Chico prices are a little lower than a year ago on Redfin's measure: the median sale price was $449,786 in the three months ending September 2026, down 4.3%.
The median sale spent 33 days on the market. Zillow's separate index points the other way, up about 0.5% to $458,244.
This is general information, not legal advice. State rules vary.
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The Chico housing market in 2026 is a little cheaper than a year ago on one measure and a little dearer on another. Redfin's September 2026 data puts the median sale price at $449,786 for the three months ending September 30, down 4.3% from $470,000. Over the same stretch, Zillow's typical value index rose about 0.5%, to $458,244 (Zillow ZHVI, September 2026).
This guide covers the City of Chico, California, and keeps the two sources apart. It sets out what each one measures, how long a Chico sale tends to take, and what the figures can mean if your house needs a retrofit, repairs, or a tenant exit first.
Chico Housing Market 2026: The Redfin Numbers
Chico sold fewer houses at a lower median price than a year earlier, and the median sale still took about a month. Redfin's data for the three months ending September 2026 shows how the Chico, CA real estate market moved.
| Redfin measure | This year | A year earlier | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $449,786 | $470,000 | Down 4.3% |
| Houses sold | 204 | 219 | Down 6.8% |
| Median days on market | 33 days | 34 days | 1 day shorter |
| Median sale price per square foot | $297.98 | Not shown | Down 1.6% |
| Inventory (listings for sale) | 219 | Not shown | Up 10.7% |
| Months of supply | 3.3 months | Not shown | Not compared here |
| Average sale-to-list ratio | 99.35% | Not shown | Down 0.06 points |
Redfin's data release for this window was last updated October 7, 2026. Each row counts sales that closed in the City of Chico, so it reflects the mix of houses that happened to sell in those three months.
Are Chico home prices going down?
Chico home prices are down on Redfin's measure and up slightly on Zillow's, so the answer depends on which number you read. Redfin's median sale price fell 4.3%, while Zillow's index rose about 0.5% (both September 2026).
What Redfin's median measures
Redfin's median is the middle price of the houses that actually sold in the period. When more smaller or older houses sell in a given quarter, the median can drop even if values held steady. Price per square foot is a partial check on that mix, and it fell a smaller 1.6%, to $297.98 (Redfin, September 2026).
What Zillow's index measures
Zillow's Home Value Index (ZHVI) estimates the typical value of houses and condos in the middle third of the market, smoothed and seasonally adjusted. Because it is smoothed, it tends to move slowly. Zillow publishes the index files on its research data page.
| Area | Typical value (ZHVI) | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| City of Chico | $458,244 | Up about 0.5% |
| ZIP code 95926 | $428,163 | Up about 0.5% |
| ZIP code 95928 | $453,028 | Up about 0.3% |
| ZIP code 95973 | $497,493 | Up about 0.9% |
The ZIP rows are ZIP code figures, not neighborhood figures. None of these numbers is a forecast. They describe where values stood at the end of September 2026.
How did the Camp Fire change the Chico housing market?
The 2018 Camp Fire pushed Chico's population from 92,286 at the start of 2018 to 110,326 at the start of 2020, according to the City of Chico's Housing Element. Thousands of people who lost houses in the surrounding hills moved to the nearest city that had not burned.
The fire began on November 8, 2018, and the City's housing plan, quoting a 2020 housing research report, says the jump "basically equated to a decade of growth in one year." The same document is direct about the effect on the local market.
"The negative impacts of the Camp Fire on the Chico housing market cannot be overstated."
City of Chico 2022 Housing Element Update, the City's adopted housing plan
The Park Fire started inside the city
Fire is also part of Chico's own geography. CAL FIRE's Park Fire incident page lists its start as July 24, 2024, off Upper Park Road in Bidwell Park, Chico. It burned 429,603 acres across Butte and Tehama counties and destroyed 713 structures before full containment.
For a seller, that history can shape the paperwork. California's Natural Hazard Disclosure law requires a seller to tell a buyer when a house is in a very high fire hazard severity zone (Cal. Civ. Code § 1103). The statute says "Any waiver of the requirements of this article is void as against public policy," so the disclosure applies to as-is sales too.
What do more listings mean for Chico sellers?
More listings give Chico buyers more houses to compare, so a listed house competes with more alternatives than it did a year ago. Inventory reached 219 listings, up 10.7%, while sales fell 6.8% to 204 (Redfin, September 2026).
Months of supply puts those two figures together. At the recent sales pace, Redfin estimates about 3.3 months to sell every listing on the market. When listings grow while sales slow, buyers can take more time to choose.
Here is how that can play out for a listed Chico house:
- A house that needs work may sit in search results next to an updated one at a similar price.
- Buyers may ask for repair credits after an inspection more often.
- A price set above recent nearby sales may wait longer for an offer.
The average Chico sale closed at 99.35% of its list price (Redfin, September 2026). In plain terms, a typical seller got close to the asking price, with a small discount.
