Nicest areas to live within 30-40 minutes of Fresno (San Jose: renting, hotel)

[Daveydoe]

I am currently in San Jose and am considering a new job in Fresno. Pay is slightly less than here, but housing is wayyyy more affordable. I only work 12 days a month so would have lots of time to enjoy the adjacent parks and to take cheap flights to the SW/PNW/Coastal CA in my time off if I didn't enjoy the city itself.

I have heard some pretty bad things on here about Fresno and am wondering if there are areas within a 30-40min drive that are more desirable to live. I am looking for housing below $400k which by looking on Zillow is not a problem anywhere around there. I will be renting for a year or so before considering a purchase anywhere.

I could also stay in the bay area and drive out and work 12 days in a row (or 6 every other week etc) and then come home every month, but with the low housing prices around Fresno I would really rather live out there and not have to deal with a long commute and be able to enjoy my home every day. It is appealing to me to be able to buy an affordable home in the near future.

Also, are there areas within 30-40 mins that have better air quality. And does the air quality at all effect quality of life (I am a 40 year old with no respiratory or other health problems) any more than the air quality in Orange County (also have a job offer there which pays more, but the job is less desirable to me). Lastly, are there steps in place to improve the air quality and, if so, has it shown a trending improvement at all?

[Billy Millennium]

Without knowing much about the Fresno area, I'd look into Visalia and Clovis based on reputation alone.

[Bulldogdad]

Already lots of threads on here about Fresno. Look up the posts and threads by FresnoFacts.

I lived there for five years. Northwest Fresno by Woodward Park or Clovis os where I would look first, a much more scaled down version of Almaden Park and Cambrian Park in San Jose.

[Daveydoe]

Originally Posted by Bulldogdad

Already lots of threads on here about Fresno. Look up the posts and threads by FresnoFacts.

I lived there for five years. Northwest Fresno by Woodward Park or Clovis os where I would look first, a much more scaled down version of Almaden Park and Cambrian Park in San Jose.

Just did...thanks. I don't know that I can get over the air pollution as a factor there...also have job offers in Santa Cruz and Huntington Beach that I may consider.

[bmw335xi]

$400k in Fresno better get you an 8,000 sq ft home with an olympic sized swimming pool and cascading waterfall jacuzzi with a private home theater or basketball court to make it worth while. Fresno is awful! Please book a hotel and spend 1-2 weeks there, you will thank me at the end of your stay lol.

[bumpaudio]

fresno is not any worse than san jose. i think san jose is worse.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by bumpaudio

fresno is not any worse than san jose. i think san jose is worse.

San Jose is a great city, while Fresno is blah. Like I said, the OP should spend 1-2 weeks in Fresno and then decide. I don't even need to debate this, it's that simple.

[ryuns]

I'd generally focus on finding the best possible neighborhood for you in the Fresno area. It's a big city and there are a lot of decent neighborhoods. To add to the above, if it were me, I'd check out some of hte older "traditional" neighborhoods closer to downtown and the Tower District, but that's just what I like. They won't be as safe or modern or have the schools offered by Clovis and the like, but it doesn't sound like you have a family.

That said, given that you're only working 12 days a month, you could consider looking east, in to the foothills. The trouble with that approach is that you may find that the air quality is not appreciably better within 30 minutes of town. Oakhurst, for instance, is at about 2,200 ft, but is about 50 minutes away from downtown Fresno. That may be high enough to start seeing some improvements, but even the mountains up in Sequoia NP see some problems with the air pollution. Coarsegold might be an option--about the same elevation as Oakhurst but closer to Fresno. Note that fog is a consideration for any semi-rural commute. And I guess I don't need to point out the irony of having a long commute in order to escape the bad air.

To your other questions about the air: It's certainly not a positive thing, but it's not too large of a negative impact on your quality of life. Then again, that's based on moving from dirty air in Tulare to clean-ish air in Santa Barbara and then back to Sacramento--but Sac's air is generally better than Fresno, so that may be an unfair comparison. The air is getting better but it's a long slog. Still, it's not as if you were breathing crisp mountain air in OC.

California is extremely aggressive about limiting air pollution, but unfortunate geography, major shipping corridors, old cars (poor people + good weather means beaters stay on the road way too long) and the status as the best ag land in the world all conspire to give the place bad air.

[eccotecc]

Originally Posted by Daveydoe

I am currently in San Jose and am considering a new job in Fresno. Pay is slightly less than here, but housing is wayyyy more affordable. I only work 12 days a month so would have lots of time to enjoy the adjacent parks and to take cheap flights to the SW/PNW/Coastal CA in my time off if I didn't enjoy the city itself.

I have heard some pretty bad things on here about Fresno and am wondering if there are areas within a 30-40min drive that are more desirable to live. I am looking for housing below $400k which by looking on Zillow is not a problem anywhere around there. I will be renting for a year or so before considering a purchase anywhere.

I could also stay in the bay area and drive out and work 12 days in a row (or 6 every other week etc) and then come home every month, but with the low housing prices around Fresno I would really rather live out there and not have to deal with a long commute and be able to enjoy my home every day. It is appealing to me to be able to buy an affordable home in the near future.

Also, are there areas within 30-40 mins that have better air quality. And does the air quality at all effect quality of life (I am a 40 year old with no respiratory or other health problems) any more than the air quality in Orange County (also have a job offer there which pays more, but the job is less desirable to me). Lastly, are there steps in place to improve the air quality and, if so, has it shown a trending improvement at all?

If you are willing to commute 30/40 minutes to Fresno, I would suggest looking at Oakhurst. Oakhurst is east of Fresno on Hwy 41. It is very close to many mountain recreational acvtiities and approximately 13 miles from the south gate of Yosemite. If you enjoy the winter snow, you can be in snow in about 15 minutes. Fishing and water sports are 10 minutes away at Bass Lake. There are too many hiking and mountain bike trails to mention. Oakhurst is worth looking into.

[jeffredo]

Another vote for Oakhurst and Coarsegold. Very pleasant mountain communities in eastern Madera County within the driving time you mentioned.