Tulare vs Visalia (Fresno, Bakersfield, Hanford: best city, apartment complex, neighborhood)

[NB19]

Hello,

I may move to Visalia because of a job offer I currently received and was wondering if someone can give me some information about the area. Where is the best and safest city to live in that area?

Is it better to live in Visalia or Tulare? I noticed there are some bigger stores in Tulare such as Wholefoods Market or Trader Joe's but not in Visalia.

Also, can you recommend any apartment complex in that area that is clean and safe?

Thank you,
NB

[dontbelievehim]

Edit: I'm pretty sure trader joes/whole foods arent in tulare.
Something must have got mixed up with your research.

Visalia is one of the most charming farming towns in CA. Tulare cant compete.

The only thing I like more about Tulare is the summer weather. It's a little less humid and a little more breezy in Tulare. But Visalia wins every other important category.

try to Live close to work and make sure your apartment complex has big trees, that will help cool you down in the summer time. You'll be fine in Visalia, there's no need to commute from anywhere else.

[NB19]

Thank you for your help.

My main office will be in Visalia but once a week may have to travel to Porterville or Hanford. Not sure which one yet but most probably Porterville. Is Visalia again the best city to live in that neighborhood? Is it a safe city in general? I read that has lots of homeless.

I am planning to visit the city on Thursday and check out the apartment complexes. Is there anything else besides big trees that I should look for?

Do I have to worry about spiders or cockroaches when I check the apartments? I am pretty sure the management will not tell me the truth and they will try to sell their apartments.

Which part of the city is better and safer to look for apartments? I found two so far Vintage Visalia and Montecito.

Also, where people usually shop for grocery. I notices there is no Safeway or Vons in the city as well!

Thank you.

[dontbelievehim]

Im fairly certain that Visalia gets safer/more desirable the closer you are to the mountains. So look east. if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me. If you work in Visalia, stay in Visalia, you'll be fine there. I can't help with the other questions. Good luck.

[JB316]

Save Mart is a popular grocery chain in the central valley. I believe Visalia has a few of those as well as a neighborhood Wal-Mart, Target, Vallarta and a WINCO too. That should be plenty for regular grocery shopping. If you want a Sprouts, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's you'd have to either drive south to Bakersfield or north to Fresno.

[NB19]

Thank you very much for your help.

[Des-Lab]

I live in Tulare and someone asked about it a couple of years ago. And I wrote a detailed response. For brevity, I won't re-write it, since most of it is still fairly accurate.

Tulare has been socially and economically stagnant since, forever, it seems. What little growth, cleanups, etc there have been, it's been mostly tepid and piecemeal. It's okay for families I suppose. But if you're single, you will be bored to tears. Tulare is very clearly divided by the railroad tracks. Both literally and figuratively. West of them, you definitely don't want to go, much less live.

Visalia is much larger and varied. Generally speaking, the best side of it is southwest. Roughly bordered by 198 to the north, Mooney Blvd to the east, and Cameron/Visalia Parkway to the south, give or take. It thins out to farmland west of there, so 99 will probably be the western border. Most of southeast along Ben Maddox south of 198 is pretty nice as well, although there's a few rough spots hidden away.

Everywhere else is hit or miss. I would generally avoid anything north of 198. The Oval Park area in particular, is locally well known as the best place to watch heroin use. If you get my drift.

As with everything else, all is based on what I've seen and experienced. But as they say, your mileage may vary.

Hit me up if you have any other questions.

[Racer46]

Originally Posted by Des-Lab

I live in Tulare and someone asked about it a couple of years ago. And I wrote a detailed response. For brevity, I won't re-write it, since most of it is still fairly accurate.

Tulare has been socially and economically stagnant since, forever, it seems. What little growth, cleanups, etc there have been, it's been mostly tepid and piecemeal. It's okay for families I suppose. But if you're single, you will be bored to tears. Tulare is very clearly divided by the railroad tracks. Both literally and figuratively. West of them, you definitely don't want to go, much less live.

Visalia is much larger and varied. Generally speaking, the best side of it is southwest. Roughly bordered by 198 to the north, Mooney Blvd to the east, and Cameron/Visalia Parkway to the south, give or take. It thins out to farmland west of there, so 99 will probably be the western border. Most of southeast along Ben Maddox south of 198 is pretty nice as well, although there's a few rough spots hidden away.

Everywhere else is hit or miss. I would generally avoid anything north of 198. The Oval Park area in particular, is locally well known as the best place to watch heroin use. If you get my drift.

As with everything else, all is based on what I've seen and experienced. But as they say, your mileage may vary.

Hit me up if you have any other questions.

I had friends who lived in Tulare and got married. Nice quaint little town but that is about it.

[janellen]

Originally Posted by dontbelievehim

Edit: I'm pretty sure trader joes/whole foods arent in tulare.
Something must have got mixed up with your research.

Visalia is one of the most charming farming towns in CA. Tulare cant compete.

The only thing I like more about Tulare is the summer weather. It's a little less humid and a little more breezy in Tulare. But Visalia wins every other important category.

try to Live close to work and make sure your apartment complex has big trees, that will help cool you down in the summer time. You'll be fine in Visalia, there's no need to commute from anywhere else.

Totally agree with the bolded. I live over in Porterville and am familiar with both cities. Visalia is much classier than Tulare. It's a nice city. You'll like it there.

[NB19]

Thank you all for detailed information. Do you suggest any apartment complex in nice area of the city? I am planning to visit the city on Thursday.