Chico’s $100,000 club

Ever wondered how much of Chico’s population earns a six-figure salary? According to a report by e-commerce software company Volusion, which analyzed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, about 2.8 percent of workers in Chico, or 1,970 people, get paid $100,000 or more. That’s well below the statewide average of 12.7 percent. Among the 208 small metros analyzed (those with populations of 100,000 to 350,000), and categorized from highest to lowest percentage, Chico ranks 57th. Nationally, California has the highest proportion of employees taking home median earnings of over $100,000. The Golden State is followed by Massachusetts (12.2 percent) and Maryland (11.9 percent). The states with the lowest percentage of six-figure earners are Mississippi and Louisiana (just over 1 percent). More broadly, 6.7 percent of Americans—or 9.7 million people–make a six-figure income. The most popular six-figure occupation across the nation—comprising 2.3 million Americans—is listed as general and operations managers. Other popular six-figure jobs include those in the tech industry, such as software developers, and health care, such as pharmacists and nurse practitioners.