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I was born and raised in Fresno and lived there for 38 years.
Pros:
Affordable compared to the rest of California.
One hour drive gets you into the Sierra Nevada mountains. Three hour drive gets you to the beach. So while the city may suck, you're not that far from nicer places to vacation. Also fairly close to Yellowstone, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks.
Cons:
Bad air, smoggy all summer especially when fire season starts. The Sierra Nevada mountains are there but you can't see them most of the time because the air is so bad. Lots of people with asthma.
Hot. If you enjoy 100+ temperatures starting in May and lasting through August and into September then you'll love it here, I did not enjoy being stuck inside all summer long because it was literally too hot to stay outside. People die here because of the heat. It's miserable, but it is a dry heat if that helps.
Not knowing what your political views are Fresno/Clovis us a conservative pocket of California. That could be a pro or a com depending on your personal views.
Fresno is not pretty. No one visits Fresno and says Wow I want to live here! It's a place you end up or you were born into. If you're smart you move away as eventually I did and I never looked back.
My advice you can do better than Fresno. At the very least rent for a year and see if it's a fit for you, if not get out of dodge.
"No one visits and says they want to live there".
That's b.s. I've heard otherwise before, multiple times. Fresno isn't Paris/sf by any stretch, but it's not as ugly as haters make it out to be. Tbh, the western outskirts of Fresno are ugly and downtown needs work, but the rest of Fresno isn't bad. Go visit more big/medium sized cities and you'll see that Fresno isn't as far behind in aesthetics as you remember. Btw, The current city leaders are committed to fixing up downtown Fresno, so it's only time that even downtown stops being an issue.
Fresno is not a conservative pocket. Stop spewing b.s. 6/7 councilmen in Fresno are Democrat! More registered democrats in Fresno than republicans. There's two democrat congressmen in the area and two Republicans. Fresno is purple and quickly moving to blue. Thanks for leaving and taking your conservative vote away from the city.
"I never looked back" yet you talk about Fresno on here from time to time. Please. If you really never looked back, you'd stick to talking about that GLORIFIED pit-stop to jackson wyo that you moved to. Stick to wyo and stop spewing outdated crap if you truly believe that.
"You can't see the mountains" more outdated bs
You can see the mountains every morning(cloud cover permitting), and a during a lot of the evenings. Abc30 shows the mountains every day in the mornings if you don't believe me. Even during heatwaves you can see the mountains in the mornings.
"3hrs to the beach"
Maybe driving slowly from Clovis it takes that long, but you can get there pretty quickly if you drive like a typical Californian(many people get to Morro Bay from central Fresno in just 2hrs)
"Ppl die from heat"
Fresno isn't Phoenix, you don't hear about deaths very often(before you say anything, I've heard of one person dying this year and none for last year. The person who died this year was working inside a metal tube!). The most deadly time for Fresno is when it's hot and humid, and there hasnt been a summer like that since 2017. It's been a very dry summer this year in Fresno and I doubt that changes. Morning low today was 61f at the airport(50fs for the other parts of Fresno). You know it's dry when it gets that low in Fresno.
You're also one hour from shaver lake for a quick cooldown. One hour and you get a 15-30f drop in temperatures. Shaver lake during the summer is spring weather in Fresno, it's a nice temp drop during peak afternoon heat.
So, can you drive one hour from wyo during the winter and get nice spring weather? I doubt you can often - Nothing but cold around there.
One last thing about the heat - 100f temps arent super common in September. Sun isn't up long enough to produce them. Most 100fs happen in late June to early August. Anyone moving to Fresno should plan their travelling during that time, and find ways to block out the sun from their house (paint house white, plant shade trees and bushes, etc). If you plan for the heat it makes a big difference in summer enjoyment.
To the op: Fresno is 3rd rate California, but it has a chance at becoming a second rate city like Sacramento. Here's a simple comparison: Fresno feels like if Sacramento and Bakersfield had a baby. Rent for two years and go from there. One year isn't enough time to make a call about any city. Also, if you buy a house, prep it for the sun/heat. There's lots of things you can do to improve the cooling.
