**The Best Thing About Fresno?**  We Ain’t San Francisco Or LA (or god forbid Berkeley)

Most people think of California as a monolith of Bernie Bros west. While the state votes Democrat the city of Fresno, like a number of cities east of the coastline skews more centrist. It has things like an LGBT film festival, and a few thousand more democratic voters than republican, but it’s the second most conservative city in the state and votes more conservative than Houston or Dallas. We aren’t saying a conservative city is better or worse than a liberal one. Only if you think living in a centrist city overall and conservative one for a big city is a good thing you’ll like it here. 

**The Worst Thing About Oklahoma City?**  The Air

Fresno has a relatively toxic mix of soot and pollutants that in combination make this a city with among the worst for air quality in the country. While Fresno produces plenty of this on its own it also is unfortunately in a region surrounded by mountain ranges which means the unhealthy air from around the Central Valley and the Bay Area and LA pools atop the city. 

**How You Living?**  In A Suburban Version Of Urban

A majority of the best neighborhoods to consider in Fresno have a suburban feel. Single family homes with yards, wide streets, and close access to parks and good shopping and restaurants. Woodward Park, Bullard and Hoover are good places to start when you’re a young family looking for a new start, or a retiree looking for a cheaper option than the coast. 


**Why You Should Move Here Now?**  Affordability

The cost of living in Fresno is comparable to Detroit and Albuquerque. That means for ~45,000 a year you can live comfortably here. The median price of a home in San Francisco is 5x that of Fresno so needless to say it is possible to spend a lot less and stay in the sun of California.  


Fresno

We're Not Too Conservative

**The good the bad and the ugly**

C’mon where are you going to get a city, an ocean bay and redwood parks that overlook stunning views all in one place? And there’s a gorgeous lake (Lake Merritt) right in the middle of downtown, very serious coffee, craft brews, crazy good food, street art, hills with hidden staircases and an incredible history of social movement -- minorities of all kinds have a cultural voice in Oakland. There’s even another city right in the city (Piedmont) which makes no sense from a city planning standpoint, but there it is. Oakland has the kind of  genuine sense of place that many towns would love to have while running the gamut from hard core urban to wooded hills and parks. (And, when people say “the city” they mean San Francisco. Oakland is a town -- The Town.)


**The Best Thing About Oakland?** 

A bridge away from San Francisco (or a 10 minute BART ride), better weather, more affordable, more character, more down-to-earth mom and pop and more hip. It’s also serious about being Green. Oakland’s empty lots have been transformed into urban vegetable patches, and buying locally grown food is simple. Oakland is indeed Hella Cool. And they know it. 


**The Worst Thing About Oakland?** 

The hype. As disgruntled young San Franciscans go in search of friendlier climes and the pandemic threatens to displace residents and possibly put rental properties in the hands of corporate developers, gentrification is pushing through threatening the nature of what makes Oakland great.

**How You Living?** 

In a funky old house on a quiet street walking distance to anything. Residential streets are home to both single-family and multi-family homes, ranging from older Victorians to renovated row homes. Rockridge, Temescal, and Grand Lake are super trendy. Laurel and Diamond districts are cute little neighborhoods with their own shopping plazas.


**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

Location, location, location. It’s easier to get to San Francisco than even some San Francisco neighborhoods and BTW, Berkely is also a short hop.  If you’re not all that interested in San Francisco, Oakland is a hot location in its own right. It has been experiencing a massive growth in jobs, especially in tech and media. Seven companies within Oakland made Forbes magazine’s list of the country’s top 100 fastest growing companies. 


Oakland

Diamond In The Rough

**The Good, the Bad and The Ugly**

Riverside seemed to be on the move growth-wise a few years back but somehow it never really took off and just resulted in a lot of urban sprawl -- miles and miles of concrete and strip malls. It remains, sort of sadly, inland. Always in the shadow of the coastal cities, everything is always ‘relative’ to the rest of SoCal with costs not terribly low despite the air not being terribly fresh and culture not terribly existent. It’s the king of the Inland Empire. 

**The Best Thing About Riverside?** 

30 minutes from the mountains, 30 minutes from the ocean, and 30 minutes from the desert. Also, the UC Riverside campus is nice and has a botanical garden.
 
