Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Fresno

You think about retiring in Fresno but want to get additional information about the city, senior life, housing situation, living costs, safety, entertainment, public infrastructure and much more before making your final decision in this regard?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Fresno in the following chapters.

Retire in Fresno – Overview

Reasons to Retire in Fresno

1. Easy to get around by bicycle for retirees in Fresno
2. Fresno is a pretty walkable city
3. Fresno is surrounded by nice lakes, forests and national parks
4. Retirees in Fresno can spend lots of time outdoors
5. Nice summers are attractive to many pensioners in Fresno
6. Winters are relatively mild
7. Living costs in Fresno are not as high as in other big cities in California
8. Relatively easy to find a decent place to stay for retirees in Fresno
9. Rents in Fresno are much more affordable than in L.A. or the Bay Area
10. Decent bars and restaurants in Fresno
11. People who retire in Fresno can socialize in senior centers
12. People in Fresno are usually friendly and outgoing
13. Fresno is a tolerant place
14. Decent medical infrastructure in Fresno
15. Fresno is a rather safe city
16. Many recreational spaces in Fresno
17. You don’t have to worry about traffic as a retiree in Fresno
18. People who retire in Fresno have decent internet connection
19. Fresno has a big airport
20. Pretty decent air quality in Fresno
21. Overall financial pressure is rather low compared to other big cities
22. Fresno will be an important city for quite a long time
23. Fresno is a rather tenant-friendly city

Easy to get around by bicycle for retirees in Fresno

One advantage of retiring in Fresno is that it is a pretty bicycle-friendly community where you can get from A to B for short distances in a rather efficient manner and may not need to use your car which can save you lots of money on gas in the long run while you can also do good for our environment at the same time.

Fresno is a pretty walkable city

Since distances are rather short near the city center, many retirees in Fresno also walk many pretty short distances and get what they want close to their homes so they will find everything important within a few minutes and don’t have to worry about running out of important material goods.

Fresno is surrounded by nice lakes, forests and national parks

Since Fresno is surrounded by beautiful nature, you can also make many nice day trips to lakes, forests, national parks or mountains where you can enjoy many nice hours.

Moreover, many of those nature reserves are even free to visit and even if you don’t receive a high pension, you may still have many things to do in the Fresno region.

Retirees in Fresno can spend lots of time outdoors

Since there are so many things to do in nature, people who retire in Fresno can also spend lots of time outdoors and can get lots of fresh air so they can increase their chances of staying fit and vital in the long run.

Nice summers are attractive to many pensioners in Fresno

Pensioners in Fresno can also enjoy really nice summers with many hours of sun and can just have a great time in this beautiful region.

Winters are relatively mild

Not only can you enjoy really nice summers as a retiree in Fresno but you will also have pretty mild winters and while people who retire in Chicago or other colder places have to wear heavy coats when they want to go outdoors, you can spend time outdoors with just a shirt in the Fresno region on many winter days and may feel like being on vacation all year long.

Living costs in Fresno are not as high as in other big cities in California

While living costs in Fresno are slightly above national average, they are still far lower compared to the Bay Area or L.A. and while people who retire in San Francisco or other fancy cities may have to spend lots of money on drinks and many other things of daily life, you will be able to afford much more with the same budget in Fresno.

Relatively easy to find a decent place to stay for retirees in Fresno

Since housing shortage is not a big problem in Fresno yet, many retirees in Fresno also find a decent place to stay rather quickly while retirees in San José or other more popular and crowded places often have to search for many months to find a decent and affordable place to live.

Rents in Fresno are much more affordable than in L.A. or the Bay Area

Another benefit of retiring in Fresno is that rents are also much lower compared to many other big cities in California and while retirees in Los Angeles and many other fancy cities often have to spend lots of money on housing, retirees in Fresno have much more money left to spend on other nice and important things.

Decent bars and restaurants in Fresno

While nightlife in Fresno is not as great as in L.A. or other bigger cities, you will still find a decent number of bars and restaurants in the Fresno region and as long as you have enough money, you can have many nice culinary experiences in this region.

People who retire in Fresno can socialize in senior centers

You will also find many places where you can hang out with other people of your age and can share valuable information regarding how to optimize your senior life in Fresno and also on how to save lots of money in the long run.

People in Fresno are usually friendly and outgoing

Since Fresno is a pretty laid-back place, you will also be able to meet many friendly, relaxed and outgoing people and can just have a great time as a retiree in the Fresno region.

Fresno is a tolerant place

You should also know that Fresno is a tolerant city where you can meet many interesting people from all over the world and can therefore have many interesting conversations which can really let you grow in character in the long run.

Decent medical infrastructure in Fresno

Another upside to retiring in Fresno is that you will also find many decent doctors and hospitals and in case you may suffer from a health condition that needs to be cured, you can be sure to find proper medical treatment not far away from your home.

Fresno is a rather safe city

Compared to many other big cities in California, Fresno is also a rather safe city where crime is not a big problem yet and many retirees in Fresno feel pretty safe and can enjoy a much higher quality of life compared to retirees in Detroit or other places where crime is a much bigger issue.

Many recreational spaces in Fresno

You will also find many places where you can just sit down and relax in the Fresno region without getting disturbed by loud car noises or other unpleasant issues and you will also have many parks and green spaces where you can reload your batteries as a pensioner in Fresno.

