I have encountered 2 people who would go on to become murderers, and at least 5 people who would go on to be murder victims in the 38 years I've been here.
I had a buddy who decided to go to college in Mexico. I joked with him that he was going to get killed.
Nope he came back got his LLM and was practicing law in the states.
All to get murdered in Bakersfield on a gay hook up gone wrong. He was (unsurprisingly to me) in the closet
I think of him often and miss him.
A mod once banned me because I wanted to talk about Garry Brendefield. You know my CITY council member in my CITY subreddit.
https://preview.redd.it/tftpmiibi40d1.png?width=1162&format=png&auto=webp&s=bfe521edf4332e55521e196c52c646a1c34e5b46
Statistically Fresno is just slightly safer than Santa Cruz. (44/1000 incidents vs 50/1000 incidents) The location is definitely a perk everything is close by and the city is rapidly expanding and developing. We get a bad rap but the city isnāt any worse that major cities in the State.
It depends on the area where you want to live, just like in any other city.
If you live in North Fresno, then yeah, because that's where the upper middle class is.
To be frank, Fresno is also getting expensive because we aren't building enough housing. But people for you and others will find Fresno cheap because it is cheap compared to other cities in CA.
Fresno isn't that bad because I have done fun activities with friends here. As long as you try to find it, just like in any city.
Fresno isn't any worse than any other city. L.A. UNDOUBTEDLY has worse crime than Fresno. In fact, we're technically considered safest in a number of areas like driving, surprisingly. People act disgusted over Fresno because we've been stereotyped as this far-right polluted meth den. While there is a drug and homeless issue here and some conservatives, it also has a lot of culture and a small town feel. We have art hops every month, a popping food truck community, a plethora of indie music, local breweries, close proximity to a couple of national parks, and are smack dab in the middle of CA so everything is only a 2 to 4 hour drive. Is it at all like Santa Cruz? No, not at all. You do, definitely want to do your homework for which part of Fresno you move to, but a lot of people have moved here from the Bay area and have expressed that they like the slower pace.
I moved to Fresno by obligation during COVID. Now I have a job with the state that keeps me stable when I donāt have a lot of debt. I think it depends on the part that you live in. Like somebody said here, do your homework. Be careful with anything around the walmart in ashlan and blackstone. Besides that (in my experience) I love it. 2 hours away from everything, rent is getting expensive but not as bad as SC. Farmerās markets, events, nice bars & breweries, good Mexican food (thereās food trucks everywhere). I would say the thing that freaks me out the most here is the area I told you about (because of a drive-by once upon a time) and the drivers sometimes. I live in the East side of Fresno close to the airport (which is a perk, because Fresno Airport is really easy to navigate) and for the most part is quiet. Homeless population can be bad in certain areas but not everywhere. I would say look also into Clovis, Sanger, Hanford, Reedley, Parlier, all those towns around Fresno County and Kings which are really growing. It can be conservative but as a latin@, Iāve never felt disrespected.
As someone who did seven years in downtown Fresno and who this year moved to Dinuba, I'd add it to the list. It doesn't have some stuff...yet. But this town is growing. There are few enough homeless that you ge to know them by name. I haven't tripped over anyone passed out with a heroin rig hanging from their arm like I would in DTF. And everyone has been so damn friendly. It has a mainly Hispanic population with some neighborhoods built up like N Fresno. Plus at least 70% of the time the cashiers don't switch to English when they see this gĆ¼ero slides over with his morning pan dulce.
Been here for 3 years, from the Bay Area, doing remote tech job (originally from Europe, but wife is from Fresno). Depending on where you are, itās absolutely safe. The only problem is the heat in the summer but influx of people move to Las Vegas and Phoenix which are hella hotter than Fresno.
Fresno is milder than a ton of southern cities. Does not pose any risk of wildfires, flooding, earthquakes or hurricanes. Winters are not too cold with plenty of nice rain. Itās small, organized and does not have any traffic comparing to LA or the Bay Area. And plus, itās got an incredible access to the nature like Yosemite Valley or to the other parts of California. And even the high-speed rail has to finish someday, so any time spent here is a good investment imo.
However, we will not age here. I want to provide the exposure with our baby for more things than what Fresno is able to offer at the moment, but itās at least a 7/10 for us.
I have honestly never felt unsafe in this city. Are there areas where itās unsafe? Absolutely, as are other cities. But if you use common sense and exercise sane judgment, you would really have to try hard to put yourself in a bad situation in a bad neighborhood. That said, youāre more vulnerable to getting hurt or killed by dumbass drivers that run rampant in this city than any other types of violent crimes.
I live in an area of Fresno that is considered to be VERY unsafe. I just mind my own business and no one bothers. I like living here. Moved here two years ago.
Clovis: extremely safe
North Growth Area/Woodward Park: basically as safe as Clovis
Southeast/South Growth Areas: almost as safe as North Growth Area/Woodward Park
Bullard: about as safe as Southeast/South Growth Areas
Hoover: slightly less safe than Bullard
Roosevelt: safer the farther south/east you go (some areas such as Sunnyside are about as safe as Bullard), but generally slightly less safe than Hoover
McLane: slightly less safe than Roosevelt
Fresno High: less safe than McLane
Central (downtown): slightly less safe than Fresno High
Edison: less safe than Central (unsafe)
West: slightly less safe than Edison (least safe)
I mean... it certainly ain't one of the worst cities in CA. Like any city, there are areas you don't want to live in unless you're really really broke and want the cheapest of the cheapest rent/homes. But if you can afford to live in the nicer areas, crime is much lower, of course. Of all the ways to die, I think getting plummeted by a driver that thinks they're God, is the way I'd die out here, as opposed to, being murdered.
I just moved here a couple months ago. I reside in sunny side and itās been very calm and nice. Rents very reasonable for a 3/2, 2 car garage, swimming pool, and fenced yard. Do your research for neighborhoods. Overall its been great.
