Northern San Joaquin Valley

Region Overview

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region Sacramento valley

The three counties that comprise the region – San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced – are the most northern section of California’s heartland. The region is unique in its economic and geographic relationships, with ties to the Bay Area and Silicon Valley, the Sacramento region to its north and Fresno to its south. This wide swatch of urban downtowns, farmland and vineyards, the California Delta, and growing suburbs are home to three major universities, leading logistics and manufacturing companies, and more than 1.6M residents. The Northern San Joaquin Valley is not short of invested community members and stakeholders who will identify and champion economic development opportunities that have far-reaching impact on all residents, including the region’s most disinvested communities.

Northern San Joaquin Valley is the birthplace of . . .

Innovation

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iHub San Joaquin

iHub San Joaquin

Port of Stockton Rail Upgrade

Port of Stockton Rail Upgrade

Hydrogen Powered Rail

Hydrogen Powered Rail

Innovation

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iHub San Joaquin
iHub San Joaquin
Designated by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), iHub San Joaquin develops new partnerships, stimulatse economic development, creates new jobs, and nurtures entrepreneurship and enterprises dedicated to innovative and emerging technologies. They are dedicated to re-invigorating the region’s economy as a center for sustainable technologies in Health Care, Agri-Business, and Sustainable Construction Technology.
Port of Stockton Rail Upgrade
Port of Stockton Rail Upgrade
The Inland Port of Stockton, one of California’s essential 11 ports, has received $9.63 million for the Rail Rehabilitation & Upgrade Project. The Project will improve the Port of Stockton’s lead track by replacing and upgrading approximately 13,400 feet of existing rail. In 2021, the Port of Stockton alone generated $77.7M in state and local taxes through its handling of 4.9M metric tons of cargo
Hydrogen Powered Rail
Hydrogen Powered Rail
Tri-Valley-San-Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority has agreed to buy 200 acres of land in Tracy for a green hydrogen production facility as part of the Valley Link Rail Project. Aside from generating new jobs in hydrogen fuel production, the rail will transport workers between San Joaquin and the Bay Area.

Inspiration

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Central California Asthma Collaborative

Central California Asthma Collaborative (CCAC)

Stanislaus 2030

Stanislaus 2030

WE Will

WE Will! Regional Collaborative

Inspiration

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Central California Asthma Collaborative
Central California Asthma Collaborative (CCAC)
Operating through the SJ Valley, CCAC aims to provide education and direct services, build regional capacity and advocate for sensible policies that improve health and address inequities by reducing environmental impacts and emphasizing the prevention and management of chronic disease.
Stanislaus 2030
Stanislaus 2030
Stanislaus 2030 is a collaboration among business, government, and civic stakeholders to create and deliver a joint strategy and investment plan for regional economic growth and opportunity in the coming decade. After the initial discovery and engagement phases, leadership will develop data-driven investment plans to grow regional opportunity.
WE Will
WE Will! Regional Collaborative
The North San Joaquin Valley was awarded $250,000 from the state Department of General Services to plan and design streamlined pathways for students from high school to post-secondary education to workforce. Led by UC Merced, the collaborative will select 2-3 high-priority industry sectors to focus on streamlining across the three-county region.
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Never before has a regional coalition of grassroots organizations and economic development stakeholders come together to center prosperity on those who have been historically left-out. Together, we will develop a shared agenda and ensure that the investments that follow build the economics of our three counties in transformative ways.

Merced County Workforce Development Board

Region By Numbers

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Explore these numbers and additional key Northern San Joaquin Valley demographic, economic, and business data on the Community & Place-Based Data Tool. Uncover other data tools, regional plans, and resources on the Data & Knowledge Library Page.

Population


1,623,721

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Total Households


506,923

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Total Establishments


41,710

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Educational Attainment


Associate
Degree
9%
Bachelor’s
Degree
12%
Graduate
Degree
5%

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Labor Force


746,144

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Regional Contacts

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Explore other federal, state, and regional contacts on our community connection page.

danna stroud

CPBS Central California Regional Manager, GO-Biz


HRTC Contacts

The Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF) will support an inclusive High Road Training Collaborative (HRTC) in this region, in charge of creating economic development recovery and transition strategies. To be a part of this region’s processes to advance economic prosperity and equity, contact the HRTC conveners.

Merced County Workforce Development Board


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Produced in Partnership with the U.S. Economic Development Administration