**The Worst Thing About Living in Riverside?**

A study from Brandeis University ranked several California metropolitan areas among the worst places in the U.S. to raise children. Out of the 100 largest U.S. cities, Bakersfield and Riverside ranked in the bottom five for the opportunities that the cities afford children.

**How You Living?** 

Most likely In a newer construction single-family home on a suburban development tract. Orangecrest caters to families with top-rated schools.. One of the most populated and diverse neighborhoods is Canyon Crest and it sits on hilly terrain offering some of the best views and has its own Town Center. Downtown Riverside is just about the only walkable area and features a historic mission which serves as a five story hotel (The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa) as well as Fairmount Park. Main Street is a pedestrian mall lined with local shops and restaurants. Victoria is the upscale neighborhood and Arlington Heights is one of Riverside’s oldest neighborhoods. Also known as the Arlington Greenbelt, for people looking for a rural environment and a wide range of outdoor activities.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** 

It’s cheaper than living on the coast and you can still get everywhere fairly quickly. Riverside has a population of 300K+, is in Riverside County and has its own airport, yet it can be seen as a giant bedroom community to Los Angeles as many people commute (even by train.) The locals take umbrage at this view.


Riverside

Highlanders

**The Best Thing About Davis?** - More than a Suburb

Davis is sometimes described as a “suburb of Sacramento.” That description doesn't nearly do it justice. 

Davis also has the spunk of a college town, with UC Davis bringing much energy of the city than a typical surburban city. Davis does though have great public schools, California weather, and plenty of parks which make it a great place to raise a family. Notably it has been the bicycle champion of the U.S. with the highest ridership of any city in the union.

Finally, in addition to Sacramento, the cities of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, and the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe, Mt. Tam and Pt. Reyes National Seashore, are all accessible within a two hour drive. So you've got that going for you too.

**The Worst Thing About Davis?** - The Middle Ground

Davis is great for families. Davis is great for college students. Davis can be difficult for those in between. There isn’t that much going on in terms of nightlife if you’re not a student, and the variety in the restaurant/bar scene isn’t on par with what you might hope from a college town. It’s also property in a nice part of California, so housing prices almost immediately price a lot of young people out of Davis to begin with. To summarize, single people in their mid-twenties have very different experiences in Davis than families and college students.

**How You Living?** - College Apartment or Single Family Home

The area around UC Davis, and to the north of campus in particular, is, unsurprisingly, a lot of apartment buildings that are typically filled with students. South Davis is known for its single family homes, bike paths, and its proximity to the country club. Central Davis centers around the main stretch, and has a number of different older home styles all within walking distance of downtown. North Davis is where a lot of families live and there are a number of different single family housing styles and options.


**Why You Should Move Here Now?** - Great for the Whole Family

If you’re at a crossroads and looking to start, or expand, your family on the west coast, then Davis is a great place to have on you list. It’s mostly suburban with a lot of family friendly positives both in the city and within a short drive. Davis is a home run if it’s in your price range.

Davis

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

**The Best Thing About Lake Tahoe?** The Great(est) Outdoors

Lake Tahoe might have convenient access to every single one of your favorite outdoor activities. I’m serious.. Do you like skiing? The Winter Olympics were held here for good reason, as some of the best slopes in the U.S. are all situated around the lake. A relaxing day at the beach? Lake Tahoe’s 70+ miles of shoreline offer a number of beach options from lively social hotspots to more secluded shores. Kayaking and paddle boarding? The lake’s calm waters and beautiful views are ideal for all activities like these. Hiking and camping? Located right in the heart of the Sierras, Tahoe has trails perfect for a leisurely stroll with the dog and more adventurous ones for those so inclined. Unlike a lot of the other places that come to mind when you think of California and Nevada, Tahoe experiences all four seasons, in a way that allows for residents to enjoy the full spectrum of its natural beauty

**The Worst Thing About Lake Tahoe?** It’s Pretty Remote

The downside of being around so much great nature is that nature makes up the bulk of what’s around you, and the area can be a bit boring if the outdoors aren’t really your thing. The “city” of South Lake Tahoe is a decently sized town, but everything, including the homes, are pretty spread out around the lake in general, making it hard to form a sense of community. Also, a large bulk of those homes are second or third homes owned by predominantly Bay Area folks who only drive up for a few weeks a year, and then Airbnb them out to other tourists. Reno’s just an hour drive away from most parts of the lake, which can mitigate some of that isolation and lack of action. Sacramento’s two hours and San Francisco is about a four hour drive depending on traffic as well if you’re looking to get to a big city for the weekend. Regardless, you’ll probably want to move to Tahoe with a car with good mileage and a friend or two in the area.