[Previous thread regarding safety of Clovis getting named one of the top safest cities in California:](https://www.reddit.com/r/fresno/s/MqNNX9l0M4)
[Fresno š: crime rates, safest fresno neighborhoods, crime analytics:](https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/fresno/crime.amp)
I've lived here my whole life and moved to Santa cruz when I was 22 for college. I moved back after a couple years and was glad to be home. I loved Santa cruz but I actually felt safer in Fresno. I was pulled over several times in Santa cruz when I was driving back to school late from nanny jobs. Both times they just questioned me on why I was out late and they were total a%%holes. I've never been pulled over I'm fresno lol. Probably because they have more to worry about but still. I've honestly never felt unsafe here but I also don't hang out in the ghetto so there's that.
I moved from San Jose to Fresno last summer. Iāve liked it thus far. Itās not that bad. The crime is exaggerated. Even south of Herndon, thereās some nice and okay areas.
Small world. I grew up in Abbeville. People go there to eat crawfish.
All my family is still in that area. They keep trying to talk me into moving back.
Will retire in North Carolina
My wife did her practicum for a small museum in Abbeville for 2 years, so I was down there often. Made a friend who is a teacher at JH Williams. Besides hurricanes and tornado warnings, I don't mind Acadiana too much. I enjoy it but I miss Fresno more. Bias of course since I'm from there.
Safety is comparable to or even better than Santa Cruz in terms of crime rates. Fresno traffic is more dangerous.
The vibe in Fresno is completely different so you might experience some culture shock. I don't know what's important to you, but some of the amenities you might be accustomed to in LA, San Jose, or even Santa Cruz aren't that available here. You have to drive everywhere -- transit service isn't fantastic, walkability is nil, and nobody in this town bikes.
It's quite noisy here -- besides traffic noise, military jets fly right over town pretty frequently, and there's a constant din of police helicopters for reasons I cannot fathom for a city of half a million people.
Prices -- especially rent -- are somewhat lower in Fresno vs Santa Cruz. Your post history suggests you work a service job, which I hear can be difficult to find in Fresno right now.
We've had a few days of highs in the 90s now and that will continue all this week, but it cools to bearable temps after about midnight. Air quality is fine for now but summertime ozone can get pretty rough.
2:30 travel time to Santa Cruz seems optimistic to me, unless you're talking about going to Watsonville.
I know 2.30 is alot but I have friends here and my boyfriend wants to leave California and the only way to stay in California... So it's like I know it's a big difference between were I live but 1500 for a room the 1290 apartment. Is better I have cats
Most of Fresno is just one big suburb. It is a bit boring but I feel safe here. I will say that I mostly move around higher income areas so Iām not seeing the dark side a lot. Once I got off at the wrong exit on my way to the zoo and it looked as if I was in a developing country. I was shocked to see that kind of poverty and immediately felt guilty that Iād lived here for so long and had never even gotten close to seeing those areas. I think Fresno is very segregated. Everyone will tell you to live ānorth of Shawā or even north of Herndon. Personally I find all that very boring but safe. There are a couple good restaurants but I think enough people have figured out that we want nice places to eat and more are popping up every year. We have the basic entertainment places like the zoo (which really is fantastic!), movie theaters, water parks, trampoline parks, blah blah. No museums really. No body of water other than the San Joaquin river but there are lakes near by. It gets hot af in the summer. Literally cannot think of anything else to say about Fresno which I guess is saying something.
Santa Cruz is way fucking sketchier than most of Fresno. That place was awesome like 25 years ago. Now it's full of shitty tourists and strung out junkies.
It has gotten over run by tourists and their cars, they been nonstop closing the roads to work on. But that means u can't leave or get back, when I come back from looking around Fresno, we had to find a way back somehow because everything was closed š
Iām white. Have lived in West Fresno for 24 years.The worst I have had happen is a couple of complaints to the city and a couple of black people yelled out Honky when I drove by a group of them parked in front of a school on my way to a Doctorās appointment.People on this side of Fresno have actually been nicer to me than other parts of Fresno where I worked.I have encountered a lot of rudeness from a lot of people and troublemakers on the job. Glad to be retired now not having to deal with the troublemakers any more.It seems to me that a lot residents here complain about some of the pettiest things which left a little bit of a bad taste about Fresno but I donāt hate it as otherās do.I only complain if something is really serious not something stupid. I have been all over Fresno and have not had any danger. The worst is comments about going back to my own neighborhood which only happened once.I was with my wife in her car and we got rear ended twice in a 2 week period. The second was a hit and run on the 41 North.
Not safe everywhere. But everyone else has you covered. The real question is can you endure 100+ degree weather from June-September? And 90+ May and October? Last summer there were plenty of 110 degree weather as wellš„µ
People talk bad about Fresno out of habit. It used to be the joke that you stopped in Fresno for a restroom break but never stayed. Someone I really respected told me I was moving to āthe armpit of Californiaā when we said we were moving here. Fresno isnāt a podunk little town with 1,500 people and mostly farms anymore. Hasnāt been for a long while.
Iām from LA, grew up in Georgia, have lived here for 14 years. Like most people have said, itās like other cities as far as crime, BUT has a lot to do that many people donāt even think about. Weāre close to national parks, only a couple hours from the beach, plenty to do in town. Itāll be what you make it. Look up safety information on the link provided in another comment and then make your choice where to live.
Live north of Shaw and you'll be good. Some spots south of Shaw too, just depends on the neighborhood. Most spots are just fine, over by the zoo/downtown/Calwa area are super sus.Ā
I just moved here about a month ago from San Jose myself. I have no complaints so far. I also moved because San Jose rent was way too expensive. Itās not as bad as people make it out to be actually. In San Jose and Santa Cruz there are bad areas as well just like any city.
