Fresno Apartments and Rentals

Apartments and rentals in Fresno, CA, can be found all over this good sized city in central California. Known as the "Raisin Capitol of the World," Fresno is actually the state's fifth largest city with a population of more than a half million. It's an inland city that lies almost halfway between Los Angeles and the state's capital, Sacramento.

While thousands flocked to California during the Gold Rush, the area of present-day Fresno was overlooked. The area had been named Fresno by early Spanish explorers for the ash trees that grew along the San Joaquin River - Fresno means "ash trees" in Spanish. Settlers had originally founded a town called Millerton along the San Joaquin about 25 miles south of present-day Fresno. In 1872, the Central Railroad came through the San Joaquin Valley and set up Fresno Station in what became downtown Fresno. The folks in Millerton voted to move the county seat from Millerton to the new town of Fresno to be near rail transportation and most of the people moved there. The introduction of irrigation opened the area to agriculture, and grapes were the primary crop. The vineyards originally produced an unsatisfactory dry white wine, which led to the development of the raisin industry.

Today, Fresno is still a leader in the agricultural industry, with crops of raisins, fruits, vegetables - 350 commercial crops in all. And the processing and shipping of those crops all around the country. Ranching and dairy farming also are important to the local economy. Over the past two decades, however, the economy has become more diversified offering more job opportunities for residents and newcomers alike.

People are drawn by the city's sunny climate, job opportunities, varied neighborhoods and plentiful recreational opportunities available in nearby mountains, lakes, forests and more. In addition, although it is a big city, Fresno's agricultural setting lends an air of old-fashioned, small town values.

Some of Fresno's popular neighborhoods include: Woodward Park, Pinedale, Hoover, West and Old Fig Garden.

Fresno is the county seat and the area's economic hub. It is the number one agricultural county in the nation, and the city is home to the area's agribusiness industry. Commercial crop production in Fresno was worth more than $5.3 billion in 2007. Other big employers include oil and natural gas, and manufacturing. City and county government, health care and insurance round out Fresno's other top employers.

The city offers a range of educational possibilities. Among these is the Fresno campus of the public California State University. The University of California, San Francisco, also operates the Fresno Medical Education Program. Private universities include: California Christian College, Fresno Pacific University and San Joaquin College of Law. Two-year Fresno City College, established in 1910, was the first community college in California and the second in the country.

Fresno's cost of living is just a bit above the average for the country. One-bedroom apartments start at about $650 monthly and two-bedrooms at about $800 monthly. Rentals can be found in neighborhoods all over the city. There also is a nice selection of condos, townhomes and single family homes for rent.

Fresno touts itself as not only the business and financial capital of the San Joaquin Valley, but also the cultural and entertainment capital as well. It celebrates its agricultural role in a number of events and festivals throughout the year.

The Tower District, centered around an Art Deco era water tower, is among the city's trendiest. It features dozens of locally owned restaurants, nightclubs, theaters, cafes, shops and galleries. Downtown offers the Fulton Mall, restaurants, fountains, and public art, as well as the Fresno Zoo, Chaffee Zoological Gardens, and Storyland, where you can walk through scenes from children's stories. The city has its share of museums and historic sites, including the Fresno Metropolitan Museum, Kearney Mansion, Fresno Art Museum, Foresitere Underground Gardens and more.

Plus, Fresno is the gateway city to the natural wonders of the nearby Sierras. Within a 90-minute drive you can be in Yosemite National Park, or Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks.

Fresno's special events range from small-town friendly to big-city spectacular and everything in between. The Fresno County Blossom Trail in Spring and The Fresno County Fruit Trail in Fall are two of the top events. These self-guided tours celebrate the beauty of Fresno County's agriculture. At harvest time, you can also sample the many fruits. The Big Fresno Fair is the first largest fair in California and the biggest in the Central Valley. Founded in 1884, it attracts more than a half million people to see the displays and attractions, ride the coasters, eat fair food, rock to top name performers and have fun. There's also Veteran's Day Parade, billed as the largest on the West Coast and the Downtown Fresno Holiday Parade, which has been a holiday tradition for more than 80 years.

If you are looking to make Fresno your new home, or just looking for a new home in Fresno, you can search for rental properties, including apartments and homes at Rent.com®.