"Miguel came from a small town in northern Mexico / He came north with his brother Louis to California three years ago / They crossed at the river levee, when Louis was just sixteen / And found work together in the fields of the San Joaquin" - (Bruce Springsteen, "Sinaloa Cowboys")
Residents of the San Joaquin Valley may often get written off as a bunch of po-dunk farmers and backwards rednecks, but theres more to Hanford than fields and migrants. For instance, Hanford heartily embraces its historic past and recognizes that residents want both modern options and old-fashioned culture. So, there are shopping malls aplenty, with all the latest Forever 21 fashions, as well as a historic downtown with old-timey stores and restaurants, like the Star Restaurant, which opened in 1901 for antiques sake. Theres even a Kings Symphony Orchestra and the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture for people to patronize during their downtime. No one can accuse Hanford of being one-dimensional now. Plus, all this is extra surprising because its not only a farming town, but its a military one too. If youre still on the fence, hop off. Wide-open spaces, big houses and inexpensive living like you wont find elsewhere in California are the final nails in the coffin. Pack your stuff; were headed to the San Joaquin Valley!
Theres no getting around it; Hanford is decidedly rural
"Miguel came from a small town in northern Mexico / He came north with his brother Louis to California three years ago / They crossed at the river levee, when Louis was just sixteen / And found work together in the fields of the San Joaquin" - (Bruce Springsteen, "Sinaloa Cowboys")
Residents of the San Joaquin Valley may often get written off as a bunch of po-dunk farmers and backwards rednecks, but theres more to Hanford than fields and migrants. For instance, Hanford heartily embraces its historic past and recognizes that residents want both modern options and old-fashioned culture. So, there are shopping malls aplenty, with all the latest Forever 21 fashions, as well as a historic downtown with old-timey stores and restaurants, like the Star Restaurant, which opened in 1901 for antiques sake. Theres even a Kings Symphony Orchestra and the Clark Center for Japanese Art and Culture for people to patronize during their downtime. No one can accuse Hanford of being one-dimensional now. Plus, all this is extra surprising because its not only a farming town, but its a military one too. If youre still on the fence, hop off. Wide-open spaces, big houses and inexpensive living like you wont find elsewhere in California are the final nails in the coffin. Pack your stuff; were headed to the San Joaquin Valley!
The Landscape
Theres no getting around it; Hanford is decidedly rural. Pastures, farmland and massive tracts of empty green space with bitty sprouts popping up all over: this is the landscape of the San Joaquin Valley. Fortunately, the city isnt purely pastoral in nature; Hanford is the almost-urban little oasis within the farm territory. It has shops, restaurants, museums, schools, sporting events and every such thing you could possibly want. But if its not here, well, youll have to go far to find it. Hanford is pretty nice if you like big backyards, spacious square footage and car culture, but if you get cabin fever when youre not near designer boutiques or dance clubs, you have wildly missed your mark coming here.
The climate is worth a mention too. Its hot and arid here. Yeah, its farmland, but irrigation goes a long way to help with the moisture. The summers are very hot and dry, reaching 100 degrees more than once in a season, and winters are very cool. Once in a blue or a harvest moon or some extended length of time theres even snow. Dont cross your fingers for a snowball fight on Christmas though; its really rare.
Need to Know
Folks contemplating moving here should be apprised of several important details, beyond the rural qualities of the city. Cars are essential. In fact, theyre more than essential; theyre a point of pride and interest. Theres an auto-racing track here, and many homes boast more cars than members in the household. They dont have to be new or fancy; they probably shouldnt be foreign, but they should exist in spades. So maybe buy another buggy or two when you arrive.
Vacancy rates are surprisingly stingy. The population is dropping and no ones buying houses, as Hanford suffered greatly during the recession, but people dont like to move too much. Plan your migration at least a month or two in advance, or get stuck squatting in a downtown hotel for a few weeks. Thats not so terrible, of course. The downtown area is beautiful and intriguing, but unintentionally holing up with a family of five in a two-bed hotel room with a U-Haul full of priceless family heirlooms is less than ideal, yes? Yes.
Theres similar advice on the job front. Unemployment is still uncomfortably high, around 11 percent, and while its dropping, thats not a cozy margin if youre planning on arriving without a paycheck waiting with your name on it. Since this is a military city, most people heading here are freshly stationed in the area, but for those just eager to start somewhere fresh, definitely locate some solid options prior to putting boots on the ground.
Neighborhoods
Well, there arent really traditional, true neighborhoods per se, but there are general areas of interest. The rents and rates of areas in Hanford dont vary wildly, but sometimes the quality of schools or crime do, or maybe you prefer something more or less rural, more or less closely set near amenities. Regardless of district, the cost of living in Central California is noticeably lower than the rest of the state, so youve always got that going for you.
City Center: Need as much action as possible while living in this relatively quiet spot? Head downtown to City Center and enjoy the culture, history and, most importantly, retail of Hanford. Crime can be a problem here. Schools are middling, but theyre often worse elsewhere. $$$$
Home Garden: Just a hair outside Hanford proper is this little enclave. Its less expensive, more rural and consequently has incredibly suspect schools (do not bring children!). If you love having a lot of space between you and your neighbor, head here. $$
Armona: Slightly more expensive but with more amenities, Armona offers a compromise between Hanford central and Home Garden. It also has a pretty decent vacancy rate, so you can slip in easily on a month-to-month lease and then consider where you want to head next, or stay. $$$
Hardwick: This area has a mix of confusing stats, but basically its for cheap folks that dont want other people around. Theres a very low vacancy rate, but the rents are low and the incomes disproportionately high. The homes are bigger, the people more educated and the schools a bit better. $$
Guernsey: Also just a touch outside of Hanford is this option. Moderate vacancy levels make it attractive, and so do its moderate prices. Its incredibly remote and quiet: a great option for farmers or work from home types that cant be disturbed. $$$
Hanford is an intriguing mixture of many unexpected qualities. Its inexpensive, full of big homes and wide-open spaces, has oodles of cultural sites and intellectual places of interest, and its equally full of farmers and soldiers. The complicated ones are always the best ones, so if you like your towns multifaceted, youre almost certain to see Hanford as a winner. Though the city crumpled under the oppressive threat of the recession, Hanford is clawing its way back faster than any other San Joaquin Valley town, and its not surprising considering all the unique features of this location. It may not have perfect schools, but it is family-friendly, and at these prices you cant expect it to tick every box, can you?