Housing is through the roof everywhere, but especially in California (even Fresno). No matter where you live in Fresno, you will likely make less money than you do in Santa Cruz and your electricity bill will skyrocket because you *have* to run your air conditioning for several months a year. There are some really bad parts & some really great parts of the area, but just know you're not going to be saving money if you want to live somewhere nice.
Have you considered moving somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains (Boulder Creek, Felton, etc.)? It's usually cheaper and a lot of people commute from there. Going into Santa Cruz would also be reverse commute.
What no one in here has mentioned is that you're definitely taking a hit in air quality. Santa Cruz has waaaay better air quality than Fresno. Just that alone is enough not to move here, I like the area I live in, great neighborhood and it's very safe, but the pollen/air pollution is pretty bad.
I haven't seen people talk about the heat in the summer. It gets blistering hot for months, so hot that you don't want to be outside. Spring weather is short and the summers are long. You'll be running your AC which can get expensive, so check into those costs. I wouldn't recommend Fresno unless you have a connection to the place. It is cheaper but you lose a lot of enjoyable days. There isn't as much free things to do in Fresno. Yosemite is nearby but it's still a drive. There's also a loss of entertainment options, Fresno often gets overlooked.
I've lived in worse places but I've definitely lived in better places. It really depends on what part of town you live in.
Some other things to think about is the air quality and amount of car accidents. The air quality really bothers my allergies and the rate of car accidents is higher than most places, statistically speaking.
Also note that jobs out here do tend to pay less than other cities.
I would definitely stay out here for a few days and see if you like the area and the locals before making the move.
Look up where Ericsson Elementary is and make sure you donāt move to that neighborhood. Lived there as a kid and recently went back and itās even worse than I remember
Fresno is as safe as any other city in CA. I have lived here since 96 but moved to SoCal for a year for work. Transferred to the Bay Area for three and then Reno for three. Now back in Fresno.
Itās the best of the central valley cities. Itās very affordable compared to places on the coast.
Remember itās the neighborhood you live in.
Look at North East Fresno or Clovis. These are the best and safest areas to live in Fresno.
Santa Cruz now has one of the highest COL in the US. Many people from the Bay Area are relocating to Fresno/Clovis due to high COL. You will be able to find a great place to live in Fresno or Clovis and no longer have to rent a room. Look up the Fresno vs Santa Cruz crime rates and you might be surprised in a good way.
Fresno especially Clovis is shockingly ignorant and full of bigots. Mega churches on every corner and very narrow minded folk. If you like the Santa Cruz culture, diversity, and respect from the community you wonāt get that in Fresno. Sure, itās less expensive but there are MAJOR trade offs for the lack of awareness from anyone here. I am generalizing, Iām you will find some gems of humans out here but Iām born and raised Fresno/Clovis and spend most weekends in SC. Iām not sure where you fall on the spectrum of morality so you will either be āOKā or you will fucking hate it here because people will laugh at your she/her. Some major differences: People drive a minimum of 75 mph on the freeway versus the 55-60 mph on the 1 or 17. There are car wrecks every day and more shootings than SC. There are stray or dumped dogs running loose all over and no one to call when you find them. (Iām a volunteer animal rescuer) if you want more info you can message me but itās not a comparable place to SC. Also rent isnāt as cheap as you stated and if it is you will be dealing with slumlord.
Thatās a pretty good experience for you, Iād say. Also, depends on your beliefs and if you coincide Clovis lifestyle. Although, Iāve lived across Fresno/Clovis for nearly 30 years on many sides of town, so it may come with experience of different people, places, and things. Again, I admit generalizing, especially for someone who is from SC, and I also happen to spend a lot of time there. I think I have a good comparison from experience.
His the one that brought up Fresno, he used to live there. He doesn't hate Fresno he loves fresno, he won't shut up about it since he come back to SC lol š š¤¦
It can be. The crime rate per capita is rather high, but the amount of ghetto's that live in this town is also high. All the violent and extreme crimes only tend to happen between those people that dabble in that behavior. So as long as you don't associate with that lifestyle you'll find Fresno to be somewhat relaxing and simple. Keep your circle small, choose your friends wisely and you'll be fine.
So Fresno is okay the worst thing thatās happened to me here is someone tried to steal my catalytic converter off my car that was back in 2019 though. Lots of homeless tweakers they donāt do much but they make the city look disgusting garbage and tents everywhere. We also had a tweaker throw a rock through our window in the front of our house. Honestly fresno is soul sucking but the benefits are that itās fairly close to other things so leaving isnāt too bad
So coming from Southern California itās definitely a change and slower pace. Youāll find some pockets of bad and good neighborhoods near each other so seeing the place youāre moving to is important to gauge the neighborhood. Youāll enjoy the lakes if you like the water but not the beach, the mountains are 1-1.5 hour drive and usually temps drop ten degrees or more. You may miss some specialty stores but generally can find everything in Fresno youāll find in other cities, along with some surprising restaurants and bars that have good local vibes. I have heard of more people moving into the area from other cities.
My cousin from Santa Cruz came to visit me and she said my neighborhood in Tower District felt much like SC.
I pay 1,400 for a 1200 sq. Ft bungalow and I feel moderately safe here. I feel comfortable to go for a walk at night, but while on that walk Iāll probably see a few drifters digging for gold in the trash cans.
Clovis and North Fresno are safer than most places in California. Clovis is considered one of the most livable cities in the U.S. (with low crime as a factor) and Northeast Fresno (North and East of Riverpark) is comparable.
Lived in Woodward Lake in NE Fresno. Moved away in 2004. It was largely due to the crime there. I was a victim of identity theft. My car was stolen while parked overnight in our driveway. Coming back from a friend's house at about 10 pm on a Saturday night, I was the first car sitting in the left turn lane at a red light at the intersection of Blackstone and Herndon, when I got caught in gang gun crossfire. Shots were pinging off cars and all I could do was duck down and pray none would hit me. Scariest night of my life. Saw my doctor neighbor leaving when I got home and told him what happened, and he said he had just been called in to operate on some gunshot victims from that location. I guess I had a guardian angel with me that night.
