San Joaquin County is a fast growing area of California. Major cities in this area are, Cities of Escalon, Lathrop, Lodi, Manteca, Ripon, Stockton and Tracy.

The County seat for San Joaquin County is Stockton, which is the 12th largest city in California with a multi-ethnic-cutural population of more than 260,000.Located 60 miles east of the Bay Area and 45 miles south of Sacramento along the San Joaquin Delta waterways connecting to the Bay Area, Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.

The quality of life is excellent in Stockton with its beautiful residential communities along the waterways with over 100,000 trees. Accroding to tha Sunset Magazine, Stockton is the "BEST TREE CITY" in the western U.S. Single family homes cost 1/3 of that in the Bay Area. On July 13, 2004 the Redevelopment Agency approved a project area that encompasses 3,687 acres. The Committee has indentified certain types of projects they
would like to see: Housing Project including rehabilitation,new construction, and homeowner assistance; Business Assistance, including incentive programs,rehabilitation and facade programs; Infrastructure Improvements, including sewer line replacements and street/sidewalk improvements.

The City is undergoing a tremendous economic expansion and dynamic revitalization of its downtown. Developments along the waterfront will include a baseball stadium, indoor arena, hotels, housings, etc. Large entertainment, retail centers and 16 screen cinemas have been completed and more in progress.

Recreational opportunites are abound.The community offers many local recreational opportunities such as a professional baseball team, an olympic size ice rink, and the Delta which provides thousands of miles of waterways for water skiing, sailing and other water activities.

Stockton offers opportunities to enjoy music, theater, dance, literary events, and other cultural and entertainment activities throughout the year. The City has its own symphony and opera company.

We can find several higher educational institutions as well, including the University of the Pacific, California State University Stanislaus-Stockton, San Joaquin Delta Community College, Humphreys College and School of Law, as well as various private and vocational schools.