Fresno was recently ranked the 24th best city in the nation for those under 35, according to website vocativ.com, stirring surprise amongst some circles and grabbing attention from the likes of Al Jazeera America.
“What makes Fresno a great city for young talent is the ability to do about anything you want in terms of building a professional career,” said Dr. Timothy Stearns, executive director of the Lyles Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Fresno State . “You don’t need to spend decades paying your dues to get to the level of having an impact on the community.”
Often jokingly referred to as “the armpit of California,” Fresno earned major points in the livability index for emerging business opportunities and its low cost of living. On a lighter note, it also ranked in the top 10 for categories such as the high number of single people, the cost of a drink and the price of marijuana.
Using information from the 2010 census and the Internet, Vocativ’s list comprises data to determine the rankings of the top 35 cities, narrowing it down to 20 categories seen as “essential indicators for those between 18 and 35.”
While beaten by the likes of Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Boston, Fresno came in just behind New York City but ahead of San Diego, Philadelphia and Colorado Springs. Los Angeles and Chicago failed to make the list.
According to Vocativ, data shows that 36 percent of adults between 18 and 31 are living at home with their parents in the U.S. This inspired the website to compile the list, highlighting the cities that “represent your best chance of not dying jobless and alone in your parents’ basement.”
Stearns says Fresno is “a city that is building momentum as a hub for key economic sectors that will emerge to be vital to the global economy.”
In terms of young professionals, Stearns said Fresno is ideal.
In Dr. Eric Liguori’s perspective, Fresno has “tremendous potential” both for entrepreneurship and job opportunities. Liguori, a business and management professor at Fresno State, explained there is a skill gap that makes it perfect for graduates to enter the workforce.
“Skilled labor, you know college educated students that are coming out that are positioning themselves well in the market, they should be in demand,” he said.
The attraction of keeping things within the Valley is also a bonus for Fresno State graduates, Liguori said, encouraging his students to stay local for business.
“People from Fresno like to do business with people from Fresno,” he said.
While the job market is favorable for graduates, for those still in college, the cheap cost of living is most important. Fresno ranked 12th for rent, 24th for takeout food and 28th for grocery shopping.
Brendan Comstock, a senior history major, was initially surprised by the news, in light of the common “preconceived notions about Fresno.”
Yet after his four-year residence in Fresno, Comstock said he can see the perks, the disposable income being most notable. A southern California native, he’s positive about Fresno being affordable compared with other places.
“When you really think about it and delve into it, there are things here you can find that’s interesting,” he said. “There is a lot of culture here. It’s a very diverse city.”
