The New York Times shouts out Fresno as a place you’d actually want to live

Being a vocal supporter of Fresno tends to feel like preaching to the choir.

So, it’s heartening when someone outside the region – outside the state even – gets hip to all of the city’s positives. For instance, New York Times writer Mike McPhate, whose daily column included a piece on why Fresno gets a bad rap. His commentary comes on the heels of a study from the financial website GoBankingRates, which found one could live in Fresno (and fairly well) on income of roughly $44,500 a year. That makes it one of the most affordable places to live in the country.

Couple that with our art scene, proximity to pretty much any kind of outdoor recreation imaginable (seriously) and budding tech sector and McPhate argues there are reasons to love Fresno. I’d add the exploding craft beer scene and a couple of regional music festivals, but that’s just me. Of course, McPhate is not the first outside to make the case for Fresno. The Atlantic’s James Fallows was impressed by Fresno (and wrote about it intelligently) when he stopped through last year.

It’s the kind of talk that makes a mayor proud.

“We see the results of our hard work every day, so it’s great news to know that we’re getting positive affirmation and support from across the country,” says Fresno Mayor Lee Brand.

“To have the ‘New York Times ‘tell the world about ‘Reasons to Love Fresno’ is something that should make us all proud.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2017 at 10:32 AM with the headline "The New York Times shouts out Fresno as a place you’d actually want to live."