**How You Living?** - In A Secluded Single Family

The bulk of living situations in the Lake Tahoe area are disparate clumps of single family houses with great views. Buying here can be expensive, in large part due to the demand created by those aforementioned Bay Area owners. Even South Lake Tahoe is mainly expensive single family homes as well. There are some “cheaper” two bedroom living situations in the Y Area and Gardener Mountain neighborhoods, but still, that rent is probably going to be close to 2 grand a month. Closer to Reno is where a lot of people who are looking for more affordable options typically go.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** It’s A Pretty Place To Do Remote

The Lake Tahoe area completely changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of those predominantly Bay Area owners drove East to Tahoe to wait out the pandemic and work remotely in paradise. Some of those owners, smartly, decided to stay after their work moved permanently to remote, and they’ve been reaping the benefits of living in Tahoe ever since. That’s a blueprint for why a lot of people are looking to move to the area right now, and if you’re working remotely and love the outdoors, the Tahoe area should be near the top of your list.


Lake Tahoe

99.994% Pure

**The Best Thing About Santa Barbara?** California Life...

Santa Barbara is the personification of the upscale California lifestyle. It’s a place with a lot to do but also the feel of a welcoming small town, with year round surfing and high quality wineries nearly in your backyard. Good place for families? You bet, with some of the highest rated public schools in the country. Good place for young adults? Heck yeah, UC Santa Barbara has one of the liveliest social scenes around and overall the nightlife is topnotch for every age range. Good place to retire? Absolutely, great weather and access to a ton of outdoor activities consistently puts Santa Barbara near the top of retirement rankings.

**The Worst Thing About Santa Barbara?** …The California Price Tag

Unfortunately, the beach vibes aren’t the only California characteristics Santa Barbara embodies. You’re going to have to cough up seven figures if you’re looking to buy a house for the family, and California taxes do add up. Situated between San Francisco and Los Angeles, SB is actually a little cheaper than some neighborhoods in those markets, but that’s like saying silver is cheaper than gold. Definitely sit down with your finance guru before you prepare to settle down on the Santa Barbara beaches for 300 days a year. The city also wrestles with homelessness problems like the ones SF and LA can’t solve, so be prepared for that in certain areas as well.

**How You Living?** A lot of Options

Santa Barbara is relatively small, just a hair over 20 square miles, but there are a lot of distinct neighborhoods and living styles to choose from. “Downtown” is mostly low-slung shops and restaurants rather than the highrises of SF and LA.  Downtown housing includes beautiful old Spanish architecture style homes in addition to lots of apartment/ condo living options. 

Isla Vista is where you’ll probably look first if you’re attending or working at UCSB. It’s got a mix of traditional spanish/craftsman, and contemporary homes, apartments and like most of Santa Barbara, is a short walk or bike from the beach. 

Neighborhoods like Mission Canyon, that are on the edge of town, are good spots for bigger families. Large Spanish homes and access to museums, gardens, and trails give it more of a suburban vibe. 

Riviera is one of the schmanciest neighborhoods in the country, with beautiful mediterranean style homes and prices consistently over 3 million.

**Why You Should Move Here Now?** Surf’s Up

With more and more jobs shifting remote, the time to be located by the beach is now assuming you’ve got the cheddar, People do come here for the waves and students come for the college, but everything Santa Barbara has to offer makes it so much more than simply a beach or a college town. 


Fresno, CA

We're Not Too Conservative

76

Oakland, CA

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92

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83

Davis, CA

I Want To Ride My Bicycle

85

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99.994% Pure

82

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87

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78

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82