7th Street Manor at 7th St. and Walnut

See also Rental Housing Guide and Houses.

Chico has dozens of Apartments owned or managed by several property management services. It is no wonder because it is a university and community college town with great demand for rentals. Newer apartments can be found in the north and north east, while older ones can be found in central, downtown and southern Chico. Because of high demand to live just south of the university, rental prices are likely higher than neighborhoods on the other side of campus (West Sacramento and beyond). Since at least 2004, rental prices have been rising fast due to lack of new apartments nearby the university and the high cost of buying homes. In a 2006 survey, Chico State found that 1-bedrooms averaged $620 and 2-bedrooms at $719 per month1. Since then, rent has increased by tens of dollars each year, so figure around $25-$50 more per month in 2008.

It's interesting to note that there are only a handful of apartments that rent studios. A great majority of apartments have multiple bedrooms — perfect for those who prefer the cost benefits of having roommates. Many others provide one bedroom for the solitary being or couple.

Apartment leases generally begin in June, July and taper off in August. Many apartments try to help prevent the great deal of stress due to a mad rush in those months by providing methods to reserve an apartment as early as January. Generally, apartments require a co-signer or guarantor if prospective renters do not have a reliable job. Most students fall into this category.

The guarantor provides financial liability for the student, providing a decent guarantee that rent payment obligations will be met. The co-signer is normally a responsible parent or adult with a good source of income. Often the guarantor form must be notarized or signed by the responsible adult in front of apartment management. If the student fails to meet the agreed to lease, then consequences may occur for the guarantor. Depending on your situation, this may best be done prior to arriving at Chico — i.e., reserving a unit in January. Be sure to verify the legitimacy of the apartment you apply at, as severely personal information (and therefore with a high ID-theft potential) will need to be provided.

There are very few apartment complexes that allow animals larger than a rabbit — i.e., cat and/or dog. Click here for a listing of what apartments allow pets and which.

Central Chico

The following apartments can be found in Central Chico:

Downtown

The following apartments can be found in Downtown:

East Chico

The following apartments can be found in East Chico:

North Chico

The following apartments can be found in North Chico:

South Chico

The following apartments can be found in South Chico:

West Chico

The following apartments can be found in West Chico:

Oroville, Paradise, Orland, etc

Footnotes

1. http://www.csuchico.edu/housing/housingOptions/documents/offCampusHousing.pdf

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