Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Fresno

You think about moving to Fresno but want to learn more about this city before making your final choice in this regard?

Great! Stick with me since I will show you all the pros and cons of living in Fresno in the following article.

Living in Fresno – Overview

Advantages of Living in Fresno

1. Rents are still affordable in Fresno
2. Property prices are relatively low compared to other major cities in California
3. Housing shortage is not a serious problem
4. Fresno has been growing over the past years
5. Fresno is among the biggest cities in California
6. Fresno has to potential for a bright future
7. You can enjoy many sunny days in Fresno
8. You can spend lots of time outdoors
9. Winters are relatively mild
10. People in Fresno are pretty tolerant
11. People are friendly and help you out
12. Easy to find new friends in Fresno
13. You can meet people with many different cultural backgrounds
14. Fresno is a great place for students
15. Fresno is not that crowded yet
16. Traffic jams are not a big problem
17. Relatively easy to find a parking lot in Fresno
18. Easy to socialize in Fresno
19. You will find most things for daily life close to your home
20. Fresno offers everything you need to live a happy life
21. Fresno is surrounded by beautiful nature
22. Fresno is relatively close to other major cities in California
23. Fresno may be a great place to live while you work in Silicon Valley
24. Fresno has a great food scene
25. You can make relatively good money in Fresno
26. You don’t necessarily need a car to get around
27. It is not far from the mountains and the beach
28. Fresno is still not as busy as other major cities in California
29. Fresno has the charm of a small city while you still find everything you need
30. Decent nightlife in Fresno
31. Decent doctors and hospitals in Fresno
32. Fresno is relatively pet-friendly
33. You will find really fresh groceries
34. Relatively easy to provide for your family in Fresno
35. Fresno may increase in popularity in the future
36. Many different neighborhoods to choose from in Fresno
37. Homelessness is not a big problem yet
38. You can get around by bike in Fresno
39. It will not take you long to get from one end to the other
40. Fresno has decent schools
41. Many recreational spaces in Fresno
42. Many museums to choose from
43. Fresno has a decent art scene
44. Fresno has an international airport

Rents are still affordable in Fresno

One important benefit of living in Fresno is that rents are pretty affordable compared to other major cities in California.

Consequently, you don’t have to spend a major part of your income on housing and can rather save and invest enough money for retirement and for other important things while people living in NYC have to spend much more money on housing.

Property prices are relatively low compared to other major cities in California

You will also have a rather easy time affording to buy a home in Fresno since property prices are still low, even though they have increased significantly over the past years and you should not wait for much longer since property prices will likely also increase in the near future in this region.

Housing shortage is not a serious problem

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in Fresno yet, people are pretty relaxed and not in such as rush as in San Francisco or other major cities where people have to make lots of money and have to work lots of overtime just to afford a basic apartment.

Thus, you don’t have to worry about housing issues that much in Fresno and will have a rather relaxed time in this regard.

Fresno has been growing over the past years

Another reason to move to Fresno is that the city has been growing significantly over the past decade and if this trend continues, it will become increasingly attractive to many people from all over the state or even the country and may turn into a major city in the US in the long run.

Fresno is among the biggest cities in California

Fresno is already one of the biggest cities in California and is pretty important for the economy.

Thus, the state will likely do everything it can to make Fresno a great place to live for many years to come.

Fresno has to potential for a bright future

Since Fresno is relatively close to Silicon Valley, it will likely also have a bright future since many people who work in Silicon Valley may want to live in Fresno and work in the Bay Area to save lots of money on housing and demand for properties in Fresno may therefore increase significantly over the next decade.

You can enjoy many sunny days in Fresno

Another advantage to living in Fresno is that it is a pretty sunny place. In fact, you can enjoy many hours of sun during the summer and this will get you in a pretty good mood since enough sun is crucial for our mental well-being and our overall quality of life.

You can spend lots of time outdoors

Due to the nice weather in Fresno, you can also spend lots of time outdoors.