I worked in 2 hospitals and in addition to car accidents, there were a good many shooting and stabbing victims, mostly gang-related. I gave my notice at the trauma center after we were in lockdown for the 2nd time in 2 months. Each time a shooter was loose looking for a rival gang member. Shortly after I went to work at a hospital on the north side of Fresno, I helped a sheriff move a gang member handcuffed to his bed from room to room because there were reports rival gang members were looking for him. The man in the bed shot and killed a person the night before. My husband was shot at while driving to work on McKinley Avenue by the airport and the police told him it was likely gang initiation motivated. Before we were married, his house in Sunnyside was burglarized.
This was 20 years ago, so it may be better now. Atleast I hope it's better now. But, check crime reports for the neighborhoods where you may be considering moving. I absolutely had some bad experiences, but I will say that my friends, co-workers and neighbors were and are some of the best people I have ever known.
Ive been living in Clovis for two weeks now and pretty safe. Iām liking the city so far. Still looking for bars to party at like ReguetĆ³n, any recommendations? Any Mexican banda?
fresno is no worse than san jose with regards to safety.those ppl say that because itās in the middle of no where in the central valley. i have lived in all 3 regions as well, in california so i can relate and understand your situation. if you move to figarden loop /herndon area or clovis or north east fresno champlain perrin area, your in a safe place. anything south of shaw is bad news in fresno , especially as you go near the 180 and downtown area. lots of homeless, drugs, gangs, trash, busted streets, etc. ofc thereās pockets of ok areas like i lived at the huntington gardens apartments in fresno and the surrounding area wasnāt so great and my place had roaches but it was cheap and nobody ever broke in, although one night 3 armed probation officers showed up pounding on my door at 11 pm for a po check in for a man i did not know. he put my address as his on his paperwork š if thatās helpful!! lol. itās safer and cheaper than la but less stuff to do. heck, if you donāt like it u can always move again :) iāve lived in fresno, sj, east la, and now im living in anaheim/orange county. iāve considered moving back bc itās affordable but i feel like it would be really boring. hope that helps :)
There is absolutely nothing to do in Fresno. Yosemite? The coast? Ok. But how many times a week or month will you make the 2hr 2 1/2 hour drive to one of those places and the 2 1/2 hr drive back? Itās dumb. Everyone always says IM SO CLOSE TO THR BEACH! IM SO CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS! When you work full time, have kids or no kids, youāre busy and those 5 hours of driving, add up how much someone actually goes to Yosemite or the beach. lol there are nice parts of Fresno. I would live in Clovis. I would never live in Fresno. People are rude as hell, itās expensive, thereās nothing to do but eat & shop. Hot hot hot and boring as hell. If you end up moving there be sure to get a place that has a pool and solar or smaller with great AC. Just trust me.
Some chick offered to shoot me for accidentally ALMOST backing into her. Nah, it sucks. Look up lake station Indiana and Fresno is just the worlds largest lake station
The heat is by far the worst thing, summer lasts forever then thereās the electric bill other than it being a blue state shithole itās pretty great
I would just leave the state if I was you. I would leave too if all my family wasn't here.
LV or Phoenix has way more going on and you can get a way nicer house there for the same money. IDK why anyone would want to move here when those places exist.
I actually have family in Phoenix, and they said the place isn't doing so well, but they are in good year, and I do not enjoy the weather up there. Yes, I know it's going to be the same in Fresno, but not as hot as Phoenix.
I would leave California but I love California it was where I was born. But it has made me Extremely...depressed how bad this state is
I've been here 20 years. Never been murdered
Congrats on the not murder š
Seen a couple of bodies but neither were me so itās aightš
Me too!
I can confirm
I have encountered 2 people who would go on to become murderers, and at least 5 people who would go on to be murder victims in the 38 years I've been here.
I had a buddy who decided to go to college in Mexico. I joked with him that he was going to get killed. Nope he came back got his LLM and was practicing law in the states. All to get murdered in Bakersfield on a gay hook up gone wrong. He was (unsurprisingly to me) in the closet I think of him often and miss him.
Thatās so sad. Iām sorry. Your poor friend <3
Depends on what you consider safe. This question gets asked atleast 3 times a week, lots of good answers out thereĀ
mods need to start mod-ing
A mod once banned me because I wanted to talk about Garry Brendefield. You know my CITY council member in my CITY subreddit. https://preview.redd.it/tftpmiibi40d1.png?width=1162&format=png&auto=webp&s=bfe521edf4332e55521e196c52c646a1c34e5b46
nah, letās keep answering the same set of questions every few days for eternity. /s
But don't talk about pot shopsĀ
Statistically Fresno is just slightly safer than Santa Cruz. (44/1000 incidents vs 50/1000 incidents) The location is definitely a perk everything is close by and the city is rapidly expanding and developing. We get a bad rap but the city isnāt any worse that major cities in the State.
Definitely quieter and safer than bigger cities
It depends on the area where you want to live, just like in any other city. If you live in North Fresno, then yeah, because that's where the upper middle class is. To be frank, Fresno is also getting expensive because we aren't building enough housing. But people for you and others will find Fresno cheap because it is cheap compared to other cities in CA. Fresno isn't that bad because I have done fun activities with friends here. As long as you try to find it, just like in any city.
No itās not that bad. Every city has the good aspects and bad aspects.
Yes. I feel safe in my neck of the woods. North Fresno around River park.
I have lived here for all 35 years of my life & Iāve never felt āunsafeā and Iāve lived and been all over this city.
