Fresno, CA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Fresno, CA: What You Need to Know

Fresno is the seat of Fresno County in California’s San Joaquin Valley. It’s the largest city in central California, the state’s top agricultural region.

A Culture Rooted in Agriculture

Fresno County produces 350 crops (including tomatoes, peaches, plums, apricots, and grapes) worth approximately $6.8 billion annually. Naturally, the county’s agricultural heritage is front and center in Fresno City. Farms, fruit stands, and farmers’ markets are all part of the landscape. The area hosts many produce-themed events showcasing local artists and vendors. Fresno’s fruit trail is a magnet for visitors who enjoy a tour of orchards teeming with the best fruits California has to offer.

The Cost of Living in Fresno

Compared with other big cities in California, Fresno (population: 531,576) is plenty reasonable. Its cost of living rate is 10.3% higher than the national average. However, its food and housing costs are 12.2% and 8% lower than the national average. The median gross rent in the city is $969. The state collects 1% to 13.3% in income tax and 7.25% to 10.50% in sales tax.

Know Your Neighborhoods

More people from expensive cities in Northern and Southern California are moving to Fresno. If you’re planning to rent, you’ll be in good company. More than half of all city residents are renters. Downtown is attracting many newcomers for the convenience of walking to most shopping, dining, and entertainment venues. Prefer the suburbs? Clovis and Sanger are close by, and they have excellent schools. If you like the outdoors, Clovis has great walking and biking trails and easy access to Yosemite National Park. Sanger is a classic small town with friendly residents. Almost half of all its residents are renters.

Fresno’s Weather and Climate

Fresno has a semi-arid climate with only about 13 inches of rain per year compared with the U.S. average of 38 inches. It doesn’t get any snow either. On average, Fresno experiences 271 sunny days annually versus the U.S. average of 205 sunny days. Fresno and San Joaquin Valley were among the hardest hit during the drought in California from 2012 to 2016.

Schools and Education

There are 21 colleges within 100 miles of Fresno, including California State University Fresno (25,137 students) and Fresno Pacific University (4,292 students). In primary and secondary education, the Fresno Unified School District has 107 public schools serving 73,428 students. The district’s student-teacher ratio of 24:1 is more than the statewide average of 23:1. Manchester GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) Elementary School and Edison Computech Middle School are among the top-ranked public schools in Fresno.