Not only will this help you relax from your stressful life, but it is also pretty healthy to spend time outdoors since you can breathe fresh air and we as humans just need to spend lots of time outdoors since our ancestors did that for many thousands of years and it is just in our genes.

Winters are relatively mild

Not only can you enjoy great summers and hot temperatures during summer months, but you will also have relatively mild winters and will therefore be able to spend lots of time outdoors during winter months.

In fact, you will often be able to just wear a shirt outdoors instead of having to wear thick jackets or coats as would be the case in many other cities in the US.

People in Fresno are pretty tolerant

Another upside to living in Fresno is that people are pretty tolerant and will love to connect with you.

You will be welcome, no matter from what part of the world you are coming to this beautiful city as long as you are friendly and tolerant yourself and also know how to behave.

People are friendly and help you out

People in Fresno are also pretty friendly and love to help you out on various different occasions.

You can just rely on the support of the general public since community is important in Fresno and people just help each other whenever they can.

Sure, there are exceptions to this rule.

However, most people will be really helpful and will give you support to get out of potential trouble.

Easy to find new friends in Fresno

Since people are friendly and outgoing, it is also pretty easy to find new friends in Fresno.

In fact, it will not take you long to find many like-minded people since people even if you are rather shy since people will often start conversations with you in public and the more you talk to them, the more you will gain the trust of locals and can really become an integer part of the local community within weeks.

You can meet people with many different cultural backgrounds

Since Fresno is a multicultural city and is tolerant and open to people from all over the world, it is also a great city to meet people from many different backgrounds.

Not only can this be quite interesting, but it also allows you to grow in character and to see the world from a different perspective, which in turn will make you a more open and tolerant person and really helps you overcome judging people in an inappropriate manner.

Fresno is a great place for students

Fresno is not only a great place to live for older people, but it is also a great student city since you will have a decent university and will also not have to pay lots of money for rent.

In turn, Fresno is a pretty affordable place for students compared to other cities like Los Angeles and you can therefore save lots of money in this regard.

Fresno is not that crowded yet

Another advantage of moving to Fresno is that the city is not as crowded as other major cities in the US yet.

Not only are people more relaxed, but you will also have more space and you will not have to deal with huge gatherings of people as would be the case in San Diego or in other big cities in California.

Traffic jams are not a big problem

Since population numbers are still relatively low, you will also not have to deal with traffic jams in Fresno that often and can get from A to B within a relatively short period of time will many other people in big metropolitan cities get stuck in traffic quite often and will lose many hours of their lives in the long run.

Relatively easy to find a parking lot in Fresno

Since traffic is not a big problem in Fresno, you will also have a relatively easy time finding a parking lot and this can really save you lots of nerves, time and money in the long run.

Easy to socialize in Fresno

Fresno is also a great place to socialize since there are many different things to do.

For instance, you can go to book stores, cinemas, coffee shops or other locations where you can sit down and start conversations with people to connect with them and to make many new social contacts in the long run.

You will find most things for daily life close to your home

Another upside to moving to Fresno is that you will find everything you need pretty close to your home.

In fact, grocery stores, hairdressers and many other things for daily life are usually within walking distance and you therefore get everything you want within a reasonable period of time.

Fresno offers everything you need to live a happy life

Fresno is also a great place to live since you will just find everything you need to live a happy life.

In fact, there is barely anything missing in this city and almost everyone will find what he or she is looking for.

Thus, if you don’t get happy in Fresno, chances are that you will have a hard time getting happy in a different place and it may be time to just change your attitude towards life in general.

Fresno is surrounded by beautiful nature

Another benefit of moving to Fresno is that the city is surrounded by beautiful nature.

You will find national parks and lakes just a few miles away and will be able to spend your leisure in the middle of nature without having to drive long hours as would be the case in other major cities in the US.

Fresno is relatively close to other major cities in California

Fresno can also be a great place to live since the city is pretty close to other major cities in California.