Last edited by dontbelievehim; 07-07-2020 at 11:43 PM..
"No one visits and says they want to live there".
That's b.s. I've heard otherwise before, multiple times. Fresno isn't Paris/sf by any stretch, but it's not as ugly as haters make it out to be. Tbh, the western outskirts of Fresno are ugly and downtown needs work, but the rest of Fresno isn't bad. Go visit more big/medium sized cities and you'll see that Fresno isn't as far behind in aesthetics as you remember. Btw, The current city leaders are committed to fixing up downtown Fresno, so it's only time that even downtown stops being an issue.
Fresno is not a conservative pocket. Stop spewing b.s. 6/7 councilmen in Fresno are Democrat! More registered democrats in Fresno than republicans. There's two democrat congressmen in the area and two Republicans. Fresno is purple and quickly moving to blue. Thanks for leaving and taking your conservative vote away from the city.
"I never looked back" yet you talk about Fresno on here from time to time. Please. If you really never looked back, you'd stick to talking about that GLORIFIED pit-stop to jackson wyo that you moved to. Stick to wyo and stop spewing outdated crap if you truly believe that.
"You can't see the mountains" more outdated bs
You can see the mountains every morning(cloud cover permitting), and a during a lot of the evenings. Abc30 shows the mountains every day in the mornings if you don't believe me. Even during heatwaves you can see the mountains in the mornings.
"3hrs to the beach"
Maybe driving slowly from Clovis it takes that long, but you can get there pretty quickly if you drive like a typical Californian(many people get to Morro Bay from central Fresno in just 2hrs)
"Ppl die from heat"
Fresno isn't Phoenix, you don't hear about deaths very often(before you say anything, I've heard of one person dying this year and none for last year. The person who died this year was working inside a metal tube!). The most deadly time for Fresno is when it's hot and humid, and there hasnt been a summer like that since 2017. It's been a very dry summer this year in Fresno and I doubt that changes. Morning low today was 61f at the airport(50fs for the other parts of Fresno). You know it's dry when it gets that low in Fresno.
You're also one hour from shaver lake for a quick cooldown. One hour and you get a 15-30f drop in temperatures. Shaver lake during the summer is spring weather in Fresno, it's a nice temp drop during peak afternoon heat.
So, can you drive one hour from wyo during the winter and get nice spring weather? I doubt you can often - Nothing but cold around there.
One last thing about the heat - 100f temps arent super common in September. Sun isn't up long enough to produce them. Most 100fs happen in late June to early August. Anyone moving to Fresno should plan their travelling during that time, and find ways to block out the sun from their house (paint house white, plant shade trees and bushes, etc). If you plan for the heat it makes a big difference in summer enjoyment.
To the op: Fresno is 3rd rate California, but it has a chance at becoming a second rate city like Sacramento. Here's a simple comparison: Fresno feels like if Sacramento and Bakersfield had a baby. Rent for two years and go from there. One year isn't enough time to make a call about any city. Also, if you buy a house, prep it for the sun/heat. There's lots of things you can do to improve the cooling.
spot on. I LOVE the sacramento and bakersfield had a baby you get Fresno. That really describes it REALLY REALLY WELL. It's in between the 2.
Don't forget Millerton lake is right in fresno and clovis' backyard and 20 mins or less from north fresno. Bass Lake is also a very nice place to go to cool or outdoor recreational fun. It even snows there and depending where in fresno/clovis you come from it's an easy 40 min drive. Huntington Lake is another nice option during summer, and during winter up in CHina Peak for ski resort which is an hour to an hour and half away.
Some nice casino options if people are into that, Table Mountain, Chukchansi, and Tachi Palace if you want to drive a bit further.
The summer weather is blown out of proportion in Fresno. People make it seem like it's worse than AZ or Las Vegas. It's not. At least it doesnt snow in Fresno like some wack place like Jackson, Wyo. Who wants to deal with snow every morning, having to put layers of clothes, having to plow and clean driveway and warm up car and increase risk of accidents due to road conditions. YUCK. Rather deal with hot weather in summer and have a nice pool to swim in.
