The Pros And Cons Of Living In Fresno County

Are you wondering what it's like to live in Fresno County and why people love it here? In this video, we’re going to talk about the pros and cons of living in Fresno and Clovis so you can find out if living here is right for you. From location and weather to lifestyle and diversity, we’ll cover everything you need to know about what it’s like to live in this amazing area in our video series.

The Pros And Cons Of Fresno Living

As part of a busy metropolitan area of nearly a million people, Fresno County attracts residents with its diverse job market, affordable housing, and outdoor activities. As with any city, living here has both good things and bad things to consider when relocating. 

Location

One of our first pros is our location. Fresno County is only 45 minutes away from lakes and mountains, 2.5 hours away from the central coast, and about 90 minutes from national parks like Yosemite, Sequoia, or Sierra. If you're wondering how far it is to the nearest big city—like San Francisco or LA—you’ll only have to travel 3.5-4.5 hours. 

There is a con to consider in our location: Fresno and Clovis are both very spread out. Combined, these two cities span over 135 square miles. Despite the distance, the good news is that traffic is nowhere near as bad as other major cities in California. We have great connecting roads and highways. For instance, in Fresno and Clovis, you can get almost anywhere within 20 to 30 minutes. Just be aware, that means you're going to need a car and not a bike.

Weather

If you love sunshine, Fresno County delivers approximately 300 days of sunshine a year. We have mild winters, which means no snow unless you're in one of the nearby mountain communities at a higher elevation. The average rainfall in Fresno County is 13 inches per year. In other words, it's pretty awesome here in regards to our weather.

Another benefit of our great weather here is our farmers' markets. Because we live in the heartland of California, we have plenty of fresh produce. Since Fresno County has 1.8 million acres of the world's most productive farmland, we get fresh produce and farmers' markets year-round. Additionally, you can find local honey, grass-fed beef, local jellies and jams, fresh dairy products, and more throughout the city.

Believe it or not, there are some cons to the weather living in the Valley. Being surrounded by mountains and having no coastal breezes in Central Valley makes Fresno County seem like a real desert in the summer. The air quality can also get a little challenging. The weather is pretty hot from July through the beginning of October, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees. The good news is that it's a dry heat, so it's nothing a dip in the pool or a day at the lake can't fix.

Lifestyle

Fresno County residents love the outdoors, which is a pro if you love that type of lifestyle. There's a ton of outdoor experiences here, including a variety of trails throughout the cities of Fresno and Clovis. One of our favorites is Woodward Park, covering over 300 acres and packed with amenities. It's one of our favorite things to do, and the only one of its size within the region. There's also water skiing, bicycle trails, hiking, fishing, and lots of other fun outdoor activities.

If you're thinking about moving here because you love the nightlife—like dance clubs and late-night entertainment that you find in LA or San Francisco—this probably isn't going to be the place for you. Fresno County is going to be a little bit more mellow, and you might see things quiet down a bit earlier. But don't lose hope; we do have awesome restaurants and lounges, fun sports bars, great wine-tasting venues, and cool microbreweries. Throughout the year you can also enjoy citywide festivals, concerts, and sporting events.

Friendly People And Good Food

Another pro of Fresno life is simply that people are nice. Whenever we have clients relocate to the area, they always mention how friendly people are in Fresno and Clovis. It's one of the great things about living here. It has a small-town feel in a metropolitan area.

Another pro about Fresno County living is our diversity. We are a melting pot here. We've got large populations of cultures represented throughout our city, which leads us to our restaurants and dining. One of the things that people are surprised about when they move here is our food culture. There is a diverse abundance of restaurants, including casual and fine dining experiences. You can find cuisine options that include Armenian, Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, sushi and teppanyaki restaurants, and Mexican food and more!

Schools

If you're a parent like we are, you're probably interested in the schools. There are 33 school districts in Fresno County, with some districts facing challenges when it comes to funding and resources. Of those 33 school districts, there are a few at the top—one of which is Clovis Unified. Clovis Unified schools have been named on the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program numerous times, and have been honored more than a hundred times as a California Distinguished School. Some of the other schools you might want to check are Forkner Elementary, Bullard Talent, University High, Manchester Gate, Edison Computech, and Bullard High School.

Affordability

One of the most attractive assets of Fresno County is our affordability. The cost of living and the average home sale price are way below the state average. If you're looking at California, the median cost of a single-family home is approximately $700,000. That's a lot of money. The average cost in Fresno is about $345,000. That's almost half, so we are very affordable.

To better put this into perspective, let’s consider an example. We have two homes, one in Fresno and one in Mountain View, California—home to Silicon Valley, the hub of the tech industry. A newer, Lennar built townhome that’s 1,687 square feet, three bedrooms, and three and a half baths runs about $1,680,880. That's crazy. Here in Fresno, we have a 2018 built home for around the same size in a prestigious Copper River Ranch development in North Fresno. It’s tied to some of the best schools in the Valley and only costs around $385,000. This is why we're seeing more and more Californians and people from out of state moving to our area.

Renting in the Fresno area is more affordable as well. You can find rentals for thousands less than you would if you were renting, for example, in Silicon Valley. This is another example of why our affordability is a huge pro to Fresno County living.

Is Fresno Valley Right For You?

We hope this gives you some insight into the pros and cons of living in the Fresno area. If you have any additional questions that we didn’t cover, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask. We’d be happy to help you figure out if moving to Fresno County is right for you!