For instance, you can visit San José within one hour and other cities in the bay area within one hour and this enables you to make many nice day trips with your family if you just want to experience new places.

Fresno may be a great place to live while you work in Silicon Valley

Fresno has also become increasingly popular among people who want to work in Silicon Valley but don’t want to spend lots of money on housing. For those kinds of people, Fresno is a great city since rents and property prices are still affordable while they can still make good money from their jobs in Silicon Valley and spend lots of money on other nice things.

Fresno has a great food scene

Since Fresno is a pretty diverse city, you will also find a great food scene where you can try many foods from all over the world and will never run out of options in this regard.

Consequently, this can also give you ideas for cooking at home and you may become really good at cooking in the long run.

You can make relatively good money in Fresno

Another reason to live in Fresno is that you can make really good money from your job in this region.

Not only will you find well-paying jobs in Fresno, but you will also find many good jobs just outside of Fresno and in Silicon Valley nearby.

You don’t necessarily need a car to get around

Since Fresno is a relatively small city, you don’t necessarily need a car to get around and may be able to get from A to B by electric scooter or bike.

You may also just rely on carsharing opportunities instead of buying your own car and this can not only save you lots of money, but it is also good for our environment at the same time.

It is not far from the mountains and the beach

While Fresno is not directly located at the coast, it is still within driving distance to the beach.

Moreover, Fresno is also not far away from the mountains and you will therefore have more than enough opportunities to go hiking, skiing or do other winter sports near Fresno.

Fresno is still not as busy as other major cities in California

While Fresno has significantly grown in population, it is still a rather relaxed city and not as busy as other major cities in California.

Consequently, moving to Fresno may be a good idea for you if you want to have decent infrastructure while you still don’t like big city life.

Fresno has the charm of a small city while you still find everything you need

Fresno also has the charm of a small city or even village while it provides you with everything you need to live a happy life.

This mix of city and country life can be quite fascinating and may be perfect for people who want to enjoy the amenities of a big city while still having the opportunity to spend lots of time in nature.

Decent nightlife in Fresno

While Fresno doesn’t have the same level of nightlife as L.A. or other major cities in the US, you will still have many bars and clubs to choose from and if you get bored with the nightlife in Fresno, you can also drive to San Francisco or other cities nearby to try different bars so that you can always experience new things.

Decent doctors and hospitals in Fresno

Fresno also has pretty decent medical infrastructure.

Consequently, you will find many good doctors and hospitals in this region and you will find an expert for almost every health problem you could imagine nearby.

Fresno is relatively pet-friendly

Another reason why might want to move to Fresno is that it is a pretty pet-friendly city and if you walk down the streets with your dog, chances are that you will be able to have nice conversations with other dog owners who have similar plans and interests as you.

You will find really fresh groceries

Since Fresno county is a rural area, there is lots of agriculture and you will therefore be able to enjoy fresh groceries at every corner and can also cook many fresh dishes to maximize your vitamin intake and to stay as healthy as possible in the long run.

Relatively easy to provide for your family in Fresno

Since housing in Fresno is pretty affordable and food prices are relatively low, it is pretty easy to make a living from an average job in Fresno while people in other parts of California often struggle in this regard and sometimes have to work a second job to be able to pay their bills.

Fresno may increase in popularity in the future

Due to the Silicon Valley boom, many people are no longer able to afford to live in the Bay Area and many people plan to move to Fresno.

In turn, population in Fresno may increase significantly and Fresno may stay an important city for many decades to come.

Many different neighborhoods to choose from in Fresno

Since Fresno is a pretty diverse city, there are also many different neighborhoods to choose from and you will find the type of neighborhood you are looking for if you invest some time and effort and also talk to locals to figure out the best district for you.

Homelessness is not a big problem yet

Since housing shortage is not a serious problem in Fresno yet, the level of homelessness is also relatively low while you will have major issues in this regard in many other cities in the US.