I too much prefer heat, but I won't bash cold lovers -
Not everyone is built the same way.
My only issue with Cold lovers is that they often live in a bubble and refuse to see the other side. It's like talking to a trump supporter at times.
I've never been to Jackson wyo, but I know the rocky mountain region well and have to disagree about Jackson being whack. Jackson is a very isolated resort town(think Park City Utah), so it has its benefits, but it also has lots of drawbacks(WAY overpriced cost of living being one of them)
Edit: Modded: she doesn't actually live in Jackson, she lives in a far flung suburb of it. I was talking about that place in my original post, not Jackson
Last edited by dontbelievehim; 07-08-2020 at 01:04 AM..
Whether I moved to Fresno or Sacramento, I doubt I would buy a house, but I also wouldn't rent if I had a job, and felt I could cover a mortgage payment comfortably. Instead I would likely buy a duplex, triplex or a fourplex and live in one of the units and rent out the others. At your age, you don't need a large house. I would wait to do that if and when you decide to get married. For owner occupied properties the lending requirements are more lax. If it turns out you get a job transfer or just want to move some place else, hire a property manager and you would have an additional income source going forward.
I agree with the general sentiment of this. I also agree with renting something like a 1BR apartment for a year. The basic idea is don't buy as much house as the bank qualifies you for--and definitely don't buy something right away. That's almost always a horrible idea. In these difficult economic times, no one should assume their employment is secure (actually no one should ever assume that even in good times).
It takes a while to get to know an area. I agree that renting a cheap place (for your income, which means you could get a decent 1BR in a decent area) and looking around for a place for a year or even two is a good idea. A single guy doesn't need to live in a mansion, and if he meets a woman, she'll probably want to buy a different house with him, together. So it's just better to keep the housing spending on the low side for future flexibility.
I also wonder if moving somewhere like Phoenix, Las Vegas, or Albuquerque wouldn't be a much better quality of life for the same, or possibly cheaper price than Fresno. As others have said, Sacramento is a nicer area, but it's gotten expensive for the amenities offered. (Although I think the same is true of Fresno. It's cheap by California standards, but other places like Phoenix are similar in cost with better amenities).
I also agree that Fresno isn't as hot as some on here say it is. I'm a weather geek. Phoenix and Las Vegas are much, much, hotter in summer.
Although it's probably not as bad as its detractors say, I still don't think I'd want to live there, to be honest.
I also agree that Fresno isn't as hot as some on here say it is. I'm a weather geek. Phoenix and Las Vegas are much, much, hotter in summer.
I lived in the Phoenix area for a couple years while attending grad school at ASU. I do agree that it gets significantly hotter there vs Fresno. You're talking 116 vs 105 with hotter evenings as well. When you look at these temps, you're not moving to either location because you're looking for mild summers. In both cases, you're not spending much time outdoors during the day, unless you're at a pool or a lake. Fresno would be milder for early morning runs or hanging out in the patio during the evening. However, the air quality may make you second guess whether this would be enjoyable.
On balance, I actually think Phoenix has a better year-round climate. Excluding the months of June, July and August, Phoenix tends to be warmer and drier. Its so dry in fact that when its around 100 as a high, its actually fairly comfortable.
Fresno is somewhat better if you want access to coastal CA. Yes, you can take nice weekend getaways to the Bay Area, Monterey, Pismo or LA. But, you're not actually "there". You still need to drive a good distance to get there. Unless you're planning on doing that every weekend, its not like its right in your backyard.
You do also have more mountain recreation with Yosemite and Sequoia very close by and a lot of great lakes. Phoenix is no slouch, however, with Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and other great places in a similar driving distance.
Aside from this, Phoenix just has so much more to offer. It actually has more of a diversified economy with large employers in the high-tech and aerospace industries. It also has a great nightlife scene with Scottsdale. I had a lot of fun there when I was in my 20s and I can't see anything in Fresno coming close to rivaling this.
