Fresno, worth moving to? (San Jose, San Francisco: crime, new home, unemployment)

[bjferg21]

Hey all,

I am a Chicagoan who works in the sports industry who may take a job with Fresno State Athletics. I've lived around Chicago all my life, except for my time in college, and a year spent out in North Carolina. I was wondering, if Fresno is a place a single, male, recent college grad, should move to. I am at the point in my career where any full-time job offer has to be considered and I've applied to positions all over the country. I really know nothing about Fresno except stats I see online and I know those don't do it justice alone. Thanks for the help on here. Cheers from Illinois.

[cawolf86]

I will give you a good generalization, to which I am sure there are exceptions. Fresno is a mostly desolate farming/suburb city in the middle of nowhere off the 99 freeway in CA. The inland cities are not generally highly regarded, other than the comparatively lower COL. Sacramento, Fresno, and Bakersfield are the best examples of large inland cities that are not very desirable.

The weather sucks and they are hot/muggy and have poor air quality.

I can say though, on a temporary basis it may not be bad to get your foot in the door that way. I would not want to settle there unless I was born there though. I did that for about two years in Bakersfield when I graduated.

I guess as far as Fresno State goes, Div I is cool - the area is less than desirable though.

source - Live in LA 20+ years and spent 2 years in central valley (bakersfield) but often worked mutual aid and assignments into Fresno and Madera.

[BeauCharles]

He's in Chicago - Fresno's weather would be a stunning improvement (and its not muggy - its dry heat in the summer). Spring and fall are beautiful, winters are foggy/rainy (which you don't have to shovel out of your driveway). Fresno is actually a pretty good place for a young guy fresh out of college. It has a big state university and thousands upon thousands of people his age to socialize with. Its large enough to have good clubs and bars, plus a variety of good, but inexpensive restaurants. Its also a short drive from three stunning Sierra Nevada national parks (Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia are all 90 minutes to two hours by car). Plus you can get to San Francisco in three hours and L.A. in four hours for fun weekends. If the O.P. has a possible job offer there I think he should jump on it - especially if its with Fresno State. Is it the best place in California? Oh course not, but it could be a great place to start a career. I lived in Des Moines, Iowa and Fresno/Central Valley people are every bit as friendly as the Midwest.

[JGC97]

Fresno, worth moving to?

IMO, one word. No.

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

If living in CA interests you at all, I say grab it. Fresno is okay, and as others have said, once you are here, then you can look for another job in CA, if you want. We've got the San Jose Earthquakes here in Santa Clara/San Jose for instance :-)

Fresno will have things for you to do, and as others have said, it's really centrally located, so you could check out San Francisco Bay Area, and LA, and all points in-between. Interviewing anywhere else in CA would be feasible, once you're here.

And as you said, you can't ignore an opportunity. And Fresno really is okay. It's no Chicago, but it may serve you well.

[eccotecc]

Fresno isn't as bad as some think. Many people from the southern part of the the state are all about status and designer this or that. People in Fresno aren't pretentious. The cost of living is very reasonable for California and the social amenities are numerous. If Fresno is on your short list then you might want to consider a visit before making a final decision. It would be worth the trip. BTW.....Fresno is nothing like Bakersfield.

[EclecticEars]

Fresno is desolate. By California standards. It's still on Highway 99, a modern freeway connecting Chico to the 5 Freeway in SoCal via Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno and Bakersfield.

It's largest advantage is its probable lack of status-consciousness that you find in SoCal and the Bay Area. Don't be fooled by any SoCal haters on here, the Bay Area has its form of political and social classism that is as strong as SoCal's materialism. It's also the closest city to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks.

You might like Fresno more than you think. Trust me, having lived in the Midwest previously (Louisville and Cincinnati), I think I'd rather live in Fresno. At least I'd still be close enough to what the rest of the state has to offer if I got cabin fever.

[eccotecc]

If my memory serves me correctly, many present and past professional athletes have settled in the Fresno area. If anyone would like to comment, I believe it has something to do with the weather.

[bjferg21]

Thanks for the comments. As for the area around Fresno State, what is it like? How nice is it? Again, I've never been out there before and not totally sure if I am a finalist that they will fly me out to see it.

[HereThereEveryware]

Cons:
hot weather in summer/foggy winters and high electricity bills in summer
weak economy & high unemployment
crime isn't super high but isn't terribly low either
#2 in the country in car thefts
bad air quality most of the year
not pedestrian friendly, i.e., you basically have to hop in the car for most trips
so-so public transportation (buses only)
32nd most expensive metro area in US
not much going on culturally

Pros:
hot weather is dry heat
close to mountains, lakes, and the Bay Area and SoCal
cheaper than SoCal, coast, and Bay Area
can get big new homes at a better price than many other places in CA