You can get around by bike in Fresno

Since Fresno is not a big metropolitan city yet and traffic is not a big problem, you can also get around by bike in a pretty safe manner without urgently having to rely on a car since distances are rather short and instead of using your car, you might just walk down the street to go grocery shopping.

It will not take you long to get from one end to the other

Since Fresno is not a large city, you can also get from one end to the other pretty quickly and can visit your friends who live in different parts of the city within minutes while it might take you hours to get from one end of L.A. to the other during rush hour. Thus, you can also save lots of time and money on fuel in this regard in the long run.

Fresno has decent schools

Fresno is also a great place to live as a family since there are many good schools to choose from and you can therefore make sure that your kids get the best education possible to give them a good start in their lives.

Many recreational spaces in Fresno

Fresno is not only surrounded by nice national parks, but there are also many green spaces within the city where you can relax from your stressful life and also reload your batteries during lunch break.

Many museums to choose from

Fresno is also a nice city to live in if you are interested in museums and history and want to spend your leisure in such locations.

In fact, there are many different museums to choose from and you will likely find many interesting exhibitions, even though you will not find as many as in other major cities in the US.

Fresno has a decent art scene

Fresno is also known for its great art scene.

In fact, people from all over the world try to express themselves and if you are an artist yourself, you will be in good company for sure.

Fresno has an international airport

Since Fresno has an international airport, it is easy for you to get around and to visit many other cities and regions all over the world without having to use the airport of a different city in the US.

As you can see, Fresno can be a great place to live due to various reasons.

However, it is still not all upside and we also have to talk about all the issues that come along with moving to Fresno so that you can better decide whether you still want to live in this region or rather want to move to a different city instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Fresno

1. Fresno has relatively high unemployment rate
2. Not as many good jobs to choose from as in Silicon Valley
3. Property prices have increased significantly over the past decade
4. Housing shortage may become a serious problem in the future
5. Fresno is not a big metropolitan city yet
6. You will not meet many tourists in Fresno
7. Fresno is not directly located at the beach
8. Fresno has high crime rates
9. Level of inequality has increased in Fresno
10. Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities in California
11. You will not meet many celebrities in Fresno
12. Fresno is not as popular as the Bay Area
13. Not as many attractions in Fresno as in other big cities
14. You may get bored in Fresno in the long run
15. You may get annoyed by the lack of seasons
16. Fresno may be vulnerable to wildfires
17. Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Fresno in the long run
18. Your friends may not visit you in Fresno
19. Relatively poor public transport in Fresno
20. Air quality is relatively poor
21. Fresno county is a rural area

Fresno has relatively high unemployment rate

One problem with living in Fresno is that the city has a pretty high unemployment rate.

While highly-qualified people will often find good jobs in or near Fresno, the average person often struggles to find a decent job and it may therefore take you a while until you find a suitable job once you move to Fresno.

Not as many good jobs to choose from as in Silicon Valley

While the Silicon Valley region is known for its good jobs and high salaries, the Fresno region doesn’t provide as many good jobs and if you are a tech guy, you will likely be better off moving to San Franciso or other cities in the bay area since you will have more job opportunities and will likely also make better money compared to Fresno.

Property prices have increased significantly over the past decade

Another reason not to move to Fresno is that property prices have increased significantly over the past decade.

Even though Fresno is still far cheaper compared to other big cities in the Bay Area, you will still have to pay much more for a home compared to people living in Indianapolis and some other regions.

Housing shortage may become a serious problem in the future

If the trend of increasing property prices and rents continues, chances are that housing shortage will become a serious problem and the average person may no longer be able to afford a home and you should take this trend into account and ask yourself if you are fine with further rent prices before you decide on moving to Fresno.

Fresno is not a big metropolitan city yet

Another downside to living in Fresno is that it is not a big metropolitan city yet and you will therefore just not have as many amenities and things to choose from compared to big metropolitan cities.

You will not meet many tourists in Fresno

Since Fresno is not a popular city among tourists yet, you will also not meet that many tourists and this can be quite sad since talking to tourists is always great since you will learn a lot and will also see the world from a different perspective.

