"Affordable" family friendly area w/ nice weather? (Fresno: house, good schools)

[chadwilken]

My wife and I along with our 3 young kids are planning to move to California in about a year. I previously lived in Sacramento but prefer central/southern California. I've been doing some research to find family freindly towns with good school but it seems like the recommendations are all over the place. We have considered Bakersfield, Visalia, and a few other places where you can get a nice place for ~$400k around good schools. What other areas should we be looking at? We plan to take a trip out there and visit a bunch of different cities to see what we "vibe" with most. We like to be outdoors as much as possible, so good year-round weather is ideal. Bonus points if it's near a place with good dirt-bike trails. I know I am asking for the holy-grail of criteria but I figure it's worth a shot.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by chadwilken

My wife and I along with our 3 young kids are planning to move to California in about a year. I previously lived in Sacramento but prefer central/southern California. I've been doing some research to find family freindly towns with good school but it seems like the recommendations are all over the place. We have considered Bakersfield, Visalia, and a few other places where you can get a nice place for ~$400k around good schools. What other areas should we be looking at? We plan to take a trip out there and visit a bunch of different cities to see what we "vibe" with most. I know I am asking for the holy-grail of criteria but I figure it's worth a shot.

If you have young children also check the pollution in the area. City-Data city search can help. This is critical for everyone but especially young children as later in life they will feel the impact. Maybe not major but at other times severe lung issues. Check facts over time, not just any given day. I know I was born and raised in CA and while I still love it, I also know what it has done to members of my family.

[chadwilken]

Originally Posted by Racer46

If you have young children also check the pollution in the area. City-Data city search can help. This is critical for everyone but especially young children as later in life they will feel the impact. Maybe not major but at other times severe lung issues. Check facts over time, not just any given day. I know I was born and raised in CA and while I still love it, I also know what it has done to members of my family.

Yea I have been a bit concerned about that aspect of Bakersfield. I have family there and asking them about it. They made it sound like on the bad days they stay inside but I was curious what the long-term effects are.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by chadwilken

Yea I have been a bit concerned about that aspect of Bakersfield. I have family there and asking them about it. They made it sound like on the bad days they stay inside but I was curious what the long-term effects are.

Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 135. This is significantly worse than average. City: 135 U.S.: 74

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Bakers...alifornia.html


1. Below 50 is good
2. Moderate 51 to 100
3. Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups 101 to 150
4. Unhealthy 151 to 200
5. Very Unhealthy 201 to 300


Good days exist but rare for all day. Then even Moderate day after day is not good and the area averages in the 3rd group which means it also hits the 4th group. Talk to your doctor.

[roadwarrior101]

Honestly, if you're looking at Central or Southern California, the nicer weather (and better air quality) in general is going to be at or near the coast. This is generally considered a more desirable area and will frequently command a higher price tag vs the inland communities you mention.

I've said this before, if you can't afford a decent house in a nicer part of California, you're better off looking for homes in other states.

[Moddedintegra56]

Affordable and nice weather don't go hand in hand unless you live in some remote town of 50 people near northern tip of ca or in the woods in the Sierra Nevada . You mentioned Bakersfield and Visalia? Fresno is better than both of those places, it's a bigger city, more amenities and more job opportunities, better k-12 schools and more and better college options. Fresno is slightly more expensive though because it offers more. Go to neighboring clovis if you make at least $100K.

Upgrade from Fresno would be sac area but a lot of places there are expensive in the nice parts. An average of $100-150K MORE median price of a home compared to Fresno.

[chadwilken]

Originally Posted by Moddedintegra56

Affordable and nice weather don't go hand in hand unless you live in some remote town of 50 people near northern tip of ca or in the woods in the Sierra Nevada . You mentioned Bakersfield and Visalia? Fresno is better than both of those places, it's a bigger city, more amenities and more job opportunities, better k-12 schools and more and better college options. Fresno is slightly more expensive though because it offers more. Go to neighboring clovis if you make at least $100K.

Upgrade from Fresno would be sac area but a lot of places there are expensive in the nice parts. An average of $100-150K MORE median price of a home compared to Fresno.

Is the air quality as bad in those areas? I see maps showing the AQI but it's hard to tell over time how bad each place is on the regular. With the AQI normally being so bad in many of these places are people just rolling the dice in regards to long-term side-effects of it?

[volosong]

Bakersfield is at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, and is ringed by mountains on three sides. Off shore breezes/winds funnel through the Golden Gate and spread northward or southward when they hit the Sierra on the other side of the Central Valley. Agriculture is a pretty heavy aerosol polluter and all those pollutants are carried by the winds down to Bakersfield. Yeah, the air quality gets pretty bad there.

Surprisingly, up the hill along State Highway 58 lie the community of Tehachapi. It a cool little town, up above the smog, and housing prices are not all that much higher than Bakersfield.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by volosong

Bakersfield is at the south end of the San Joaquin Valley, and is ringed by mountains on three sides. Off shore breezes/winds funnel through the Golden Gate and spread northward or southward when they hit the Sierra on the other side of the Central Valley. Agriculture is a pretty heavy aerosol polluter and all those pollutants are carried by the winds down to Bakersfield. Yeah, the air quality gets pretty bad there.

Surprisingly, up the hill along State Highway 58 lie the community of Tehachapi. It a cool little town, up above the smog, and housing prices are not all that much higher than Bakersfield.

Hey, now, this is a good idea, if you're looking for "California" + "affordable" and don't mind not being near the coast, AND you want to minimize fire risk. Tehachapi is at sufficient elevation that it gets snow. Nice little town overlooking the Mojave Desert on one side, but removed from the desert floor, so it's much cooler. Really pretty livable. Check school ratings.

Also: east of Sacramento in the foothills of the Sierras--Placerville.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by chadwilken

Is the air quality as bad in those areas? I see maps showing the AQI but it's hard to tell over time how bad each place is on the regular. With the AQI normally being so bad in many of these places are people just rolling the dice in regards to long-term side-effects of it?

Go to the main page of City Data.com and enter the city and State name and scroll way down on the page that comes up and you will get the info for an extended time period


www.city-data.com.