Median Income
$46,362
household / year
Median Home Value
$266,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,033
gross / month
Cost of Living
105
national avg = 100

Is Oroville, CA a Good Place to Live?

Oroville is a small city of 20,283 in California, with a median household income of $46,362 and a 7.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 105 (US average = 100), which is 5% above the national average.

Strengths: Oroville stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Oroville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Oroville city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 104.6

Oroville's overall cost of living index is 104.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Oroville costs roughly 5% more than the average American city.

Metric Oroville, CA National Avg
Median Home Value $266,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,033 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 50.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $46,362 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Oroville's violent crime rate is 980.8 per 100,000 residents — 158% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
980.8 /100k
Property Crime
3819.4 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Oroville is served primarily by Oroville City Elementary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.2:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Oroville, CA National Avg
School District Oroville City Elementary —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio 18.2:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 14.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 83.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Oroville sees average highs of 57.7°F in January and 96.8°F in July, with 30.6 inches of annual precipitation and 0.1 inches of snow per year.

MetricOroville, CA
Average High — January57.7°F
Average High — July96.8°F
Annual Precipitation30.6"
Annual Snowfall0.1"

Demographics

MetricOroville, CANational Avg
Population20,283—
Median Age36.538.9
Unemployment Rate7.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time20.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)66.5%59.3%
Black or African American3.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino10.1%18.9%
Asian12.1%6.3%
Under 1824.4%22.2%
65 and over14.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

South Oroville, CA 2 mi Thermalito, CA 2 mi Oroville East, CA 4 mi Palermo, CA 5 mi Kelly Ridge, CA 6 mi

Oroville vs Other Cities

Oroville, CA vs South Oroville, CA Oroville, CA vs Thermalito, CA Oroville, CA vs Oroville East, CA Oroville, CA vs Palermo, CA Oroville, CA vs Kelly Ridge, CA

Frequently Asked Questions

Oroville's cost of living index is 105, where 100 is the national average. That puts Oroville roughly 5% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $266,100 and median rent is $1,033/month.
Oroville's violent crime rate is 980.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3819.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Oroville are operated by Oroville City Elementary. The district has 4 elementary, 2 middle, and several high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.2:1. 14.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Oroville, CA has a population of 20,283, a median household income of $46,362, and an unemployment rate of 7.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Oroville averages 57.7°F in January and 96.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 30.6 inches with about 0.1 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Oroville, California is 20,283 with a median age of 36.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Oroville: cost of living index 105 (100 = US average), median home $266,100, median household income $46,362, crime index 228 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Oroville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.