Thus, you will just not have the opportunity to connect with many tourists and you will also have a harder time making friends with people from many different countries.

Fresno is not directly located at the beach

Another disadvantage of living in Fresno is that the city is not directly located at the beach and you can just not go surfing at lunchbreak like you would be able to do if you lived in the Bay Area or in other cities closer to the coast.

Fresno has high crime rates

You should also be aware of the fact that Fresno is a pretty unsafe city and has above-average crime rates compared to national average.

Hence, you might also not want to move to Fresno if you are a careful person and want to reduce the risk in this regard.

Level of inequality has increased in Fresno

Another problem with moving to Fresno is that the level of inequality has increased significantly over the past years.

Due to increasing property prices, landlords have won but many tenants have lost in this regard and if this trend continues, social tensions may increase since the average income may no longer be enough to make a decent living just a few years from now.

Nightlife is not as great as in other major cities in California

You should also note that nightlife in Fresno is not as great as in L.A. or in other major cities in the US.

Even though you will have decent bars to choose from, you will just not find as many fancy places as in other cities and if you are a person who loves glamor, chances are that you are better off living in a different city.

You will not meet many celebrities in Fresno

Another downside to moving to Fresno is that you will also not meet many celebrities since famous people often live closer to the beach or in major metropolitan areas and if you want to have the chance to meet your idols, you should rather not move to Fresno but go for a bigger and more prestigious city instead.

Fresno is not as popular as the Bay Area

While Fresno is one of the biggest cities in California, it is still not as popular as other major cities and people may often belittle you if you tell them that you live in Fresno and some people may even not know Fresno at all.

Not as many attractions in Fresno as in other big cities

Another disadvantage of moving to Fresno is that you will simply not find as many nice attractions to choose from as in other cities and you will also not be able to experience as many nice events in general.

You may get bored in Fresno in the long run

Since there are not as many things to do as in other major cities in the US, you may also get bored with living in Fresno if you are the type of person who needs adrenaline and excitement every day.

You may get annoyed by the lack of seasons

While many people love the heat, you may get annoyed with the lack of seasons in Fresno sooner or later and you may also not want to move to this place if you prefer rather cool climatic zones.

Fresno may be vulnerable to wildfires

Since Fresno is a pretty rural region, wildfires are a serious problem since there are many forests that feed wildfires and if you live close to one of those forests, chances are that your house will burn down sooner or later and that you even lose your life if you are not careful.

Water scarcity may become a serious problem in Fresno in the long run

Due to climate change, water scarcity will also become a big problem in Fresno in the future and if we don’t find solutions to this problem, quality of life may drop significantly over the next years and decades.

Your friends may not visit you in Fresno

Since Fresno is not that popular, your friends may also not want to visit you and may rather want to spend their vacation in the Bay Area and you may just lose some social contacts if you move to Fresno.

Relatively poor public transport in Fresno

Fresno also has pretty poor public transport, especially if you live in the outskirts where buses are not reliable at all and you can’t really rely on public transport to get around.

Air quality is relatively poor

Since Fresno is located in a valley, air quality is pretty poor and this can really lower your overall quality of life in the long run and will also put you at greater risk of suffering from serious health problems compared to people living in regions with better air quality.

Fresno County is a rural area

You should also keep in mind that Fresno is a pretty rural area and that agriculture is still pretty important for the local population.

Consequently, if you expect big city life, you should not move to Fresno but rather go for a big metropolitan area instead.

Top 10 Moving To Fresno Pros & Cons – Summary List

Should You Move To Fresno?

As you can see, Fresno can be a great place to live.

However, there are also many downsides to living in Fresno and you should therefore carefully evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Fresno before you make your final decision in this regard.

Alternative Cities To Live In

If you don’t want to move to San Fresno anymore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Los Angeles

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Diego

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San José

Advantages and disadvantages of living in San Francisco

Advantages and disadvantages of living in Sacramento

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fresnocitycalifornia

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.