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Living in
Oroville.
About
Life in Oroville
If you're considering a move here, understand that Oroville is fundamentally a working town of about 20,000 people that's become increasingly attractive to folks commuting to nearby Chico or priced out of the region's tighter markets. The job market centers on healthcare (Oroville Hospital is expanding significantly), retail, and food service, with an unemployment rate of 6.2%, but many residents commute the roughly 20 minutes to Chico for better career prospects in tech and education, or head south toward Sacramento's stronger job market. Community-wise, this is a genuinely diverse place with a notable Hmong population (one of the 9th largest Hmong communities in the Western US), a Latino community, Asian communities, Romanian heritage, and the Berry Creek Rancheria of Maidu Indians headquartered right here—which adds real cultural texture beyond what you'd expect in a town this size.
Oroville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.4%
Foreign-Born
10.3%
Broadband Internet
86.2%
of households
Population Growth
+1.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Oroville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oroville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (51.1%), and 8.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.7%
of residents
65 and Older
14.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.1%
of households
Married Couples
36.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.63
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 46% below CA average
Rent, home values, and income in Oroville
In Oroville, rent runs 46% below the CA average, and home values are 58% below the CA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
32.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,521
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1967
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $302,331 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above CA average
Unemployment in Oroville
Unemployment in Butte County, which includes Oroville, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the CA average.
Unemployment rate
Oroville: Butte County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Butte County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Oroville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.9 min avg
How Oroville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oroville, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 79% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 56 mi
Sacramento International Airport (SMF)
Medium hub6.8M passengers boarded in 2025
- 138 mi
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Major hub26.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 169% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oroville runs 169% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
886.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,596.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oroville Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
93.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Butte County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Butte County, which includes Oroville, the most common type is heavy snow, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Heavy Snow | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 37 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 34 | Heavy Snow | $28,000 |
| 2022 | 28 | Drought | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 44 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 25 | Wildfire | $15,000 |
| 2019 | 33 | Flood | $4.4M |
| 2018 | 21 | Winter Weather | $200,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
162 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Butte County, county-wide
Air Quality46 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Butte County, which includes Oroville, is typically good — 238 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
46
Good Days
238
per year
Moderate Days
127
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Butte County, county-wide
Climate94°F summers, 41°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oroville has hot summers (avg high 94°F) and mild winters (avg low 41°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/49°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
94°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/41°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
30.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
97
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
16
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
65
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 40°F | 5.79" |
| Feb | 62°F | 42°F | 5.62" |
| Mar | 68°F | 46°F | 4.71" |
| Apr | 74°F | 48°F | 2.23" |
| May | 82°F | 54°F | 1.43" |
| Jun | 91°F | 59°F | 0.59" |
| Jul | 97°F | 63°F | 0.01" |
| Aug | 96°F | 61°F | 0.13" |
| Sep | 90°F | 57°F | 0.37" |
| Oct | 79°F | 51°F | 1.33" |
| Nov | 66°F | 45°F | 2.85" |
| Dec | 58°F | 40°F | 5.50" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oroville
Oroville has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Oroville Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Orchard Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 11.3 mi away · Gridley
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oroville
Oroville's student/teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 12.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
19
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
12.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Lassen Volcanic National Park, 69 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oroville
Oroville has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Lassen Volcanic National Park (69 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Lassen Volcanic National Park
National Park
69 mi awayWhiskeytown National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oroville
Butte County Public Law Library
1675 Montgomery Street, Oroville
Oroville Branch
1820 Mitchell Avenue, Oroville
Cities Near Oroville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oroville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oroville FAQ
Is Oroville, California affordable?⌄
Oroville's median rent is $1,093/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $52,270/year. Median home value is $311,600.
Is Oroville, California safe?⌄
Oroville's violent crime rate was 886 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3596 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oroville, California?⌄
Butte County, which includes Oroville, has an unemployment rate of 6.2%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oroville, California?⌄
The cost of living in Oroville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,093/month and median household income is $52,270/year. The median home value is $311,600. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oroville, California?⌄
The average commute in Oroville is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from