Health
How do health outcomes in San Joaquin County compare to state and national benchmarks?
93.1%
of San Joaquin County residents had health insurance coverage as of 2022.
94%
of San Joaquin County kindergarteners were current with vaccinations as of 2023-2024, which is down from a high of 100% in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018.
77.1 years
Life expectancy at birth in San Joaquin County, 2021–2023.
Health
Residents Per Provider
Access to healthcare in San Joaquin County varies significantly across different types of providers. The ratio of residents to primary care, dental, and mental health providers has generally seen gradual improvements over time, as illustrated in the graphs. Despite this progress, disparities remain compared to state and national averages, which highlights the ongoing need for investments in healthcare infrastructure and workforce development. This interactive graph facilitates exploration of trends over time and comparisons between the county and the state and nation, supporting data-driven decision-making to address gaps in access. For example, San Joaquin County realized a 340:1 ratio of residents to mental health care providers in 2024, which demonstrates a need for improvement when compared with the 220:1 ratio of California and the 320:1 ratio of the United States. More significantly, in 2024, San Joaquin County experienced a 2,220:1 of other/additional primary care providers, including nurse practitioners , physician assistants, and clinical nurse specialists, compared with a state ratio of 1,160:1 and a national ratio of 760:1. Similarly, San Joaquin County experienced lower access to dentists and primary care providers as well.
1,649:1
is the ratio of residents to primary care physicians in San Joaquin County, observed in 2022, compared with 1,199:1 for California and 1,312:1 for the United States. Lower ratios mean fewer residents per provider; observation years differ by measure (physicians 2022, dentists 2023, mental health and other primary care providers 2025).
Excessive Drinking over Time
The percentage of adults reporting excessive drinking in San Joaquin County has fluctuated between 16% and 21% across the 2017–2024 County Health Rankings releases, as shown in the interactive graph. This indicator highlights trends in excessive drinking prevalence across multiple geographies, enabling comparisons between San Joaquin County, California, and the United States. Disparities in excessive drinking rates persist throughout 2017 through 2024, which emphasizes the need for continued public health efforts to reduce alcohol misuse and its associated health risks.
16%
of adults in San Joaquin County reported excessive drinking in the 2024 County Health Rankings release, compared with 17% in California and 18% nationwide.
Currently Smoking over Time
The percentage of adults reporting current smoking in San Joaquin County has fluctuated between 12% and 15% across the 2017–2024 County Health Rankings releases, as shown in the interactive graph. This indicator highlights trends in smoking prevalence across multiple geographies, enabling comparisons between San Joaquin County, California, and the United States. Disparities in smoking rates remain throughout 2017 through 2024, which underscores the need for continued public health efforts to reduce tobacco use and the negative public health outcomes it produces.
13%
of adults in San Joaquin County reported current smoking in the 2024 County Health Rankings release, compared with 9% in California and 15% nationwide.
Historical Trend for Life Expectancy
Life expectancy in San Joaquin County climbed steadily from about 76.3 years in 2000 to a peak of 78.5 years in 2019, remaining a few years below the California average throughout. The pooled County Health Rankings estimate for 2021–2023 is 77.1 years, compared with 79.7 in California and 77.6 nationally. Because that figure is pooled and differently sourced, it is shown separately rather than joined to the annual 2000–2019 trend.
−1.4 yrs
change in San Joaquin County life expectancy from the 2019 annual peak (78.5) to the pooled 2021–2023 estimate (77.1).
Life Expectancy by Gender
Life expectancy in San Joaquin County varies by gender, as shown in the graph. In 2019, females had a higher life expectancy compared to males, consistent with the national trend. This indicator allows for exploration of disparities in longevity between genders and comparisons across geographies. Understanding these differences is helpful for addressing health inequities and supporting targeted interventions to improve health outcomes for all residents.
6.1 years
is the difference between the average life expectancy of San Joaquin County female and male residents as of 2019, with females living an average of over 6 years longer than males.
Life Expectancy by Race
Life expectancy in San Joaquin County varies significantly across racial and ethnic groups, as illustrated with this indicator. Over the pooled 2021–2023 period, Asian (non-Hispanic) residents had the highest life expectancy at 82.3 years, followed by Hispanic/Latino residents at 79.3 years and American Indian/Alaska Native residents at 77.7 years. White (non-Hispanic) residents were at 75.9 years and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander residents — a separate group from Asian residents — at 74.4 years. Black/African American (non-Hispanic) residents had the lowest life expectancy at 70.0 years. Life expectancy for residents of two or more races was not supplied for publication and is not shown as zero. These disparities reflect regional and national trends driven by the social determinants of health, including systemic inequities in healthcare access, socioeconomic resources, and environmental conditions.
12.3 years
is the difference between the highest and lowest life expectancy by race and ethnicity in San Joaquin County over the pooled 2021–2023 period — 82.3 years for Asian (non-Hispanic) residents and 70.0 years for Black/African American (non-Hispanic) residents.
Infant Mortality
Infant mortality rates in San Joaquin County have fluctuated over time, as shown in the graph, with the lowest rate in this dataset occurring in 2016 at 4.28 per 1,000 live births and the highest rate in 2008 at 7.43 per 1,000 live births. These rates reflect underlying disparities in access to prenatal care, maternal health, and social drivers of health. This indicator allows for tracking infant mortality across multiple geographies, which enables comparisons. Understanding these patterns is crucial for informing interventions aimed at reducing infant mortality and improving overall maternal and child health outcomes.
5.12
per 1,000 live births is the infant mortality rate in San Joaquin County in 2021, compared to 4.13 in California and 5.44 in the United States.
Insurance Coverage
Health insurance coverage in San Joaquin County has remained relatively stable over recent years, as shown in the graph. In 2024, 93.1% of San Joaquin County residents were insured, slightly below the statewide rate of 94.1%, reflecting continued but uneven progress toward ensuring access to healthcare services. However, a significant portion of the population still lacks coverage, particularly in underserved communities. Comparing local data helps identify areas where expanded efforts are needed to achieve universal coverage and improve health equity across the region.
6.9%
of San Joaquin County residents lack health insurance coverage as of 2022.
Kindergartners with Up-to-Date Vaccines
The percentage of kindergartners with up-to-date vaccinations in San Joaquin County has experienced a decline over recent years, as shown in the graph. In the 2021–2022 school year, over 5% of kindergartners were not current with their vaccinations in San Joaquin County, compared to 0% in the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 school years. This trend reflects broader statewide challenges in maintaining vaccination rates, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. High vaccination coverage helps protect public health and prevent outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
5.1%
of San Joaquin County kindergartners were not current with vaccinations as of the 2021–2022 school year, compared with 0% in the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 school years.
Lifetime Asthma Prevalence (Adults vs. Youth)
Lifetime asthma prevalence measures the share of people ever diagnosed with asthma. In 2023-2024, 17.9% of San Joaquin County adults (18+) reported a lifetime asthma diagnosis, above California’s 16.6%—and adult rates in the county have stayed at or above the state average in every survey period since 2015. Among youth (0–17), the county reported 8.0%, below California’s 11.6% and down sharply from a 28.7% estimate in 2017-2018. That drop should be read with care: San Joaquin’s youth samples are small, so a single point carries a wide margin of error. The dashed 95% confidence bands show how much uncertainty sits around each value—for youth in 2017-2018, the true rate could fall anywhere from about 3% to 55%. The steadier pattern is the adult trend, which has held near 18% across the past decade.
17.9%
of San Joaquin County adults had a lifetime asthma diagnosis in 2023-2024 — above California’s 16.6%.