Published October 8, 2026 in Market Update

One part of Chico stayed tight even with rates at 7.28%

By Willoughby Thorn

Real estate, Primary buy box (Chico)

Freddie Mac put the 30-year fixed rate at 7.28% as of October 1, 2026. That is the highest it has been since January 2025, according to Realtor.com. Rates like that slow a lot of markets. But one part of Chico barely flinched.

ZIP 95973: the tightest corner of Chico

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 104 homes sold in ZIP 95973 in the three months ending August 31, 2026. That is up 9.5% from the same months of 2025. Sales went up even as rates climbed.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator measured 2.2 months of supply in 95973. That is down 0.4 months from a year before. Less supply means buyers have fewer homes to choose from.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median sale price in 95973 at $553,430. That is up 8.6% from the same period in 2025. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. prices rose just 2.6% year over year through July 2026. Chico's 95973 ran well ahead of that national pace.

Homes in 95973 sold at 99.7% of list price on average, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found. Sellers gave up very little. That said, 38 days on market is 4 days longer than a year ago. Not every home sold fast.

How the three Chico ZIP codes compare

The story is not the same across all of Chico. Here is what the Real Estate Data Aggregator measured in each ZIP for the three months ending August 31, 2026.

ZIP 95926 had the fastest sales. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found a median of 27 days on market there, 9 days shorter than a year before. More than half of homes, 51.1%, went under contract within two weeks of listing. That share was up 6.3 points from 2025.

ZIP 95928 told a different story. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 73 homes sold there, down 18.9% from a year before. Supply rose to 3.9 months, up 0.9 months. Prices were up only 2.4%. That ZIP has more room for buyers to take their time.

Prices in 95926 actually dipped. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median at $438,000, down 8.7% from a year before. More homes came to market there too, up 13.3%. Buyers in 95926 have a bit more to choose from.

What the national picture adds

Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September 2026. That is the highest share since October 2022. Nationally, active listings topped 1.16 million homes in September, Realtor.com found.

Chico's 95973 bucked that trend. Fewer homes came to market there, down 13.8% in new listings, the Real Estate Data Aggregator found. That kept supply tight even as national inventory grew.

What this means for you

For homeowners in 95973, well-priced homes are still finding buyers. Prices rose 8.6% and homes sold at nearly full list. That is a solid position even with Freddie Mac's 30-year rate at 7.28%.

For buyers, 95973 leaves less room to wait. Supply is at 2.2 months and shrinking. ZIP 95928 offers more breathing room, with 3.9 months of supply and more homes to consider.

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026. One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP code. If you want to know where your home sits inside these numbers, I am happy to take a closer look.