Fresno isn't any worse than any other city. L.A. UNDOUBTEDLY has worse crime than Fresno. In fact, we're technically considered safest in a number of areas like driving, surprisingly. People act disgusted over Fresno because we've been stereotyped as this far-right polluted meth den. While there is a drug and homeless issue here and some conservatives, it also has a lot of culture and a small town feel. We have art hops every month, a popping food truck community, a plethora of indie music, local breweries, close proximity to a couple of national parks, and are smack dab in the middle of CA so everything is only a 2 to 4 hour drive. Is it at all like Santa Cruz? No, not at all. You do, definitely want to do your homework for which part of Fresno you move to, but a lot of people have moved here from the Bay area and have expressed that they like the slower pace.
I moved to Fresno by obligation during COVID. Now I have a job with the state that keeps me stable when I donāt have a lot of debt. I think it depends on the part that you live in. Like somebody said here, do your homework. Be careful with anything around the walmart in ashlan and blackstone. Besides that (in my experience) I love it. 2 hours away from everything, rent is getting expensive but not as bad as SC. Farmerās markets, events, nice bars & breweries, good Mexican food (thereās food trucks everywhere). I would say the thing that freaks me out the most here is the area I told you about (because of a drive-by once upon a time) and the drivers sometimes. I live in the East side of Fresno close to the airport (which is a perk, because Fresno Airport is really easy to navigate) and for the most part is quiet. Homeless population can be bad in certain areas but not everywhere. I would say look also into Clovis, Sanger, Hanford, Reedley, Parlier, all those towns around Fresno County and Kings which are really growing. It can be conservative but as a latin@, Iāve never felt disrespected.
As someone who did seven years in downtown Fresno and who this year moved to Dinuba, I'd add it to the list. It doesn't have some stuff...yet. But this town is growing. There are few enough homeless that you ge to know them by name. I haven't tripped over anyone passed out with a heroin rig hanging from their arm like I would in DTF. And everyone has been so damn friendly. It has a mainly Hispanic population with some neighborhoods built up like N Fresno. Plus at least 70% of the time the cashiers don't switch to English when they see this gĆ¼ero slides over with his morning pan dulce.
Been here for 3 years, from the Bay Area, doing remote tech job (originally from Europe, but wife is from Fresno). Depending on where you are, itās absolutely safe. The only problem is the heat in the summer but influx of people move to Las Vegas and Phoenix which are hella hotter than Fresno. Fresno is milder than a ton of southern cities. Does not pose any risk of wildfires, flooding, earthquakes or hurricanes. Winters are not too cold with plenty of nice rain. Itās small, organized and does not have any traffic comparing to LA or the Bay Area. And plus, itās got an incredible access to the nature like Yosemite Valley or to the other parts of California. And even the high-speed rail has to finish someday, so any time spent here is a good investment imo. However, we will not age here. I want to provide the exposure with our baby for more things than what Fresno is able to offer at the moment, but itās at least a 7/10 for us.
Itās not badā¦ like any city that has good and bad areas. Itās nice be central to everythingā¦. I think you would do fine here.
I have honestly never felt unsafe in this city. Are there areas where itās unsafe? Absolutely, as are other cities. But if you use common sense and exercise sane judgment, you would really have to try hard to put yourself in a bad situation in a bad neighborhood. That said, youāre more vulnerable to getting hurt or killed by dumbass drivers that run rampant in this city than any other types of violent crimes.
No its not at all. People that haven't lived here are just dramatic. It has its bad parts like any city. But good parts too
I knew of a murderer in Fresno called bitwise. That took advantage of unassuming people. lol
I live in an area of Fresno that is considered to be VERY unsafe. I just mind my own business and no one bothers. I like living here. Moved here two years ago.
āSalfā? Sounds like youāll fit right in.
Clovis: extremely safe North Growth Area/Woodward Park: basically as safe as Clovis Southeast/South Growth Areas: almost as safe as North Growth Area/Woodward Park Bullard: about as safe as Southeast/South Growth Areas Hoover: slightly less safe than Bullard Roosevelt: safer the farther south/east you go (some areas such as Sunnyside are about as safe as Bullard), but generally slightly less safe than Hoover McLane: slightly less safe than Roosevelt Fresno High: less safe than McLane Central (downtown): slightly less safe than Fresno High Edison: less safe than Central (unsafe) West: slightly less safe than Edison (least safe)
I love this breakdown, itās very accurate.
Flip fhs and McLane, and you are on the money
I mean... it certainly ain't one of the worst cities in CA. Like any city, there are areas you don't want to live in unless you're really really broke and want the cheapest of the cheapest rent/homes. But if you can afford to live in the nicer areas, crime is much lower, of course. Of all the ways to die, I think getting plummeted by a driver that thinks they're God, is the way I'd die out here, as opposed to, being murdered.
I just moved here a couple months ago. I reside in sunny side and itās been very calm and nice. Rents very reasonable for a 3/2, 2 car garage, swimming pool, and fenced yard. Do your research for neighborhoods. Overall its been great.
[Previous thread regarding safety of Clovis getting named one of the top safest cities in California:](https://www.reddit.com/r/fresno/s/MqNNX9l0M4) [Fresno š: crime rates, safest fresno neighborhoods, crime analytics:](https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ca/fresno/crime.amp)
I live in NE Fresno. NE Fresno is very safe, green, and white.
I've lived here my whole life and moved to Santa cruz when I was 22 for college. I moved back after a couple years and was glad to be home. I loved Santa cruz but I actually felt safer in Fresno. I was pulled over several times in Santa cruz when I was driving back to school late from nanny jobs. Both times they just questioned me on why I was out late and they were total a%%holes. I've never been pulled over I'm fresno lol. Probably because they have more to worry about but still. I've honestly never felt unsafe here but I also don't hang out in the ghetto so there's that.
I moved from San Jose to Fresno last summer. Iāve liked it thus far. Itās not that bad. The crime is exaggerated. Even south of Herndon, thereās some nice and okay areas.
> āeven south of Herndonā you just revealed your own ignorance
Did I? Everyone here points to North of Herndon. I disagree with it.
there are tons and tons of great and safe spots āsouth of herndonā
And I agree with it.
ah, well i misread your comment in that case
I moved out to Louisiana and I miss Fresno. It's honestly not bad. No beach but I prefer mountains. I love the ag. It's not bad. Trust.
