NAICS 72

Accommodation and Food Services in Chico, CA

Metro Market Score 53.8 (Challenging), ranked #147 of 298 metros. 424 establishments, 7,266 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 53.8
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national accommodation and food services average.

⚡Rising Wages

Chico's accommodation and food services market sits near the national metro median, ranking #147 of 298 with a market score of 53.8. No single metric stands out as an outlier, which means entry conditions depend more on your specific business model than on broad market forces.

Industry Concentration
44.3
LQ: 1.01
Rank #132 of 298 metros
Wage Competitiveness
61.4
$26,647 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 63.1
Employment growth index
Rank #111 of 298 metros
Wage Pressure
81.2
YoY wage change index

424 Accommodation and Food Services Firms in Chico

424
Establishments
+1.7% YoY
7,266
Total Employment
+1.0% YoY
$26,647
Average Annual Wage
+6.4% YoY
1.01
Location Quotient
Above national avg

Chico vs California Statewide

How this metro's accommodation and food services market compares to California overall. The state ranks #47/51 for entry risk.

Measure Chico CA Statewide
Overall Score 53.8 Challenging 57.2 High
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #147 of 298 metros #47 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Chico

Administrative and Support Services 26.0 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 43.9 Finance and Insurance 45.3 Healthcare and Social Assistance 45.3 Other Services 49.4 Information 49.8 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 51.5 Construction 64.2 Retail Trade 74.5

Accommodation and Food Services in Other California Metros

Fresno 39.2 #46/298 Hanford-Corcoran 50.6 #120/298 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara 53.3 #140/298 El Centro 54.7 #155/298 Visalia 56.9 #163/298 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles 60.6 #197/298 Redding 62.2 #208/298 Bakersfield-Delano 64.2 #220/298 Stockton-Lodi 64.5 #221/298 Merced 64.8 #225/298

+ 14 more metros. View all in California →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Chico's accommodation and food services sector, the wage pressure component (81.2) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.