Fresno is California’s fifth-largest city and the 34th largest in the country. Known as the Raisin Capital of the World, Fresno is a great place to live, with ample sunshine, year-round warm weather, and plenty to do. Walk Score ranks Fresno the 26th most walkable large city in the United States with a Walk Score of 49, but unless you’re in one of the city’s top 5 neighborhoods you’re going to find that you need a car to get most places. So which are those top 5 neighborhoods in Fresno?…
Central Fresno
The neighborhood is called Central but this is basically downtown Fresno, in the heart of the city. Around 14,000 people live here, enjoying the close proximity to grocery stores, Fulton shopping mall, restaurants, and other shops and services. Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center is here so if you enjoy live music, shows, and more you could be within walking distance of this premier venue. And if you enjoy sports there are several arenas in central Fresno too. It’s a very walkable neighborhood, given a Walk Score of 75, so you can do most things on foot. The cost of living is low and although you have all those amenities nearby this isn’t the safest neighborhood in the city – the crime index is 60 percent higher than the Fresno average, and schools have a poor performance rating.
Hoover
Hoover is a popular neighborhood of Fresno, set more in the suburbs and away from the city center. It’s a nice family-oriented place to live with plenty of well-performing schools, and a reasonable cost of living. The crime index is higher than the Fresno average (31 percent higher) but Hoover is safer than Central Fresno, and, in actual fact, Hoover is safer than 60 percent of the neighborhoods in the city. Walk Score rates Hoover second most walkable in the city with a Walk Score of 60. Most of the neighborhood’s shops and services are focused along E Shaw Avenue and includes Fashion Fair Mall.
Fresno High Roeding
The third most walkable neighborhood is Fresno High Roeding with a Walk Score of 59. This large neighborhood is home to around 57,000 residents and it’s set just to the northwest of Central Fresno. So you’ve got easy access into downtown in addition to plenty of places to shop, eat and drink in Fresno High Roeding itself. There’s a good selection of schools here too, for families, as well as Fresno City College. This neighborhood has several shopping centers and malls so there are always places to shop nearby. The cost of living here is 7.5 percent less than the Fresno average, but crime is a little higher again – the crime index is 39 percent higher than the average, but Fresno High Roeding is safer than 50 percent of the neighborhoods in the city.
Mclane
Mclane is a little closer to Central Fresno than neighboring Hoover, so there are lots of shops and services close by. Mclane does also have its own shopping malls and restaurants, mostly concentrated around E Shields Avenue, and there are schools, parks, grocery stores, and other services here too. Mclane is better for car users as Walk Score gives the neighborhood a score of only 53. Mclane does have a higher crime index than the Fresno average, at 42 percent higher, and it’s safer than 30 percent of the neighborhoods in the city.
Woodward Park
Set right on the northern edges of Fresno, Woodward Park has a more rural feel with plenty of open spaces and parks. Woodward Park itself is a large and popular park that is home to CIF Cross Country State Championships every November. The neighborhood is ranked the best place to live in Fresno according to Area Vibes, and with good schools, grocery stores, and restaurants it’s easy to see why. Woodward Park is the only one of our five featured neighborhoods that have a crime index lower than the Fresno average! It is safer than 70 percent of the neighborhoods in the city, and it has a Walk Score of 49.
