Who lives in Chico, California?

Chico sits in the northern Sacramento Valley, a city of about 102,790 anchored by Chico State and by the orchards and rice fields of Butte County that have fed almonds, walnuts, and olives through its economy for generations. It skews young: the 18-24 band holds about 26% of residents against roughly 13% nationally, pulling the mean age down to 41.6, and the city absorbed thousands of displaced households after the 2018 Camp Fire leveled nearby Paradise.

What stands out most is how this audience consumes media. About 53% have cut the cable cord for streaming, and a similar lean shows up in podcasts, where only roughly 16% listen to none at all, half the national share of non-listeners. This is a place that gets its information and entertainment on its own terms.

Decision speed and risk appetite both land close to the national pattern, with only a slight tilt toward the high-risk end. The personality fingerprint is mostly ordinary too, with one clear exception: openness runs about six points above national, the strongest of the five traits. These are people drawn to what is new and untried, comfortable being first through the door.

That curiosity is the throughline for Chico. It explains the early-adopter streak, the appetite for streaming over the familiar cable bundle, and a willingness to try the unfamiliar before it is proven elsewhere.

Ethical and environmental concern both run noticeably above national here. About 38% practice regular or strict ethical consumption and roughly 47% are active or activist on the environment, the kind of conscience you would expect in a town wrapped around a 3,670-acre park and a craft brewery that built its name on stewardship.

The surprise is local-business loyalty, which runs the other way. Strong preference for shopping local sits at about 7% against 16% nationally, and nearly a fifth report no local preference at all. Values here attach to causes and to convenience more than to the corner store.

Skip the cable buy. With most households streaming and podcast listening near-universal, audio and on-demand video are where Chico actually pays attention. Short video over-indexes, and influencer voices land harder than usual: about 34% trust them against roughly 20% nationally.

On social, Facebook is lighter here than across the country while Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn all run ahead. A creator-led message on a streaming or audio channel will travel further than a polished broadcast spot.

Buying happens often and casually. About 28% shop weekly against roughly 20% nationally, and the rare-shopper end thins out, a rhythm that fits a younger population making smaller, more frequent purchases. Returns come easily as well, with around 43% sending things back frequently, so the cost of a wrong purchase here is low and reversible.

Saving is the weaker muscle. Non-savers run higher than national at about 35%, and aggressive saving falls below, which tracks a student-heavy, lower-asset base. Money moves toward the present more than the future.

Health is where Chico is unusually engaged. Only about 8% are indifferent to it against roughly 20% nationally, and around 44% take a proactive approach, getting ahead of problems rather than waiting them out. Wellness extends to the mind, too: nearly 23% are outright advocates for mental health, more than double the national share, and very few keep the subject private.

This is an audience that talks openly about taking care of itself, a fit for a community built around trails, swimming holes, and an active outdoor life in the foothills.