Young people are moving out of Los Angeles because of the high cost of housing, commuting problems, lack of opportunities, and general cost of living. So, what’s new? They are moving to Fresno!
Writing for Newsbreak, Liliana Fannin reports, “Fresno is the second most common destination for Gen Zers (born 1997-2012) moving from Los Angeles and the fourth most common location for those moving from Riverside, according to a report from U-Haul published in July.” She says that the Los Angeles Times even posed an intriguing question in its story about the phenomenon: “Is Fresno the new L.A.?”
The Business Journal notes that the new migration is especially interesting because “the city did not appear among the five leading destinations for baby boomers, Gen X, or millennials leaving Los Angeles or Riverside in the data reported by U-Haul.” But for Gen Z customers leaving Los Angeles, the five leading metropolitan areas were San Francisco Bay Area, Fresno, Bakersfield, Houston, and Dallas. And for those leaving Riverside, the chosen areas were Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix, Fresno, and Dallas.
Frankly, to me the biggest surprise in the new data is the inclusion of the San Francisco Bay Area for both migrating groups. Other sources opine that the SF Bay Area is one of the “best places” to live. But that’s only if you can afford to pay $4,000 or more for a one-bedroom apartment in S.F. And the median price of a house is $1,595,000. If you decide to settle further south on the peninsula, say to Palo Alto, the median price for a house is $3,600,500. But, if the migrants are willing to go as far south as San Jose, they’ll find that the median price for a house is $1,346,167.
In addition, nearly everything else is more expensive than elsewhere throughout most of the U.S. However, for reasons that were not explained in any of the sources that I consulted, the cost of a gallon of gasoline is actually cheaper in S.F. (average $5.63) than it is in Fresno (average $6.35). And that’s also true for migrants from Riverside where the price of gas is $6.21 for regular, $6.46 for midgrade, and $6.64 for premium.
Why Fresno?
Fannin reports that Mayor Jerry Dyer elaborated on the influx of people. She states that Dyer notes “the city’s affordable living, limited traffic congestion, and central location near natural parks.” In Fresno, the median cost of a house is about $400,000, a one-bedroom apartment goes for about $1,300/month, and the average across all types of apartments is about $1,600.
Fresno also offers a sunny climate with mild winters. The Chamber of Commerce might advertise “warm summers,” but we know that summers are hot, however we soften that proclamation by adding “…but it’s a dry heat.” The city is also close to three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. So, residents can avail themselves of opportunities like hiking, cycling, weekend trips to the mountains, and proximity to Casino/Resorts.
Fresno offers excellent opportunities for higher education with a two-year college that has multiple campuses as well as California State University, Fresno. The city also has an active art community, a wonderful zoo, and The Great Fresno Fair.
Fannin points out, “To be sure, downtown has struggled with stalled projects and vacant properties….” However, Kelly Gibson, a residential manager with Manco Abbott says that there has been “an influx of new businesses, housing, events, and nightlife downtown in recent years” and that they’ve drawn local residents to live in the area. According to Gibson, “Downtown is becoming an increasingly appealing place to call home, bringing a renewed sense of energy and excitement to the city center.”
¿Por qué no Madera?
Madera is located at the geographical center of California, part of the Fresno-Madera Metropolitan Area. The City of Madera has many of the same advantages as Fresno, although we lack the shopping and business centers. We also have a two-year college and easy access to CSU Fresno.
The median price of a house is about the same, $385,000, and a one-bedroom apartment goes for as low as $995/month and a high-end apartment with premium features goes for $1,500 to $1,600/month. At the present time, our downtown area is going through some well-needed changes. Caltrans is redesigning Yosemite Avenue (which is part of State Route 145). When the project is completed, it will feature new sidewalks and traffic circles.
Most of all, I think that the City of Madera offers the friendliness that seems to be more likely found in small cities than in larger agglomerations. That’s why, when it came time for me to retire, I chose Madera.
A few miles north on SR 99, there’s the Discovery Center, which features the relics of creatures that lived in the area during the paleolithic era: mammoths, dire wolves, saber-tooth cats, as so forth. Because Madera means wood or lumber in Spanish, I always thought that we should have a Lumber Museum. Mariposa has a gem and rock museum, which fits well with its mining history. We have an empty library building where we could display various types of wood that can be found in California (and maybe elsewhere, as well).
We also have the Chukchansi Resort and Casino on SR 145 and the North Fork Mono Casino and Resort just off SR 99 and Road 17 which is scheduled to open on Wednesday. Each features multiple restaurants and a variety of gambling choices. They also provide employment for many local workers.
A quarter century ago, Gail McIntyre, Debi Bray, the late Nancy Clute, and I organized CPR (Community Pride Renaissance) which led to other committees and eventually produced the Madera 2025 Action Plan. I think we need some similar organization now to plan for the modernization of downtown once the new street is completed.
Like Fresno, Madera can be a destination.
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Jim Glynn es Profesor Emérito de Sociología. Se le puede contactar en j_glynn@att.net.