FRESNO, Calif. – For six months, Ashley Morales-Guerrero chased a dream in San Francisco, hoping the Bay Area would open the door to a stable and well-paying job.
Instead, she found herself splitting rent with six people, rotating through four different rooms, and paying $500 a month — a big change compared to 15 years ago — for a sliver of space and a lot of uncertainty.
The reality of surviving in one of California’s most expensive cities quickly overshadowed the dreams she had. Motivated by affordability and a desire for stability, she returned to the Central Valley, got married, and tried to find a good place in the area for the two of them, eventually settling in Fresno.
Moving into a new house with her husband felt like a fresh start. She was in a new neighborhood, and she had the chance to finally build something steady. She lived in Fresno’s famed Tower District during her first year. It felt promising.
On one hand, she was close to her bookstore business and able to spend more time with her husband and family.
But by the second year, she began noticing more expenses. By the third and fourth years, one shift stood out sharply: her electricity bill.
Last summer, the bill climbed to $700 in one month — four times what she and her husband had paid during their first year in the home.
“Nothing had changed in the house. We weren’t using the AC more, it wasn’t hotter than the year before, it was just more expensive,” Morales-Guerrero said.
That experience isn't unique. KVPR recently conducted a small survey of Fresno residents seeking to understand what’s great about their city and what needs work. Many residents said while the city is great in regards – for instance, its rich diversity and proximity to so much of California’s natural beauty – everyday costs like utilities, groceries, and housing are eating away at their budgets, despite the fact that the city generally remains more affordable than the state’s bigger cities.
Utility costs rise steadily
"Electricity is ridiculous," said one person who responded to the KVPR survey.
"The last time I was in Fresno, it cost me over $125 just to run the stove and refrigerator. No heat, no air conditioning. Nothing [else]," another respondent said.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company provides electricity to much of the central and northern San Joaquin Valley. According to the Public Advocates Office, an independent consumer advocate within the state government that represents utility customers, electricity costs more than doubled for PG&E customers in 10 years, and the costs of natural gas increased by 8%.
The rate increases, according to the Public Advocates Office, stem from several factors, including wildfire mitigation efforts and rising insurance costs, as well as expanded transmission and distribution investments and rooftop solar incentives through net energy metering programs. For residents, these costs are biting them as they try to live in one of the state’s last affordable regions.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration, a government agency that collects energy data, projects that electricity prices nationwide will continue to rise through 2026, increasing faster than the overall rate of inflation.
Housing may be cheaper - but not cheap enough
"I don't know that we can afford to retire here,” wrote one survey respondent.
“We don't know whether this feels like this [Fresno] is some place that we will be able to afford to retire. We've actually looked or have started looking at multiple places. I mean, I'd hate to leave California,” another said.
"Compared to what young people are faced with today, we had it easy," wrote another.
Even though Fresno is still considered one of the cheapest places to live in California, KVPR’s survey reveals that rising rents and mortgages are making some residents feel stuck economically.
Ronald J. Martin shared in the survey that his first house in Fresno cost $119,000 a few decades ago. Today, the home listing service Zillow reports that the average home in Fresno costs more than $380,000 – triple the cost of what it used to be.
Zillow estimates average home prices in Fresno using its Zillow Home Value Index, which tracks monthly value changes, along with its Zestimate model that analyzes public records, listings, and market trends.
The average household income in Fresno is just under $71,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Data from ApartmentList, a website that collects information to help prospective home renters find houses, estimates the median rent for a 1-bedroom in Fresno is over $1,000.
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the increase in housing costs is largely driven by Fresno’s steady population growth.
Many residents say “affordable” no longer reflects their economic reality
Fresno teacher Michelle Rogers used to live in San Francisco. She spent 10 years there while attending college and earning her teaching credentials. During that time, she said she never experienced a rent increase, crediting the city’s renters’ rights protections.
About eight years ago, she moved back to Fresno to accept a teaching position and to be closer to her family. Although working in education provides her with regular salary increases, she said her rent has increased at roughly the same rate.
“It’s hard when you’ve been working so many years and you don’t feel any pay raises,” Rogers said.
“Either wages come up, or costs go down,” a survey responder agreed.
Alex Pugh, a solar contractor and father of two, said earning “at least $25 an hour” is necessary to live comfortably in Fresno.
California’s minimum wage currently stands at $16.90 — far above the federal minimum of $7.25 — yet for many in Fresno, a bump in pay doesn’t mean much when the cost of living rises by just as much.
Pugh would prefer to relocate to a different city, but staying near his children is what ultimately keeps him where he is. At the same time, he questions whether this city is truly the best environment for them.
"Fresno's economy feels like it's perpetually kind of struggling," Pugh said. Sometimes, he added, "the best thing to do in Fresno is leave."