Again, if my goal was to stay in CA, Fresno would not be my selection, unless I already had a network of family/friends there. Otherwise, I'd go somewhere like Phoenix (or another western city) for a better quality of life (assuming that cost of living was the primary driver).
I lived in the Phoenix area for a couple years while attending grad school at ASU. I do agree that it gets significantly hotter there vs Fresno. You're talking 116 vs 105 with hotter evenings as well. When you look at these temps, you're not moving to either location because you're looking for mild summers. In both cases, you're not spending much time outdoors during the day, unless you're at a pool or a lake. Fresno would be milder for early morning runs or hanging out in the patio during the evening. However, the air quality may make you second guess whether this would be enjoyable.
On balance, I actually think Phoenix has a better year-round climate. Excluding the months of June, July and August, Phoenix tends to be warmer and drier. Its so dry in fact that when its around 100 as a high, its actually fairly comfortable.
Fresno is somewhat better if you want access to coastal CA. Yes, you can take nice weekend getaways to the Bay Area, Monterey, Pismo or LA. But, you're not actually "there". You still need to drive a good distance to get there. Unless you're planning on doing that every weekend, its not like its right in your backyard.
You do also have more mountain recreation with Yosemite and Sequoia very close by and a lot of great lakes. Phoenix is no slouch, however, with Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and other great places in a similar driving distance.
Aside from this, Phoenix just has so much more to offer. It actually has more of a diversified economy with large employers in the high-tech and aerospace industries. It also has a great nightlife scene with Scottsdale. I had a lot of fun there when I was in my 20s and I can't see anything in Fresno coming close to rivaling this.
Again, if my goal was to stay in CA, Fresno would not be my selection, unless I already had a network of family/friends there. Otherwise, I'd go somewhere like Phoenix (or another western city) for a better quality of life (assuming that cost of living was the primary driver).
I get preferring the phoenix metro over Fresno, but i believe inland California will be improving faster than Phoenix, and it's weather is better than you're making it out to be. Highspeed rail(don't believe the Republican hype about it dying) is getting built and that will do wonders for inland California.
Hottest temp this year in Fresno =108
Hottest temp in Phoenix = 118
Hottest temp in SLC = 105!
Don't even get started on low temps. I almost took my jacket out this morning in Fresno, you're not considering that in Phoenix in early August, like ever. Also, winters in Fresno are much warmer right now than in the cold 1990s, too. The difference between phoenix and Fresno in the winter is closing.
I get preferring the phoenix metro over Fresno, but i believe inland California will be improving faster than Phoenix, and it's weather is better than you're making it out to be. Highspeed rail(don't believe the Republican hype about it dying) is getting built and that will do wonders for inland California.
Hottest temp this year in Fresno =108
Hottest temp in Phoenix = 118
Hottest temp in SLC = 105!
Don't even get started on low temps. I almost took my jacket out this morning in Fresno, you're not considering that in Phoenix in early August, like ever. Also, winters in Fresno are much warmer right now than in the cold 1990s, too. The difference between phoenix and Fresno in the winter is closing.
High speed rail made me laugh. This was approved by voters in 2008 and is just now under construction as the train to nowhere. Connecting Fresno and Merced in this phase doesn't exactly work as a commuter link for Californians (although I guess it could as a daytime activity if you're bored). I'll be shocked if we have a usable high-speed rail here within the next 20 years, given all of the delays, budget overages and NIMBYs (both Central Valley Farmers and wealthy Bay Area residents). Don't get me wrong, I'm a strong proponent of this and public transport in general, but I think this is pretty much a pipe dream without the political willpower to get it done. Even Newsom (a staunch democrat) cut the funding here.
Sorry if I'm offending you but I've spent time in both cities and again, Fresno is not mild weather. Milder than Phoenix (agreed), but still a very hot climate. BTW, today is a freakishly odd weather day for August with cool drizzle in the Bay Area. This is not a normal cool weather day for early August.