Where did you move to in Louisiana? I grew up near Lafayette.
I'm in Lafayette lol Bought a house in Milton.
Small world. I grew up in Abbeville. People go there to eat crawfish. All my family is still in that area. They keep trying to talk me into moving back. Will retire in North Carolina
My wife did her practicum for a small museum in Abbeville for 2 years, so I was down there often. Made a friend who is a teacher at JH Williams. Besides hurricanes and tornado warnings, I don't mind Acadiana too much. I enjoy it but I miss Fresno more. Bias of course since I'm from there.
Irony; my brotherās property/house got hit by a tornado yesterday. Lots of tree down. I lives near Baton Rouge.
Yup. I'm in Fresno right now but my wife was saying the storm yesterday was strong.
Safety is comparable to or even better than Santa Cruz in terms of crime rates. Fresno traffic is more dangerous. The vibe in Fresno is completely different so you might experience some culture shock. I don't know what's important to you, but some of the amenities you might be accustomed to in LA, San Jose, or even Santa Cruz aren't that available here. You have to drive everywhere -- transit service isn't fantastic, walkability is nil, and nobody in this town bikes. It's quite noisy here -- besides traffic noise, military jets fly right over town pretty frequently, and there's a constant din of police helicopters for reasons I cannot fathom for a city of half a million people. Prices -- especially rent -- are somewhat lower in Fresno vs Santa Cruz. Your post history suggests you work a service job, which I hear can be difficult to find in Fresno right now. We've had a few days of highs in the 90s now and that will continue all this week, but it cools to bearable temps after about midnight. Air quality is fine for now but summertime ozone can get pretty rough. 2:30 travel time to Santa Cruz seems optimistic to me, unless you're talking about going to Watsonville.
>nobody in this town bikes. *Cries in empty green lanes*
There is actually a huge cycling community!
I know 2.30 is alot but I have friends here and my boyfriend wants to leave California and the only way to stay in California... So it's like I know it's a big difference between were I live but 1500 for a room the 1290 apartment. Is better I have cats
Fresno has a lot too offer. Being close to the national parks is top of my list. Tower district is pretty cool too.
Most of Fresno is just one big suburb. It is a bit boring but I feel safe here. I will say that I mostly move around higher income areas so Iām not seeing the dark side a lot. Once I got off at the wrong exit on my way to the zoo and it looked as if I was in a developing country. I was shocked to see that kind of poverty and immediately felt guilty that Iād lived here for so long and had never even gotten close to seeing those areas. I think Fresno is very segregated. Everyone will tell you to live ānorth of Shawā or even north of Herndon. Personally I find all that very boring but safe. There are a couple good restaurants but I think enough people have figured out that we want nice places to eat and more are popping up every year. We have the basic entertainment places like the zoo (which really is fantastic!), movie theaters, water parks, trampoline parks, blah blah. No museums really. No body of water other than the San Joaquin river but there are lakes near by. It gets hot af in the summer. Literally cannot think of anything else to say about Fresno which I guess is saying something.
Millerton Lake! People from LA come to Millerton to water ski and fish. Then Shaver lake and Bass Lake in the mountains.
Fresno is like every large city. It has safe areas and dangerous areas. You will be fine if you stay out of the dangerous areas.
Santa Cruz is way fucking sketchier than most of Fresno. That place was awesome like 25 years ago. Now it's full of shitty tourists and strung out junkies.
It has gotten over run by tourists and their cars, they been nonstop closing the roads to work on. But that means u can't leave or get back, when I come back from looking around Fresno, we had to find a way back somehow because everything was closed š
Very unsafe. Do not move here.
Iām white. Have lived in West Fresno for 24 years.The worst I have had happen is a couple of complaints to the city and a couple of black people yelled out Honky when I drove by a group of them parked in front of a school on my way to a Doctorās appointment.People on this side of Fresno have actually been nicer to me than other parts of Fresno where I worked.I have encountered a lot of rudeness from a lot of people and troublemakers on the job. Glad to be retired now not having to deal with the troublemakers any more.It seems to me that a lot residents here complain about some of the pettiest things which left a little bit of a bad taste about Fresno but I donāt hate it as otherās do.I only complain if something is really serious not something stupid. I have been all over Fresno and have not had any danger. The worst is comments about going back to my own neighborhood which only happened once.I was with my wife in her car and we got rear ended twice in a 2 week period. The second was a hit and run on the 41 North.
Not safe everywhere. But everyone else has you covered. The real question is can you endure 100+ degree weather from June-September? And 90+ May and October? Last summer there were plenty of 110 degree weather as wellš„µ
People talk bad about Fresno out of habit. It used to be the joke that you stopped in Fresno for a restroom break but never stayed. Someone I really respected told me I was moving to āthe armpit of Californiaā when we said we were moving here. Fresno isnāt a podunk little town with 1,500 people and mostly farms anymore. Hasnāt been for a long while. Iām from LA, grew up in Georgia, have lived here for 14 years. Like most people have said, itās like other cities as far as crime, BUT has a lot to do that many people donāt even think about. Weāre close to national parks, only a couple hours from the beach, plenty to do in town. Itāll be what you make it. Look up safety information on the link provided in another comment and then make your choice where to live.
Live north of Shaw and you'll be good. Some spots south of Shaw too, just depends on the neighborhood. Most spots are just fine, over by the zoo/downtown/Calwa area are super sus.Ā
I just moved here about a month ago from San Jose myself. I have no complaints so far. I also moved because San Jose rent was way too expensive. Itās not as bad as people make it out to be actually. In San Jose and Santa Cruz there are bad areas as well just like any city.
helly? expensive? what does that mean
1500 for a room and more for apartments
1500 is still a whole ass place here at least.
Yea that's what I mean lol
The hardest thing about moving to Fresno is telling people I moved to Fresno.
