2025 Compare Cities Overview:
Chico, CA vs Merced, CA

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Highlights
Are people in Merced older or younger than people in Chico?
- The Median Age in Merced is 0.7 years younger than in Chico.

Are housing costs cheaper in Merced or Chico?
- Merced housing costs are 15.2% less expensive than Chico housing costs.

Which city has a longer commute, Merced or Chico?
- The average commute for residents of Merced is 7.0 minutes longer than it is for residents of Chico.

Things to do in Chico?
Chico, California is an amazing city located in Northern California. It's known for its beautiful parklands, vibrant culture, and lively downtown area. Visitors can take advantage of outdoor activities like hiking at Bidwell Park or biking along the Sacramento River Trail to explore the local area. Culture buffs can visit places like the National Yo-Yo Museum or the Gateway Science Museum to gain insight into local culture. After exploring, sample delicious food from restaurants like Burgers & Brew or The Banshee Restaurant and Bar. With so much to offer, Chico is a great place to visit for an unforgettable experience!

Things to do in Merced?
Merced, California is a mid-sized city located in Central Valley known for its proximity to Yosemite National Park or Lake Yosemite making it an ideal spot for outdoor recreation.

 Chico, CAMerced, CAUnited States
 Population  Unlock85,993329,725,481
 Median Income$60,507  Unlock$69,021
 Median Age  Unlock29.638.4
 Avg. Home Price$440,000  Unlock$338,100
 Unemployment Rate  Unlock9.3%6.0%
 Avg. Commute Time16.57  Unlock26.38
Reviews for Chico    31 Reviews

Chico is imperfect like most places, but it's still good. Any and all of it's issues proceed from it's main fault of growing increasingly liberal, which is to be  More

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Uuwuu · 
Over 3 years ago

Chico's decent. I've been living here for ~5 years now. Eveen though my brother loves Chico and would like to stay, I would like to leave. I have no issues with crime or  More

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I was born in Oroville and I grew up in Oroville and Biggs. I have heard all my life about crime in chico. Well I have lived in Chico near Chapman for almost 10 years  More

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Reviews for Merced    44 Reviews

Merced is totally slept on - you want a little bit of everything CA has to offer, at a fraction of the price of other CA cities? Merced is the place to go. The town  More

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Over 5 years ago

Good place to live. More affordable than most of california. The city is growing and there is alot of business and growth here. Moved from the Bay area years ago and  More

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Great place to live. Lots of progress and changes coming to the city. Great place to raise a family. UC Merced is expanding and businesses are investing. Downtown is  More

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