Uprootmap
Napa vs Chico
Napa and Chico
Photo: Pete Asano, Photographer / Wikimedia, Public domain
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Chico are under the US rate in this release, 3.8 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Napa to Chico
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Napa to Chico above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $2,165 in Napa and $1,174 in Chico. Napa has a state tax on wages. Chico has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Chico is 84% of the national level for the same work, against 106% in Napa.
Chico averages 233 sunny days, with July highs around 97°F and January nights around 39°F. Napa is 242 sunny days, 94°F in July, 39°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Chico and 25 in Napa.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Napa → Chico pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Napa and Chico changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 107 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,650–$3,050
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Chico
Questions
Is Chico cheaper than Napa after tax and rent?
Yes. Chico leaves about $975 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $2,165 in Napa and $1,174 in Chico.
Does Chico have state income tax?
Chico is in California, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Napa to Chico?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.