I also disagree that the SJV has a brighter future vs Phoenix. Sacramento might be comparable (although I still think their economy is smaller), but I don't see the SJV having a strong skilled employee base now or into the future. Phoenix has this to a greater extent (although even here I'd still say its not the top 5-10 metros in the US in this regard).
Difference in winter weather is closing? Everywhere is getting warmer in the winter, so warming in Fresno means warming elsewhere. Still, having a lot of cold, dreary, foggy/smoggy days does not strike me as paradise even if it is getting a few degrees warmer. Otherwise, we'd be seeing Baseball spring training in Fresno and not Phoenix.
I lived in the Phoenix area for a couple years while attending grad school at ASU. I do agree that it gets significantly hotter there vs Fresno. You're talking 116 vs 105 with hotter evenings as well. When you look at these temps, you're not moving to either location because you're looking for mild summers. In both cases, you're not spending much time outdoors during the day, unless you're at a pool or a lake. Fresno would be milder for early morning runs or hanging out in the patio during the evening. However, the air quality may make you second guess whether this would be enjoyable.
On balance, I actually think Phoenix has a better year-round climate. Excluding the months of June, July and August, Phoenix tends to be warmer and drier. Its so dry in fact that when its around 100 as a high, its actually fairly comfortable.
Fresno is somewhat better if you want access to coastal CA. Yes, you can take nice weekend getaways to the Bay Area, Monterey, Pismo or LA. But, you're not actually "there". You still need to drive a good distance to get there. Unless you're planning on doing that every weekend, its not like its right in your backyard.
You do also have more mountain recreation with Yosemite and Sequoia very close by and a lot of great lakes. Phoenix is no slouch, however, with Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and other great places in a similar driving distance.
Aside from this, Phoenix just has so much more to offer. It actually has more of a diversified economy with large employers in the high-tech and aerospace industries. It also has a great nightlife scene with Scottsdale. I had a lot of fun there when I was in my 20s and I can't see anything in Fresno coming close to rivaling this.
Again, if my goal was to stay in CA, Fresno would not be my selection, unless I already had a network of family/friends there. Otherwise, I'd go somewhere like Phoenix (or another western city) for a better quality of life (assuming that cost of living was the primary driver).
I agree with you about Phoenix and Fresno.
Fresno does have a soft spot in my heart, due to me staying there for work / vacation, visit Yosemite, national forests, etc.
I actually prefer Fresno in some ways over Phoenix, but Phoenix has Fresno beat in employment opportunities, air travel options (have to connect via LAX or SFO to many other major cities), air quality, and weather.
The biggest negative for me was not the heat, but the significant fog in the winter. There were times I had flights to Fresno and they were canceled due to fog, and had to be shuttled in via SFO / LAX. Driving in that heavy fog is quite frightening, and there have been significant crashes on 99 / 198 that killed many people. I'm surprised no one has mentioned fog as an issue. I'm a fairly seasoned driver and don't fear much, but driving in the fog in Fresno scares me more than anything else I've encountered. When you have zero visibility it can be a white-knuckle driving experience, and it happens more often than most other places I've been to.
Phoenix is only 5-6 hours from the beach, also only 4-5 hours from Vegas, a few hours from Grand Canyon, as well as easy travel to most major cities in the US. So location wise I find Phoenix to be more convenient than Fresno, which can be a big consideration for people who want to travel for leisure or work.
I think Fresno can be a great place for someone looking to settle and enjoy the great outdoors, with caveats for weather, air quality, and employment opportunities not being quite as good as other places.
Fresno pros: easy access to Yosemite, Redwood national forest, 3 hours to beach (but fairly boring drive to get there), good cost of living, smaller town feel relative to Nor Cal / So Cal.
Fresno cons: air quality, some bad weather in terms of heat / fog during summer / winter, less employment opportunities due to smaller / less diverse economy. Not as convenient to travel to other places outside of California.
Last edited by AndroidAZ; 08-05-2020 at 10:23 AM..
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