Fresno, California
Average housing cost: $632
Population age 65 or older: 9.3 percent
Walkability score: 46
Safety score: 7
“Farmland meets city life” is the best way to describe Fresno. Situated in California’s Central Valley, the culturally diverse city is surrounded by farms that grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruit and nut trees, anyone? Fresno has 62 miles of them.
Downtown, on the other hand, is bustling with shops, restaurants, breweries and numerous cultural attractions. Much of the downtown area can be explored on foot; with a Walk Score of 46, Fresno is the third-most-walkable city on this list.
It has the third-lowest average rent per month on our list, at $632. You can see here how much money you need to live comfortably in Fresno. Mild weather makes outdoor activities enjoyable all year long. San Francisco, Oakland and Silicon Valley are all about a three-hour drive away.