A new ranking of health outcomes in California counties has grim news for San Joaquin Valley residents. Out of California's 60 counties, all six San Joaquin Valley counties in the bottom third of the state. Fresno County ranked 46th, Tulare 49th and Kern 54th.
Counties in the Bay Area led the survey, with Marin, San Mateo and Santa Clara occupying three of the top five spots.
The ranking was prepared by the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute. The analysis ranked counties based on their performance in a variety of categories, including smoking and obesity rates, sexually transmitted diseases and air pollution. It also looked at other factors including unemployment, high school graduation rates, and the number of fast food outlets.
San Joaquin Valley Counties:
#36 - Stanislaus
#37 - Madera
#39 - Merced
#41 - Kings
#46 - Fresno
#49 - Tulare
#54 - Kern