Hoover

Located along Highway 41, Hoover is a largely blue-collar, family-friendly community with plain looking homes strung around a busy state university. The neighborhood itself is square shaped and stretches about 12 square miles. House prices vary greatly, ranging from $20,000 to $95,000 (according to the 2010 U.S. Census). And the majority of residents have a white or hispanic background

Hoover is mainly a safe residential district with median household incomes in the range of $37,000. The area all seems reminiscent of the neat 1950’s starter homes that you see on old television programs. There are trimmed lawns, perfect front yards and trees plotted carefully along the sidewalks. Homes are commonly one-story and arranged on long properties. Yet, over time these houses have seemed to age without the slightest bit of renovation. If you’re looking to live in the area, the more expensive homes lie on the northern end of the community.

Its biggest and quite frankly most appealing attraction is Fresno State University. The school is synonymous with athletics. Competing in the Western Athletics Conference, the Fresno State athletic program excels at 19 different varsity teams. The Bulldogs have earned two NCAA team championships over the past 15 years, its most recent coming in 2008 when the school’s baseball team won the college World Series. The school also offers a variety of student clubs, organizations and greek life for prospecting students to get excited about. Academically, the school lies in the middle of the pack when mixed in with the rest of California’s state school programs. In the 2011 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” Fresno State was ranked 37th among the best Master’s universities in the West. I guess that means something.