Lake County: The Sewer of California?

Lake County is one of the poorest and most unhealthy counties in California by almost every available indicator. Unsurprisingly, the county harbors the most unintelligent populace in the state with an average IQ of 93.12, a whopping 4.26 points below the state average. While dismal, low IQ in particular appears to be the cause of Lake County's many issues surrounding health, crime, and poverty.

Economy and Prosperity

Lake County hosts approximately 23,900 jobs across various sectors, with its most dominant industries being Health Care/Social Assistance and Retail Trade/Construction, none of which are significantly high-earning. That leaves over 40,000 retired or jobless residents who aren’t contributing to the workforce. Since the unemployment rate is 9.1%, that leaves about 53.8% of people, retirees mostly, who are leechers. This is unsurprising given that the median age in the county is 45.3 years.

Agriculture in Lake County has its own set of challenges. The value of agricultural products sold in the county was around $83 million. In comparison, counties like Monterey County reported sales of about $4.49 billion in the same category despite being only ten times larger, highlighting the disparity in agricultural productivity and revenue.

This economic scenario is further exacerbated by a gender pay gap, with men earning a median of $36,650 and women earning $26,130. Between 2019 and 2020, employment declined by 1.56%, potentially intensified by the global pandemic. These economic shortcomings are reflected in Lake County’s alarming poverty. The median household earns a paltry $35,997 which is the lowest in the state. Approximately 46% of households in the county are without a second parent.

The average property value is $238,000, more than three times less expensive than the state average of $744,280 indicating that the demand for housing is low, because Lake County fails to attract the smart and affluent with its vacated and barren landscape. With a median property tax of $1,645 and a sales tax rate of 7.25%, Lake County collects a significant amount in taxes. However, the high tax rates juxtaposed against the prevailing challenges raise questions about the efficiency and allocation of tax revenues as the infrastructure appears to be underdeveloped or poorly maintained. It might even prevent the settlement of talent in the county.

Finally, almost a third of children in Lake County are in poverty – the seventh-highest percentage in California. Approximately 32% of Lake County's youth aged 16-24 are not in employment, education, or training. This paints a grim picture of the county’s future.

Health and Well-being

Lake County is the most mentally unwell county in the state. Indeed, residents report more mental illness and distress than any other county. Additionally, the county ranks ninth in self-reported physical unhealthiness. 10% of the county's population is diabetic – the second highest percentage in all of California – while 26% are considered obese.

One might then expect Lake County residents to have abundant access to great food, but they don't. In fact, 18% of the county is classified as food insecure – the second-highest percentage in the state. The county also has the sixth worst Food Environment Index, a comprehensive measurement of access to nutritious food.

Lake County has seen an uptick in West Nile Virus (WNV) activity, which is cause for concern. The county has the second-highest infant mortality rate out of any county in California and the tenth-highest child mortality rate. The county also has the highest rate of years of potential life lost, the third highest level of particle (PM2.5) pollution in California, the second-highest percentage of smokers in the state, and the highest rate of drug overdose by far – a whopping 44 per 100,000 residents every year.

It’s ironic how unhealthy and unwell this county is despite Health Care and Social Assistance being its most dominant economic sector.

Crime and Safety

According to the most recent reports, the county's homicide rate is the fourth highest in the state at 10 per 100,000. The arrest rate in Lake County is the highest in California, at nearly 7,906 per 100,000. The violent crime rate stands at 32.4, and the property crime rate is 60.1, both considerably higher than the state averages. The county also reports the fifth-highest firearm fatality rate and the tenth-highest rate of violent crime. While possessing the fourth highest motor vehicle mortality rate, Lake County is tied with Trinity County for the highest rate of injury-related deaths in California.

The crime scenario in Lake County is alarming. With an overall crime rate of 3,455 per 100,000 residents, the county's crime rates are a deterrent to both residents and potential investors.

Conclusion

Lake County proves to be the metaphorical sewer of California; the county is poor, violent, disconnected, obese, and otherwise unhealthy. Schools in Lake County report the lowest test scores in the state. However, due to the relationship between income and cognitive ability, this should not necessarily be attributed to a worse education system. Individuals with a lower innate cognitive capacity tend to be more prone to violence, unhealthiness, and poverty than the average individual. It then comes as no surprise that a lower IQ is associated with areas that are as saturated by crime, poor health, and unskilled labor as Lake County is. We would recommend never visiting Lake County – what little natural beauty it boasts is marred by the violence and poverty observed in its populace.

Verdict