But, Fresno can be a tough sell: It’s hot, flat and among the most polluted metro areas in the U.S. Average rents and home prices are relatively low in a town where a quarter of the population is poor, but the starting teacher salaries are on the low side, as well: about $45,000 a year. Essentially a family-oriented agricultural town, Fresno lacks some of the cultural amenities and nightlife that people in their 20s might want in a city.