You don’t have to worry about traffic as a retiree in Fresno

Since Fresno is not the most crowded city, traffic is also not a big problem yet and it is pretty easy to get around from A to B with a car in an efficient manner without getting stuck in traffic jams.

People who retire in Fresno have decent internet connection

Thanks to the good internet connection most retirees have in the Fresno region, you can also stay connected to your loved ones via social media or by making video calls and can also get the latest news in real-time so you will know what’s going on in the world and can also benefit from latest technological developments.

Fresno has a big airport

Since Fresno has a big international airport, your loved ones will also have a rather easy time visiting you in this place and chances are that you will have many guests and will also not feel lonely as often as people who retire in much smaller towns that are often much harder to reach.

Pretty decent air quality in Fresno

Compared to many other major cities, air quality in Fresno is pretty decent and this can be great for you as a retiree, especially if you already suffer from pulmonary problems and want to do everything that your health condition doesn’t get worse and therefore want to avoid more polluted cities with worse air quality.

Overall financial pressure is rather low compared to other big cities

Since living and housing costs are still reasonable in the Fresno region compared to the Bay Area or other more expensive places, people retiring in Fresno also have to worry less about money compared to retirees in San Diego or other fancier places where everything is usually much more expensive.

Fresno will be an important city for quite a long time

You should also know that Fresno is a pretty big city and also important for the economy in California.

Consequently, it will most likely be an important place to work, live and retire for many decades and you therefore don’t have to worry about public infrastructure getting worse anytime soon.

Fresno is a rather tenant-friendly city

Since Fresno is a rather tenant-friendly city, you may also have more rights as a tenant in Fresno compared to people retiring in Austin or other rather landlord-friendly places and your risk of getting evicted may therefore be lower as well.

Now that you know the reasons for retiring in Fresno, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of retiring in Fresno so you get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to retire in Fresno or rather want to move to a different region instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Fresno

1. Public transport in Fresno is not great
2. Pensioners in Fresno may need a car to get around
3. Fresno is not the most exciting city
4. Retirees in Fresno are not able to enjoy the beach
5. Natural disasters may hit your home sooner or later
6. Public infrastructure gets worse outside the city center
7. Many retirees may struggle in case rents increase even further
8. Social inequality in Fresno is about to get worse
9. Limited entertainment options in Fresno
10. You may miss the snow as a retiree in Fresno

Public transport in Fresno is not great

One downside to retiring in Fresno is that public transport is not great compared to many other bigger cities in the US.

Consequently, pensioners in Fresno may not be able to get around by bus or other means of public transport in a reliable manner and may be less mobile compared to retirees in New York City or other cities with more sophisticated transportation systems.

Pensioners in Fresno may need a car to get around

Due to rather poor public transport, you may have to rely on your car to get around as a pensioner in Fresno and this may become a real problem in case you may no longer be able to drive a car at an older age since you would have a pretty hard time getting around.

Fresno is not the most exciting city

While Fresno is a big city, you should still know that it is not the most exciting place and compared to L.A. or other big metropolitan areas, you may miss the feeling of big city life and you will also have far less action.

Retirees in Fresno are not able to enjoy the beach

Another problem with retiring in Fresno is that the city is not located at the coast and while retirees in Seattle can go swimming or just relax at the beach on a regular basis, retirees in Fresno don’t have this luxury and may envy other people who do quite a lot in the long run.

Natural disasters may hit your home sooner or later

You should also be aware of the fact that natural disasters like wildfires or earthquakes may destroy your home in the Fresno region sooner or later and should therefore get proper insurance so you are covered in case of emergency.

Public infrastructure gets worse outside the city center

While public infrastructure is pretty decent close to the center of Fresno, it still becomes increasingly worse once you get to the suburbs and outskirts and if you can’t afford to live near the city center, you may have a harder time getting everything you need as a retiree in Fresno.

Many retirees may struggle in case rents increase even further

Another disadvantage of retiring in Fresno is that rents in Fresno may increase even further in the future and in case this happens, many people retiring in Fresno may no longer be able to afford a decent place to stay and may have to leave the Fresno region sooner or later.

Social inequality in Fresno is about to get worse

Due to skyrocketing rents, many retirees in Fresno who don’t own a property but rather have to rent also have to pay more and more for housing and this also contributes to an increasing level of inequality and may cause crime and other social problems to get worse in the long run.

Limited entertainment options in Fresno

While you can watch exciting sports games or do many other interesting things as a retiree in Denver, you will not have the same opportunities in the Fresno region and chances are that you may get bored with your senior life in Fresno sooner or later.

You may miss the snow as a retiree in Fresno

While you can enjoy warm weather all year long, many pensioners in Fresno complain about a lack of real seasons and often envy people retiring in Milwaukee or other places where people can enjoy the snow on a regular basis.

Top 10 Retiring in Fresno Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Fresno A Good Place To Retire?

While retiring in Fresno can be great for you in case you search for an affordable place to live where you can still enjoy decent public infrastructure, you should still know that Fresno is not the most exciting city and public transport is rather poor outside the city center.

Alternative Cities To Retire

If you don’t want to retire in Fresno, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Albuquerque

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Tucson

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Memphis

Sources

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

Own research.

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 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.