian · 0.4 mi
1354 East Avenue, Chico
Mo,We-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30
Hula's Chinese Bar-B-Q
Restaurant · Mongolian Barbecue · 2.4 mi
1937 East 20th Street, Chico
Mo-Th 15:00-21:00; Fr-Su 11:00-21:00
IFish Poke Bar Thai Kitchen
Restaurant · Thai, Sushi, Japanese, Poke · 2.9 mi
1008 West Sacramento Avenue, Chico
Mo-Sa 11:00-15:00,17:00-21:00; Su 12:00-20:30
Kathy’s Deli
Restaurant · Asian, Burger, Sandwich · 3.0 mi
671 Walnut Street, Chico
Mo-Fr 10:00-19:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su Off
192 more on the map.
History
The first known inhabitants of the area now known as Chico—a Spanish word meaning "little", "small", or "boy" — were the Mechoopda Maidu Native Americans. Within the boundaries of modern day Chico, there existed a Maidu village, whose name was recorded as Bah-hahp'-ke, meaning "straight tree".
The City of Chico was founded in 1860 by John Bidwell, a member of one of the first wagon trains to reach California in 1843. During the American Civil War, Camp Bidwell (named for John Bidwell, by then a brigadier general of the California Militia), was established a mile outside Chico, by Lt. Col. A. E. Hooker with a company of cavalry and two of infantry, on August 26, 1863.
By early 1865, it was being referred to as Camp Chico when a post called Camp Bidwell was established in northeast California, later to be Fort Bidwell. The city was incorporated on January 8, 1872.
Chico was home to a significant Chinese American community when it was first incorporated, but arsonists burned Chico's Chinatown in February 1886, driving Chinese Americans out of town.
From the History section of Chico, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay23
Americas Best Value Inn Chico
Motel and hotel · 2.5 mi
740 Broadway Street, Chico
Churches and places of worship37
St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Shopping48
Gas and EV charging40
Schools, colleges and libraries62
Healthcare14
Kindcare Pharmacy and Medical Supply
Clinic and pharmacy · 3.0 mi
230 Walnut Street, Chico
Map of Chico
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 36°F | 5.1 in |
| Feb | 62°F | 38°F | 5.1 in |
| Mar | 67°F | 42°F | 3.6 in |
| Apr | 73°F | 45°F | 1.9 in |
| May | 81°F | 52°F | 1.4 in |
| Jun | 89°F | 57°F | 0.6 in |
| Jul | 95°F | 61°F | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 94°F | 59°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 91°F | 55°F | 0.2 in |
| Oct | 80°F | 47°F | 1.7 in |
| Nov | 65°F | 40°F | 2.4 in |
| Dec | 57°F | 36°F | 5.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chico Univ Farm Hcn (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Butte County has had 28 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2024-07-25: Park Fire (Fire)
- 2024-07-02: Thompson Fire (Fire)
- 2024-04-13: Severe Winter Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Chico Municipal Airport (CIC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Butte Creek Canyon 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Durham 9 mi south, about 14 min by car
- Oroville 23 mi southeast, about 37 min by car
- Red Bluff 36 mi northwest, about 59 min by car
- Yuba City 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Marysville 44 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Linda 46 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Olivehurst 49 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Anderson 54 mi northwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Grass Valley 55 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- ChicoSquare, Travisthurston, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Race and ethnicity 2020 Chico, CA, CensusDots, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pleasant Valley High School (Chico CA) (2023), ShortTimeNoSee, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erosion of a Chico-area levee (8126131812), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, Public domain
- Chico Creek Nature Center, Tk421andme, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Trader Joe’s, Chico (2026)-L1000834, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bethel A.M.E. Church Chico (2024)-L1004684, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Memorial Day Ceremony Chico Cemetery (2025)-104A1846, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Memorial Day Ceremony Chico Cemetery (2025)-104A1849, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Al’s, Chico (2026)-L1000961, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big Al’s, Chico (2026)-L1000955, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chico Midtown Station Post Office, Sseroff, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Colonel Geoffrey I. Church in May 2023-3873, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2666, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2636, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2655, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 26-104A2707, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Honey Run Covered Bridge Rebuild 2024-104A2767, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Santa Barbara sedge, AerobicFox, CC0
- Young Aristolochia californica, AerobicFox, CC0
- Young California pipevine closeup, AerobicFox, CC0
- Himalayan Blackberry 5 leaf example, AerobicFox, CC0
- Brad, surviving archer attack, Doug Orleans, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Manzanita unterpass flooded (2026)-L1000467, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Corps hosts erosion repair public workshop (16451596985), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, Public domain
- Corps hosts erosion repair public workshop (16425582056), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District, Public domain
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2616, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2534, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2554, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Boxelder bugs on Deergrass2, AerobicFox, CC0
- French Press 2014-02-28 01-29, User:Ryanx7, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Park Fire, California, July 25-104A2506, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bethel A.M.E. Church Interior, May 2021, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bethel A.M.E. Church in May 2021, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Butte County Meadowfoam, Meriam Park Preserve-3299, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Bidwell Park – Observatory (2026)-104A6084, Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0
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