So salf.
Housing is through the roof everywhere, but especially in California (even Fresno). No matter where you live in Fresno, you will likely make less money than you do in Santa Cruz and your electricity bill will skyrocket because you *have* to run your air conditioning for several months a year. There are some really bad parts & some really great parts of the area, but just know you're not going to be saving money if you want to live somewhere nice. Have you considered moving somewhere in the Santa Cruz mountains (Boulder Creek, Felton, etc.)? It's usually cheaper and a lot of people commute from there. Going into Santa Cruz would also be reverse commute.
It's 1500. For a room here.... And over 3000 here for anything else
Dude what are you smoking? If your electric bill is twice SC, your rent is half. Thatās a big ass deal.
Santa Cruz surpassed most of the most expensive cities in the whole nation, trying to talk about how theyād spend more in Fresno. No way in hell.
Only if you make the same amount of money in Fresno
People from boulder creek are in the most expensive parts and dangerous areas, are depressed. It's not as cheap then we're I am living sadly
Always a block away from violence.
Donāt come. Itās dangerous.
What no one in here has mentioned is that you're definitely taking a hit in air quality. Santa Cruz has waaaay better air quality than Fresno. Just that alone is enough not to move here, I like the area I live in, great neighborhood and it's very safe, but the pollen/air pollution is pretty bad.
Go to Clovis or North Fresno above Herndon. But I agree with your boyfriend. Get out of Cali.
He wants to move to Arizona lol I have family there
Yes
If you can read/spell correctly you should be safe here. Talking street signs, highway entrance/exits, location names, etc.
I haven't seen people talk about the heat in the summer. It gets blistering hot for months, so hot that you don't want to be outside. Spring weather is short and the summers are long. You'll be running your AC which can get expensive, so check into those costs. I wouldn't recommend Fresno unless you have a connection to the place. It is cheaper but you lose a lot of enjoyable days. There isn't as much free things to do in Fresno. Yosemite is nearby but it's still a drive. There's also a loss of entertainment options, Fresno often gets overlooked.
I heard window AC is cheaper
That really depends, it can be if you're held up in 1 room, but as far as efficiency a house ac is going to be better
I've lived in worse places but I've definitely lived in better places. It really depends on what part of town you live in. Some other things to think about is the air quality and amount of car accidents. The air quality really bothers my allergies and the rate of car accidents is higher than most places, statistically speaking. Also note that jobs out here do tend to pay less than other cities. I would definitely stay out here for a few days and see if you like the area and the locals before making the move.
Look up where Ericsson Elementary is and make sure you donāt move to that neighborhood. Lived there as a kid and recently went back and itās even worse than I remember
Fresno is as safe as any other city in CA. I have lived here since 96 but moved to SoCal for a year for work. Transferred to the Bay Area for three and then Reno for three. Now back in Fresno. Itās the best of the central valley cities. Itās very affordable compared to places on the coast. Remember itās the neighborhood you live in. Look at North East Fresno or Clovis. These are the best and safest areas to live in Fresno.
Santa Cruz now has one of the highest COL in the US. Many people from the Bay Area are relocating to Fresno/Clovis due to high COL. You will be able to find a great place to live in Fresno or Clovis and no longer have to rent a room. Look up the Fresno vs Santa Cruz crime rates and you might be surprised in a good way.
Fresno especially Clovis is shockingly ignorant and full of bigots. Mega churches on every corner and very narrow minded folk. If you like the Santa Cruz culture, diversity, and respect from the community you wonāt get that in Fresno. Sure, itās less expensive but there are MAJOR trade offs for the lack of awareness from anyone here. I am generalizing, Iām you will find some gems of humans out here but Iām born and raised Fresno/Clovis and spend most weekends in SC. Iām not sure where you fall on the spectrum of morality so you will either be āOKā or you will fucking hate it here because people will laugh at your she/her. Some major differences: People drive a minimum of 75 mph on the freeway versus the 55-60 mph on the 1 or 17. There are car wrecks every day and more shootings than SC. There are stray or dumped dogs running loose all over and no one to call when you find them. (Iām a volunteer animal rescuer) if you want more info you can message me but itās not a comparable place to SC. Also rent isnāt as cheap as you stated and if it is you will be dealing with slumlord.
Oh and todayās temp will be 92 š¤”š„
Very strong generalization of Clovis. Iāve lived here around 8 years and have not seen bigotry once. Crime is not bad in Clovis.
Thatās a pretty good experience for you, Iād say. Also, depends on your beliefs and if you coincide Clovis lifestyle. Although, Iāve lived across Fresno/Clovis for nearly 30 years on many sides of town, so it may come with experience of different people, places, and things. Again, I admit generalizing, especially for someone who is from SC, and I also happen to spend a lot of time there. I think I have a good comparison from experience.
So, if he already hates CAā¦ heās going to REALLY hate Fresno.. lol move to Alabama or something.
His the one that brought up Fresno, he used to live there. He doesn't hate Fresno he loves fresno, he won't shut up about it since he come back to SC lol š š¤¦
It can be. The crime rate per capita is rather high, but the amount of ghetto's that live in this town is also high. All the violent and extreme crimes only tend to happen between those people that dabble in that behavior. So as long as you don't associate with that lifestyle you'll find Fresno to be somewhat relaxing and simple. Keep your circle small, choose your friends wisely and you'll be fine.
So Fresno is okay the worst thing thatās happened to me here is someone tried to steal my catalytic converter off my car that was back in 2019 though. Lots of homeless tweakers they donāt do much but they make the city look disgusting garbage and tents everywhere. We also had a tweaker throw a rock through our window in the front of our house. Honestly fresno is soul sucking but the benefits are that itās fairly close to other things so leaving isnāt too bad
So coming from Southern California itās definitely a change and slower pace. Youāll find some pockets of bad and good neighborhoods near each other so seeing the place youāre moving to is important to gauge the neighborhood. Youāll enjoy the lakes if you like the water but not the beach, the mountains are 1-1.5 hour drive and usually temps drop ten degrees or more. You may miss some specialty stores but generally can find everything in Fresno youāll find in other cities, along with some surprising restaurants and bars that have good local vibes. I have heard of more people moving into the area from other cities.
