Moving to Hanford, CA

About Hanford

Hanford is the Kings County seat, a city of about 58,000 people (2020 census) in the southern San Joaquin Valley on State Route 198, about 18 miles west of Visalia and 28 miles south-southeast of Fresno. Founded as a railroad and agricultural shipping centre and incorporated in 1891, it is still the county’s governmental and commercial hub. The job market runs on agriculture and food processing — including the Del Monte tomato cannery and Marquez Brothers cheeses — manufacturing, retail, county government, and healthcare, with Naval Air Station Lemoore about 8 miles away supporting military and civilian jobs in the area. Downtown Hanford is the draw: brick storefronts, antique shops, restaurants, and coffee roasters around the Fox Theatre (opened 1929), the Hanford Carnegie Museum in the old 1905 library, the Kings Art Center, and China Alley, one of the oldest surviving Chinese districts in rural California, with its Taoist Temple Museum and a Moon Festival each fall.

Things to do in Hanford

• Hanford Fox Theatre — concerts, comedy, and classic film nights in a 1929 atmospheric theatre
• Hanford Carnegie Museum, Kings Art Center, and China Alley / Taoist Temple Museum
• Downtown shops, antique stores, taquerias, coffee roasters, and restaurants
• Kings County Fair, Cinco de Mayo Festival, Christmas Parade, and Concerts in the Park
• Hidden Valley Park, Civic Park, and Kings Speedway
• Naval Air Station Lemoore and its aviation museum, about 15 minutes away

Utilities — who to call to turn things on

Confirm the specific provider for any address before closing — service areas can vary near city limits.

Electric — Southern California Edison

(800) 655-4555 — 24/7 for starting or stopping service. sce.com — Hanford is on SCE’s served-cities list and SCE’s Hanford and Mascot substations serve the city. Electric service here is SCE, not a city utility.

City utilities

Contact the City of Hanford for water, sewer, and trash start/stop information — see the city website below.

City government

City of Hanford

ci.hanford.ca.us — city website, for City Hall, departments, and services. Confirm utility providers for your specific address before closing.

Schools

Hanford school districts

Hanford Elementary School District and Hanford Joint Union High School District serve the city. School assignment depends on the specific address — verify with the district rather than assuming from the city name.

Jobs & employment

Major sectors include agriculture and food processing (including Del Monte and Marquez Brothers), manufacturing, retail, Kings County government, healthcare, and jobs connected to Naval Air Station Lemoore nearby. Many Hanford residents also commute to Visalia, Lemoore, and Fresno-area employers.

Moving checklist

• Set your purchase budget and financing plan
• Confirm the property’s insurance availability and get an actual quote before removing contingencies
• Verify school assignment directly with the serving district if schools matter to your decision
• Test your actual commute at the times you’ll really travel — Highway 198 east to Visalia or west toward Interstate 5
• Set up electric, water, sewer, and trash service (contacts above) ahead of move-in
• Update your address with banks, insurance, DMV, USPS and other important accounts