Known as the heart of California’s Central Valley and a bit more rural than some Golden State cities, Turlock is an agricultural hot spot and the home of a growing university campus.
Turlock’s appeal lies in its rustic nature and affordable cost of living, making it ideal location for those who want to save a buck or two while working in a nearby city. But people don’t just come here for the inexpensive rent; they come for the small community feel, the views of orchards and dairy farms on the local roads and that signature blend nature and culture.
You may think that a town known for its almond production and huge amount of churches would be mundane, overflowing with rural folk and set in its ways. Turlock begs to differ. Home to the California State University Stanislaus, with over 20 parks and a love of art, Turlock is a relaxed community with a hint of vibrancy. Students coalesce with families and retirees mingle with young professionals in this friendly valley town. This town is much more than meets the eye. Come get to know Turlock.
Neighborhoods in Turlock
The northern area of the city, broken into Northwest and Northeast, is thriving and full of great living options to choose from. We’ve included their respective zip codes to make the search for your new home a bit easier.
Northwest Turlock (95382): Quickly becoming a trendier part of town due to its proximity to campus, the area largely consists of families, students and young singles. Living here puts you within walking distance to the hospital, local parks and CSUS. It’s a middle/upper-middle income suburban neighborhood and the single-family homes here are often established and mid-sized. As for apartment living, renters can delight in resort style pools, spas, latte shops and community brunches. For students, there are furnished, off-campus living options. One-bedroom apartments can start around $725 and sometimes feature hot tubs, fitness centers, pool, and close proximity to Highway 99. This is a calm and quaint end of town that allows residents the ability to relax, shop, dine and enjoy the town.
Central to North East Turlock (95380): We know what you are thinking: In most cities, these two areas are broken down into different sections, but Turlock living isn’t too vast and these spots are somewhat synonymous. Starting at Greer Rd. and heading east, this area is a very affordable part of town—studios start at $595 and one-bedrooms around $645. Townhomes and apartments are often set in a country setting, close to shopping and dining. This is definitely a more “urban” part of town; we’ll even venture to say hip and trendy for a rural town. The homes in the central/northeast region are a blend of historic and newer and the residents are just as blended. Families, young singles/couples, long time residents and college students call this middle-income area home.
Things to Know Before You Go:
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Garbage and sewage are often included in rent. The luxury of leaving trash by your door and having someone dispose of it is extremely underrated.
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Many apartments in Turlock are available furnished (though price of rent may be more for this). Many complexes also offer corporate housing (for those in the business world) and short-term leases.
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It gets insanely hot here during the summer, with temperatures reaching into the 100s. Yes, we said 100s, so be sure to find an apartment with a pool or two on the premises and pack plenty of sunscreen.
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The city is famous for its impeccable services for people with special needs.
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With a historical downtown district, museums, theatre and a local cheese company that offers tastings, Turlock always offers something to do.
Turlockian Transportation
Located between Modesto and Merced, the city of Turlock relies on two state highways to get around. State Route 99 (aka the Golden State Parkway) will bring you north and south throughout the state and State Route 165 serves as the main travel artery throughout the city. Becoming Greer Rd. at one point, 165 provides access to downtown and major areas of Turlock. Because of its central location and highway access, day trips are a huge part of the lifestyle here. Residents often make weekend getaways to Yosemite, Lake Tahoe and San Francisco. Traffic here usually isn’t too bad, even during commuting hours. Like most cities, there are some congested patches during rush hour, but compared to major cities, especially in this state, Turlock traffic is mild.
A lot of people that live and work in Turlock often bike and walk to work. So pack your ten-speed.
Using public transportation is all about learning acronyms. DART (Dial a Ride Turlock) BLAST (Bus Line Service of Turlock) and START (Stanislaus Regional Transit) will take residents anywhere they want to go in the Turlock area. The BLAST will bring you to campus, work or shopping for the low rate of $1.50. For the same price START will bring riders through Turlock to major parts of Modesto—ideal option for commuters. Got all that? There will be a quiz on this later.
People move to and live in Turlock for what it isn’t. It’s no party town, it’s no concrete jungle and it’s not a pressure cooker filled with corporate big wigs. It’s actually where people come to escape all of that. Laidback, rural and a little bit Mayberry (it has a main street called Main Street), Turlock is where you come to settle down after you got all of the partying and big city out of your system or if you at least want to be a good distance/car ride away from it.
So grab your ten-speed, your sun block and your love of locally grown food and take a chance on Turlock.