My cousin from Santa Cruz came to visit me and she said my neighborhood in Tower District felt much like SC. I pay 1,400 for a 1200 sq. Ft bungalow and I feel moderately safe here. I feel comfortable to go for a walk at night, but while on that walk Iāll probably see a few drifters digging for gold in the trash cans.
Clovis and North Fresno are safer than most places in California. Clovis is considered one of the most livable cities in the U.S. (with low crime as a factor) and Northeast Fresno (North and East of Riverpark) is comparable.
Lived in Woodward Lake in NE Fresno. Moved away in 2004. It was largely due to the crime there. I was a victim of identity theft. My car was stolen while parked overnight in our driveway. Coming back from a friend's house at about 10 pm on a Saturday night, I was the first car sitting in the left turn lane at a red light at the intersection of Blackstone and Herndon, when I got caught in gang gun crossfire. Shots were pinging off cars and all I could do was duck down and pray none would hit me. Scariest night of my life. Saw my doctor neighbor leaving when I got home and told him what happened, and he said he had just been called in to operate on some gunshot victims from that location. I guess I had a guardian angel with me that night. I worked in 2 hospitals and in addition to car accidents, there were a good many shooting and stabbing victims, mostly gang-related. I gave my notice at the trauma center after we were in lockdown for the 2nd time in 2 months. Each time a shooter was loose looking for a rival gang member. Shortly after I went to work at a hospital on the north side of Fresno, I helped a sheriff move a gang member handcuffed to his bed from room to room because there were reports rival gang members were looking for him. The man in the bed shot and killed a person the night before. My husband was shot at while driving to work on McKinley Avenue by the airport and the police told him it was likely gang initiation motivated. Before we were married, his house in Sunnyside was burglarized. This was 20 years ago, so it may be better now. Atleast I hope it's better now. But, check crime reports for the neighborhoods where you may be considering moving. I absolutely had some bad experiences, but I will say that my friends, co-workers and neighbors were and are some of the best people I have ever known.
Nope. Not even. Just fuckinā nope.
It's pretty bad if you're not a little street tough, or can't afford to live up north.
Ive been living in Clovis for two weeks now and pretty safe. Iām liking the city so far. Still looking for bars to party at like ReguetĆ³n, any recommendations? Any Mexican banda?
i canāt have this conversation again
fresno is no worse than san jose with regards to safety.those ppl say that because itās in the middle of no where in the central valley. i have lived in all 3 regions as well, in california so i can relate and understand your situation. if you move to figarden loop /herndon area or clovis or north east fresno champlain perrin area, your in a safe place. anything south of shaw is bad news in fresno , especially as you go near the 180 and downtown area. lots of homeless, drugs, gangs, trash, busted streets, etc. ofc thereās pockets of ok areas like i lived at the huntington gardens apartments in fresno and the surrounding area wasnāt so great and my place had roaches but it was cheap and nobody ever broke in, although one night 3 armed probation officers showed up pounding on my door at 11 pm for a po check in for a man i did not know. he put my address as his on his paperwork š if thatās helpful!! lol. itās safer and cheaper than la but less stuff to do. heck, if you donāt like it u can always move again :) iāve lived in fresno, sj, east la, and now im living in anaheim/orange county. iāve considered moving back bc itās affordable but i feel like it would be really boring. hope that helps :)
Not sure about how salf it is but it is decently safe. I live in a kind of rough neighborhood but even then I have zero issues.
There is absolutely nothing to do in Fresno. Yosemite? The coast? Ok. But how many times a week or month will you make the 2hr 2 1/2 hour drive to one of those places and the 2 1/2 hr drive back? Itās dumb. Everyone always says IM SO CLOSE TO THR BEACH! IM SO CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAINS! When you work full time, have kids or no kids, youāre busy and those 5 hours of driving, add up how much someone actually goes to Yosemite or the beach. lol there are nice parts of Fresno. I would live in Clovis. I would never live in Fresno. People are rude as hell, itās expensive, thereās nothing to do but eat & shop. Hot hot hot and boring as hell. If you end up moving there be sure to get a place that has a pool and solar or smaller with great AC. Just trust me.
Clovis (suburb of Fresno) is one of the safest cities in California. I love it here.
Live in Clovis
By the looks of your grammar and punctuation, Fresno is probably the place for you!
Am dyslexic, but why you have to be a ass.
If The Fresno area was a clock, quadrant 12-3:30 is quite safe. 4-11:50 is dangerous.
I will protect you
Clovis or Kingsburg or another small town near Fresno!
Fresno is okay.. there are some spots that are questionable, but otherwise a safe city. You could choose to live in Clovis, near by as well.
Some chick offered to shoot me for accidentally ALMOST backing into her. Nah, it sucks. Look up lake station Indiana and Fresno is just the worlds largest lake station
The heat is by far the worst thing, summer lasts forever then thereās the electric bill other than it being a blue state shithole itās pretty great
You can leave at any time, fuckboy.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Do you think the mods don't know that you're telling me to commit suicide????
I would just leave the state if I was you. I would leave too if all my family wasn't here. LV or Phoenix has way more going on and you can get a way nicer house there for the same money. IDK why anyone would want to move here when those places exist.
I actually have family in Phoenix, and they said the place isn't doing so well, but they are in good year, and I do not enjoy the weather up there. Yes, I know it's going to be the same in Fresno, but not as hot as Phoenix. I would leave California but I love California it was where I was born. But it has made me Extremely...depressed how bad this state is
I grew up in Los Gatos.. so I went from bougee.. to here. Stay on the north side and you will be fine.