Published October 2, 2026 in Market Update

Chico prices are not moving as one market

By Willoughby Thorn

Real estate, Primary buy box (Chico)

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported that U.S. home prices rose 2.6% from July 2025 to July 2026. That number tells you almost nothing about your street in Chico. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted three ZIP codes here, and each one moved in a different direction.

The three ZIP codes, side by side

That price gap is the main story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in 95926 at $448,000, down 5.2% from a year before. In 95928 it was $497,000, up 6%. In 95973 it was $532,500, up just 0.5%. Three ZIP codes, three different answers.

95926: prices dipped, but homes are moving fast

The median sale price in 95926 fell 5.2% from the same three months in 2025. That is a real drop, not a rounding error. But the Real Estate Data Aggregator also counted 93 homes sold there, up 10.7% from a year before. Homes spent a median of 27 days on market, 2 days shorter than last year. Nearly half of listings, 49.5%, went under contract within two weeks. Buyers are still showing up, even as prices ease.

95928: prices rose, but fewer homes are selling

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in 95928 at $497,000, up 6% from a year before. That is the strongest price gain of the three ZIP codes. But only 82 homes sold there, down 8.9% from last year. Pending sales fell 24%. Months of supply ticked up to 3.1 months. Prices moved up, but the pace of sales slowed.

95973: the steadiest of the three

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 114 homes sold in 95973, the most of any Chico ZIP code here. The median sale price was $532,500, up just 0.5% from a year before. Days on market rose to 42, which is 15 days longer than last year. The share of homes that sold above list fell 12.7 points. Prices held, but buyers are taking more time.

What the national number misses

The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported a 2.6% national price gain from July 2025 to July 2026. That figure sits between the 5.2% drop in 95926 and the 6% gain in 95928. It describes none of them well. Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. That rate shapes what buyers can afford, and it matters differently in each price range.

Across all three ZIP codes

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 289 homes sold across 95973, 95926 and 95928 together in the three months ending July 31, 2026. That is up 2.8% from a year before. Homes for sale across the three fell 4.3% to 225. New listings dropped 3.4% to 315. Supply is a little tighter than last year, even as demand is mixed.

Even within a single ZIP code, one street can tell a different story from the whole. Price, condition and timing all shift the picture. If you want to know where your block actually stands, the combined numbers above are only the starting point.