Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 59,954 at the 2000 census and has since grown to 86,949 according to the California Department of Finance 2008 Population Estimate.[2] The city is a cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern Sacramento Valley. Chico is home to California State University, Chico and Bidwell Park, one of the 25 largest municipal parks in the country