Chico, CA vs Shasta Lake, CA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricChico, CAShasta Lake, CA
Population102,18810,311
Median Household Income$66,977$67,401
Median Rent$1,488/mo$1,298/mo
Median Home Value$468,100$294,400
Cost of Living (US = 100)101101
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income58.8%42.8%
Poverty Rate22.7%13.3%
Unemployment Rate5.2%5.5% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k664320*
Property Crime Rate /100k1,842485*
Median AQI4644
Good AQI Days /yr238276
Summer Highs93°F94°F
Winter Lows37°F41°F
Snowfall0 in/yr1 in/yr
Avg Commute17.8 min19.5 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating3.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher21.519.2
College Degree Rate42.2%15.3%
Foreign-Born %8.5%2.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+0.5%-1.6%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
* Rate of the agency that polices Shasta Lake (the city has no police department of its own), so it isn’t scored.