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Old 11-28-2020, 08:20 PM
 
Location: Florida
11,669 posts, read 17,937,475 times
Reputation: 8239

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I have been to California a couple of times, but only in SoCal and passing through the extreme northeast corner of the state during a road trip. I am curious to hear what it's like to visit or live in the following areas:

Fresno
Bakersfield
Stockton
Modesto
Visalia
Merced
Chico
El Centro
Redding
Yuba City
Madera
Hanford

Are these cities all similar? Are they uniquely different from one another?

Which ones are safe, impressive and clean? Which ones are run down or have high crime?

Which ones are more progressive or normal? Which ones are more backwards?

Which ones are the most podunk?

Which ones are the most scenic? The least scenic?

Which ones are the best for employment opportunities? The worst?

Would you live in any of these areas?
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Old 11-29-2020, 01:10 PM
 
353 posts, read 437,098 times
Reputation: 743
With apologies to anyone that lives in these areas, the cities that you mentioned are pretty crappy. They are mostly filled with Walmarts and taco bells and the scenery is abysmal (although towns north of Sacramento tend to be more scenic than those south imo). None of them are what you would call particularly progressive or interesting. Jobs there, (except for maybe Bakersfield) are going to be mostly blue collar or service work. I personally would never live in any of them.
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Old 11-29-2020, 01:15 PM
 
Location: Northern California
130,047 posts, read 12,072,794 times
Reputation: 39012
It depends what you like. I think Chico is a nice town, but others may differ. Easy to drive to places like Lake Almanor or Lassen park for natural beauty. It is a college town, & in normal times, they offer free recitals & other events. Life is what you make it. If you can get a job in a town, check it out before you say yes, you know your own likes.
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Old 11-29-2020, 07:09 PM
 
Location: Sandy Eggo's North County
10,292 posts, read 6,813,150 times
Reputation: 16839
I have lived in 3 of those Cities that are listed.

The one thing they seem to have in common? AGRICULTURE.

San Joaquin Farmers have a saying: We Feed The World.

And, for the most part, they're right.

What I remember (from the early to late 1960's...)

Tule fog

Heat

Chilly/icing

Blowing sand

Swamp coolers

When you're young, your whole world is 120F. Even if the beach in Oceanside is 65F, and you're stuck in El Centro (El Stinko,) it's still "your whole world." (A special treat was a visit to Dairy Queen for Dilly Bars, at night.) Did this 3-4 times a summer...
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:30 PM
 
Location: San Francisco, CA
1,386 posts, read 1,496,243 times
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I can't comment on Visalia, Madera, and Hanford, but as for the others... Chico is a nice town. I could take or leave the rest of them, though. Hot weather, poor air quality, etc. El Centro makes Yuma seem nice, if such a thing is possible.
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Old 11-30-2020, 12:53 PM
 
4,315 posts, read 6,277,731 times
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I'm curious as to why these are the towns you've asked about. Are you looking to move to California and on a tight budget? Are you in agriculture for your profession? Do you like hot weather?

I'm asking because in general, these aren't the dream locations most people think about when either moving to or visiting California. Chico is a nice college town and many of the others have nicer areas, but I wouldn't exactly call them destinations. If it were me, if I couldn't afford a really nice place in California to live, I'd probably move out of state vs any of those communities.
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Old 11-30-2020, 01:18 PM
 
Location: Tulare County, Ca
1,570 posts, read 1,378,480 times
Reputation: 3225
Visalia is a really nice town, gateway to the abysmal scenery of Sequoia National Park and Lake Kaweah, lol.
Abysmal scenery:


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Old 11-30-2020, 02:38 PM
 
478 posts, read 690,029 times
Reputation: 546
Fresno is the 5th largest city in the entire state of CA. In fact it is bigger than Sacramento in terms of population. However only half the metro size and why Fresno feels like a small town. There is no real escape to another populated city near by except Clovis and maybe upcoming Madera. With that said, if you know the limitations, Fresno being a big city is a good option with Sacramento already being more expensive as the go to oasis for many bay area folks. Fresno is still about 2 hours from San Jose. 3 Hours to SF or LA. It has most all amenities and entertainment of other big cities but doesnt have any real cool touristy things. It does have reputable high education options for families and a very very goo school district for K-12 in Clovis Unified--infact it ranks up there with other highly rated disctricts found in desirable more expensive areas. Going back to higher education, Fresno State is there a long with several community college options to make the transition. Other than Fresno state, Fresno Pacific is also a local 4 year college. I believe there is also a UCSF Fresno campus as well. Fresno is the closest MAJOR city to Yosemite and the closest major city adjacent to IIRC 3-4 national parks--yosemite included. In the winter accessing the snow is as close as 30-40 mins in Bass Lake or an hour to hour and half to ski resorts in CHina Peak or the one going towards Yosemite.

Fresno also contributes A LOT to the state AND the nation as it has been the leading agriculture producer IN THE USA yet again this year and the last year and usually near the top years prior. So if you care about the food you eat, respect the 'No.

