Butte County, CA

County

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2023 Population

209,470

1.94% 1-year decline

US Senator

Alex Padilla

Democratic Party

US Senator

Adam Schiff

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

36.3

0.548% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

18.3%

0.713% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$68,574

3.77% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$408,700

9.98% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

93,949

1.5% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Butte County, CA had a population of 209k people with a median age of 36.3 and a median household income of $68,574. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Butte County, CA declined from 213,605 to 209,470, a −1.94% decrease and its median household income grew from $66,085 to $68,574, a 3.77% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Butte County, CA are White (Non-Hispanic) (66.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (6.67%), Other (Hispanic) (6.07%), White (Hispanic) (6.01%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.4%).

None of the households in Butte County, CA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.5% of the residents in Butte County, CA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Butte County, CA are California State University-Chico (4,412 degrees awarded in 2022), Butte College (2,241 degrees), and Butte County Regional Occupational Program (63 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Butte County, CA was $408,700, and the homeownership rate was 58.3%.

Most people in Butte County, CA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Butte County, CA was 2 cars per household.

Butte County, CA borders Colusa County, CA, Glenn County, CA, Plumas County, CA, Sutter County, CA, Tehama County, CA, and Yuba County, CA.

United States California Chico, CA

Population & Diversity

Butte County, CA is home to a population of 209k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.01% of Butte County, CA residents were born outside of the country (16.8k people).

In 2023, there were 9.98 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (140k people) in Butte County, CA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 14k Two+ (Hispanic) and 12.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%

2023 Citizenship

96.5%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.5% of Butte County, CA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Butte County, CA was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Butte County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Butte County, CA

White (Non-Hispanic)
140k ± 767
Two+ (Hispanic)
14k ± 1.32k
Other (Hispanic)
12.7k ± 1.12k

19.5%

Hispanic Population

40.8k people

19.5% of the people in Butte County, CA are hispanic (40.8k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Butte County, CA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for California.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
3,899,021 ± 46,015 people
Philippines
824,230 ± 22,055 people
China
685,370 ± 20,148 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of California was Mexico, the natal country of 3,899,021 California residents, followed by Philippines with 824,230 and China with 685,370.

Foreign-Born Population

8.01%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

16.8k people

7.55%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

16.1k people

As of 2023, 8.01% of Butte County, CA residents (16.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Butte County, CA was 7.55%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Butte County, CA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,859 ± 475
Gulf War (2001-)
2,008 ± 389
Gulf War (1990s)
1,390 ± 316

Butte County, CA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.42 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Butte County, CA employs 93.9k people. The largest industries in Butte County, CA are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,002 people), Educational Services (10,845 people), and Retail Trade (10,649 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($110,347), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($62,800), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($60,716).

Males in California have an average income that is 1.26 times higher than the average income of females, which is $75,777. The income inequality in California (measured using the Gini index) is 0.498, which is higher than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

93.9k

2023 Value

± 2,524

−1.5%

1 Year decline

± 3.84%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Butte County, CA declined at a rate of −1.5%, from 95.4k employees to 93.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Butte County, CA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,701 people), Management Occupations (10,203 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,814 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Butte County, CA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in California (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

93.9k

2023 Value

± 2,524

−1.5%

1 Year decline

± 3.84%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Butte County, CA declined at a rate of −1.5%, from 95.4k employees to 93.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Butte County, CA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (15,002 people), Educational Services (10,845 people), and Retail Trade (10,649 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Butte County, CA, though some of these residents may live in Butte County, CA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,020

Median earning men ± $2,263

$34,666

Median earning women ± $1,197

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($79,447), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($59,694), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($57,273).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($52,104), Construction ($48,595), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($47,878).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Y-Axis

2.57%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 17.9M people employed in California. This represents a 2.57% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in California.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

371
Construction
283
Health Care and Social Assistance
272
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$982k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$415k
Retail Trade
$298k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Butte County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 49.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (47.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.74%).

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing the state of California. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (49.4%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (47.7%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.74%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Butte County, CA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 49.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (47.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.74%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Butte County, CA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from California

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Alex Padilla

Senator from California

Assumed office on January 20, 2021
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Kamala Harris, who had become Vice President of the United States.

Adam Schiff

Senator from California

Assumed office on December 8, 2024
Elected to the seat to succeed Laphonza Butler, who had been appointed to the seat following the death of Dianne Feinstein.

Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff are the senators currently representing California.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in California over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from California

California is currently represented by 52 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for California have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Butte County, CA awarded 6,716 degrees. The student population of Butte County, CA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 10,511 male students and 13,063 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Butte County, CA are White (3,289 and 50%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (2,119 and 32.2%), Asian (401 and 6.09%), and Two or More Races (337 and 5.12%).

The largest universities in Butte County, CA by number of degrees awarded are California State University-Chico (4,412 and 65.7%), Butte College (2,241 and 33.4%), and Butte County Regional Occupational Program (63 and 0.938%).

The most popular majors in Butte County, CA are General Business Administration & Management (750 and 11.2%), General Psychology (466 and 6.94%), and General Social Sciences (356 and 5.3%).

The median tuition cost in Butte County, CA for a public four year colleges is $5,742 for in-state students and $17,622 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Butte County, CA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 95%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 9.93%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 23,574 (44.6% men and 55.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 23,574 students enrolled in Butte County, CA, 44.6% men and 55.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 10,777 records, of which 54.6% were women and 45.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
585 degrees awarded
General Psychology
346 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
209 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Butte County, CA was General Business Administration & Management with 585 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Butte County, CA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

California State University-Chico
4,412 degrees awarded
Butte College
2,241 degrees awarded
Butte County Regional Occupational Program
63 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was California State University-Chico with 4,412 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 2,926 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Butte County, CA, which is 0.772 times less than the 3,790 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,289 degrees mean that there were 1.55 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 2,119 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($5,742) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,230) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,970) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Measure

In 2022, 2.08% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 2.26% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for California.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were Some college (6.9M), High School or Equivalent (6.8M), and Bachelors Degree (6.36M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Butte County, CA was $408,700 in 2023, which is 1.35 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $371,600 to $408,700, a 9.98% increase. The homeownership rate in Butte County, CA is 58.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Butte County, CA have an average commute time of 21.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Butte County, CA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Butte County, CA is $68,574. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Butte County, CA was Census Tract 14 with a value of $143,558, followed by Census Tract 9.01 and Census Tract 15, with respective values of $123,954 and $121,179.

In 2023, 21.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Butte County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.07%.

Housing

Property

$408,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,846

$47,987

Median Property Taxes

±$1,572

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Butte County, CA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Butte County, CA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

58.3%

Homeownership

2023

65.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 58.3% of the housing units in Butte County, CA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 58.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Butte County, CA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 14
Census Tract 9.01
Census Tract 15

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Butte County, CA was Census Tract 14 with a value of $143,558, followed by Census Tract 9.01 and Census Tract 15, with respective values of $123,954 and $121,179.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Butte County, CA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$68,574

Median Household Income

± $2,351

82.3k

Number of Households

± 2,325

In 2023, the median household income of the 82.3k households in Butte County, CA grew to $68,574 from the previous year's value of $66,085.

The following chart displays the households in Butte County, CA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Butte County, CA is from California.

0.498

2022 Wage GINI in California

0.497

2021 Wage GINI in California

In 2022, the income inequality in California was 0.498 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.107% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for California was higher than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed less evenly in California in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in California across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (72.6%)
Worked At Home (11.3%)
Carpooled (9.71%)

In 2023, 72.6% of workers in Butte County, CA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.3%) and those who carpooled to work (9.71%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Butte County, CA have a shorter commute time (21.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.87% of the workforce in Butte County, CA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Butte County, CA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Butte County, CA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Butte County, CA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 21.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Butte County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.07%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

18.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Butte County, CA (37.5k out of 205k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Butte County, CA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 18.3% of the children was living in poverty in Butte County, CA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 8.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.6% of the population of Butte County, CA has health coverage, with 39.6% on employee plans, 26.1% on Medicaid, 12.8% on Medicare, 13.9% on non-group plans, and 1.19% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Butte County, CA see 1624 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.744% increase from the previous year (1612 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1247 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 122 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,624 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Butte County, CA

Primary care physicians in Butte County, CA see an average of 1,624 patients per year. This represents a 0.744% increase from the previous year (1,612 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Butte County, CA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 25.8% between 18 and 34 years, 33.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.8% were men and 51.2% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.35%

Uninsured

39.6%

Employer Coverage

26.1%

Medicaid

12.8%

Medicare

13.9%

Non-Group

1.19%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Butte County, CA declined by 3.77% from 6.6% to 6.35%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Butte County, CA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 35.1 in Butte County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Butte County, CA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 30.5% in Butte County, CA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Butte County, CA.