City comparison
Chico, CA is about 275 miles (425 km) from Hanford, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 325 miles, or about 5 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Chico, CA to Hanford, CA takes about 32 min, covering roughly 275 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Chico has a population of 102,790, vs 57,920 in Hanford — about 1.8× larger by population. By land area, Chico covers about 34 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Hanford.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chico | Hanford | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,360/mo | $1,194/mo | 13.9% higher in Chico |
| Median home value | $427,600 | $294,100 | 45.4% higher in Chico |
| Median household income | $65,932 | $73,819 | 12.0% higher in Hanford |
| Groceries index | 105.1 | 105.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 155.8 | 154.5 | 0.9% higher in Chico |
| Transportation index | 100.7 | 100.7 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.6 | 100.6 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chico, you'd need $99,990 in Hanford to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chico and Hanford have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Chico, you'd need about $79,992 in Hanford to keep the same standard of living.