While often overshadowed by its coastal peers, Fresno, the largest inland city in California at almost one million people, is much more than a farming town. The city is also a hub for manufacturing, education, and healthcare. Its central location, about halfway between Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, propel its convention center to #9 among America’s midsize cities. Of course, farming is important too. Fresno County’s economic output from agriculture adds up to $8.3 billion annually, providing ample opportunity for its large foreign-born population (#5). The city’s revitalizing downtown is poised to transform even more within the next decade with the arrival of California’s high-speed rail system. For now, it’s the center of a vibrant farm-to-table restaurant scene (#5). Near-perfect weather (#3) and easy access to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks also make Fresno popular with the outdoors set, increasingly looking for solitary pursuits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.