Fresno has had a bad wrap and stigma that has stayed with it through the 90s and early 00s. With real estate pricing everywhere going up, you will be surprised how pricey Fresno is from before. And how many bay area folks have moved there especially from SJ since its only 2 hours away (130-140 miles). The huge thing that Fresno was criticized about was crime--which WAS bad in the 90s and early 00s. when it comes to violent crime, fresno is actually one of the safer big cities--meaning safer than LA, SF, Oakland, Sacramento, and a few others when it comes to violent crime. Yes you heard that right, Fresno is a SAFE CITY in comparison to other big and often more desirable cities.
comparison between big cities can be found here:
https://gddlaw.com/2016/05/12/cities...nia-dangerous/
and here:
https://www.areavibes.com/compare-re...es%2C%20CA#cri
with that note, there is crime here but just like other big cities, it depends on the area. It also seems like there is constant reports of crime in fresno in the news because its really the only big anchor city in the central valley. So all the stuff going on goes on here. To address your look at crime maps, keep in mind those maps also add other types of crime. Property crime here is certainly not the best. If you look at one of the above links, we still have less than Oakland and SF, but for us to be higher in property crime count than LA which is much higher population gives you an idea. So based on the FACTS, you need to worry more about your personal belongings than your life lol

As for homicides:
https://abc30.com/homicides-down-by-...ounty/4978297/
For comparison:
Fresno COUNTY (fresno, clovis, etc): 32
City of Oakland alone: 66
Alameda COUNTY (includes oakland): 85
Contra Costa COUNTY: 38
San Francisco: 42
bay area source:
https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/01/...omicides-2018/

The biggest hurdle is high paying jobs. If you are educated/skilled you can do really well and have a nice life. But those with only a high school education trying to get that $20/hour wage like many in the bay area, will be far and few as minimum wage is lower and there are low paying for those.

From that list by OP,

Fresno is the best. (clovis if you have the money). for it's size, proximity still to San Jose, and being a big city and low crime.
I LOL when someone said bakersfield. Stockton is probably the bottom because its close proximity to the bay area is appealing, but also because of that, it is where all the gangsters, and lower income folks go since its still affordable and "close" to the bay and sac.
Visalia, Madera, Hanford, etc. All are ok smaller towns within 30min to 1 hour from fresno, but guess where all those people go for local big name college, shopping, entertainment etc--you guest it in Fresno. Fresno is the anchor city of central valley central CA.
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Old 11-30-2020, 03:53 PM
 
Location: Southern California
1,249 posts, read 1,051,688 times
Reputation: 4430
Quote:
Originally Posted by roadwarrior101 View Post
I'm curious as to why these are the towns you've asked about. Are you looking to move to California and on a tight budget? Are you in agriculture for your profession? Do you like hot weather?

I'm asking because in general, these aren't the dream locations most people think about when either moving to or visiting California. Chico is a nice college town and many of the others have nicer areas, but I wouldn't exactly call them destinations. If it were me, if I couldn't afford a really nice place in California to live, I'd probably move out of state vs any of those communities.

I've never understood this thinking? Fresno is close to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and a short drive to the coast to Monterey, San Simeon and Cambria. For culture, you have options within the immediate area, or just a few hours drive in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, etc.

What other places in the U.S. offers that sort of proximity to all of that, for the price?

Phoenix? -- plan on a 3-4 hour drive to the Grand Canyon, 6 hours to the CA coast
Las Vegas? -- 3 hour drive to Zion, 4 hours to the Grand Canyon, 5 hours to the CA coast
Albuquerque? -- 5 hour drive to Grand Canyon, 4 hour drive to Denver
Houston -- one hour drive to Galveston
Oklahoma City -- 10 hour drive to Galveston, 8 hour drive to Denver

I could go on...
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Old 11-30-2020, 03:57 PM
 
4,315 posts, read 6,277,731 times
Reputation: 6116
Quote:
Originally Posted by apple92680 View Post
I've never understood this thinking? Fresno is close to Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, and a short drive to the coast to Monterey, San Simeon and Cambria. For culture, you have options within the immediate area, or just a few hours drive in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, etc.

What other places in the U.S. offers that sort of proximity to all of that, for the price?

Phoenix? -- plan on a 3-4 hour drive to the Grand Canyon, 6 hours to the CA coast
Las Vegas? -- 3 hour drive to Zion, 4 hours to the Grand Canyon, 5 hours to the CA coast
Albuquerque? -- 5 hour drive to Grand Canyon, 4 hour drive to Denver
Houston -- one hour drive to Galveston
Oklahoma City -- 10 hour drive to Galveston, 8 hour drive to Denver

I could go on...
Unless you're literally going to visit all those locations, EVERY weekend that doesn't make a huge difference. You still have to pick the place you live in during the week (and likely most of the weekends as well). Using that logic, you can just jump on a plane and get to one of those other places in 1-2 hours.

Not saying that CA doesn't have incredible benefits (it obviously does and the weekend getaways are nice), but I'd still want to live somewhere that I'd enjoy spending the vast majority of my time. If that place for you is one of the Central Valley cities, good for you. For me, not so much.
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