How long does it take to sell a house in Chico?
The median Chico sale spent 33 days on the market in the three months ending September 2026, one day fewer than a year earlier (Redfin). That count covers only the listing period, not the preparation before it or the escrow after it.
Before the listing goes live
The 33-day clock starts once a house is ready to show. Before that, some sellers spend weeks on repairs, cleaning, photos, and paperwork. A house that is not ready to list can add more time at this stage than the listing itself takes.
The RECO step for older Chico houses
Chico's Residential Energy Conservation Ordinance (RECO) can add a step before closing. The City Residential Retrofit Program requires energy and water upgrades before a sale when three things are true:
- The house is inside Chico city limits.
- Its construction was permitted before July 1, 1991.
- It has not been certified as compliant in the last 10 years.
A City-certified inspector checks the house, and the certificate is valid for 10 years. The seller and buyer can agree to move the work to the buyer, but the City says transfers are at the Building Official's discretion. If approved, the buyer has 180 days to finish the measures. Our guide to selling a Chico house built before 1991 walks through the exemptions and the transfer form.
| Step | Listing with an agent | Direct cash sale |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | Repairs, cleaning, and photos, as the seller chooses | None required; the house sells as-is |
| Time on the market | Median of 33 days (Redfin, September 2026), before escrow | No listing period |
| Showings | Showings and open houses | No showings or open houses |
| RECO (pre-July 1991 house, no current certificate) | Inspection and upgrades, or a transfer agreement the buyer accepts | The buyer can take on the work through a transfer agreement, if the Building Official approves; closing follows that step |
| Closing | After the buyer's escrow and any loan approval | Escrow through a California title or escrow company; can close in as few as 7 days when no city or court step sets the pace |
What do the numbers mean if your house needs work or has tenants?
For a Chico house that needs a retrofit, repairs, or a tenant exit, the figures matter less than the steps those conditions add. A 33-day median describes houses that were ready to list, and more listings give buyers room to pass on the ones that are not.
Is now a reasonable time to sell? The numbers alone can't answer that, and nobody can say where Chico prices go next. What the data can show is the trade-off:
- A list-ready house: recent Chico sales closed close to asking, after a median of 33 days on the market.
- A house that needs work: the time and cost of repairs come before that 33-day clock starts.
- A rented house: showings and move-out dates depend on the lease and state tenant law.
Landlords near Chico State weigh a different set of factors, which our guide to selling a Chico rental with tenants in place covers. For the statewide picture, the California housing market 2026 guide compares the larger metros.
How can Propcash help Chico sellers who need certainty?
Propcash is a direct cash homebuyer, so we can make you one cash offer on your Chico house as-is, with no repairs, no cleaning, and no showings. Our offers are based on local market data, and we will show you how we got to our number. We buy with tenants in place, and you pick your closing date.
An offer can sit next to a listing so you can compare the two on your own time. There are no fees or commissions charged to you, and no obligation. If a cash sale is not your best move, we will tell you. You can see how it works on our Chico cash offer page or get a cash offer for your address.
Common questions about the Chico housing market
What is the median sale price of a house in Chico right now?
Redfin puts the Chico median sale price at $449,786 for the three months ending September 2026, down 4.3% from $470,000 a year earlier. That figure is the middle price of the houses that sold in those months. Zillow's separate index estimates the typical Chico value at $458,244 for September 2026.
Why do Redfin and Zillow show different numbers for Chico?
They measure different things. Redfin's median sale price is the midpoint of houses that actually sold in a three-month window, so it moves with the mix of sales. Zillow's ZHVI is a smoothed, seasonally adjusted estimate of typical value in the middle of the market, so it tends to move more slowly.
How many houses are for sale in Chico?
Redfin counted 219 Chico listings for sale in its data for the three months ending September 2026, up 10.7% from a year earlier. At the recent pace of sales, that equals about 3.3 months of supply. Sales over the same period fell 6.8%, to 204.
Do I have to do the RECO retrofit before selling a Chico house?
It depends on the house. The City of Chico's Residential Retrofit Program applies to houses inside city limits whose construction was permitted before July 1, 1991 and that have not been certified as compliant in the last 10 years. The seller and buyer can agree to transfer the work to the buyer, at the Building Official's discretion, and the buyer then has 180 days to complete it.
Did the Park Fire start in Chico?
Yes. CAL FIRE lists the Park Fire's start as July 24, 2024, off Upper Park Road in Bidwell Park, Chico. The fire burned 429,603 acres across Butte and Tehama counties and destroyed 713 structures.
Will Chico house prices rise or fall next year?
Nobody can say for certain, and this guide does not forecast prices. The latest data shows Redfin's Chico median down 4.3% and Zillow's index up about 0.5% through September 2026. Those figures describe the past year, not the next one.
Reviewed by the Propcash Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Published by Propcash, a direct cash buyer of houses. This guide is general information. Laws, fees, and market figures change, so check the current rules for your state.
