Fresno - Pro's and Cons
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8/26/2013
I was born and raised here in Fresno, and am 52 years old. I grew up in a higher end part of town, so my opinion is a bit skewed (at least as it relates to that time period). I enjoyed growing up here. The climate is mild, but we all complain of the hot summers. There can be ten days in a row of temps over 100 degrees, several times during summer. Don't be fooled - a swamp cooler will NOT cut it. Growing up, people left their doors unlocked. Not so now. There is a lot of theft, so you had best have a burglar alarm. There is also a lot of car theft and breakins, so you best use your garage for what it is intended - for CARS. The jails are a revolving door for thiefs, so they can be in for car theft and back on the street in 24 hours to continue doing the same. There is a lot of reverse discrimination. White people are the minority now, and many businesses (especially banks) cater to the Hispanics. You can walk into a bank and all you hear is Spanish being spoken. If you know Spanish or are Hispanic, that is great! If you want a job, and are white, go to the back of the line. It is nice that we are close to Yosemite, Kings Canyon. If you are a conservative, Fresno has more conservatives than the rest of the state, although with the low cost of living, that also means we have a lot of users of the system, who make up the percentage of liberals mostly. There are lots of folks on SSI disability and welfare, LOTS on food stamps, and LOTS on Section 8 housing who sometimes live better than some of us who work for a living. There are lots of good restaurants,lots of bars, art hop once a week, farmers markets in various parts of town. Clovis is a nice suburb to live for a better quality of life. We have a few microbreweries here too which are great for the discerning beer drinker. Unemployment is high. If you move here, get a place in Clovis, or near Woodward Park or Figarden (VanNess/Herndon area). The Tower District is fun, but there is a lot of crime and drugs in that area. So beware if you choose the funkiness of the Tower.
Susan | Fresno, CA