Drug Test – Fresno, CA

Drug Abuse in Fresno CA: Stats and Trends

Fresno, with a population of about 510,000, is growing faster than the state of California and the surrounding populated counties. From data used between 2012-2014, the county health rankings reported 297 deaths per 100,000 persons in Fresno. To compare and put this into perspective, Los Angeles reported 2,232 overdose deaths per 100,000 persons, Monterey reported 146 overdose deaths per 100,000 persons, Santa Barbara reported 151 overdose deaths per 100,000 persons, and San Diego reported 1,271 overdose deaths per 100,000 persons. The more congested and larger the city, the worse the drug overdose mortality rate seems to be.

Unemployment in Fresno

Fresno, CA had one of the highest unemployment rates in the country in 2015. Though 9.3 percent doesn’t seem so extreme, it means that about one in ten people are unemployed. With the national unemployment rate in the United States being 3.7 percent on average. Due to that high rate, the city of Fresno have taken large steps to deal with it. Growth in Management, Business, Science, and Arts industries mean that the unemployment rate has decreased more than five percent, from 9.3 percent in 2015 to only 4.8 percent in May of 2019.

Farming Culture in Fresno

Starting out as a small stop along the Central Pacific Railroad, it has grown in to a farming metropolis that draws farmers there. In Fresno County, the area is surrounded by farms, which make an abundance of fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Now as a strong agricultural front, it has room to grow from just agriculture to a more diverse job market, including manufacturing and retail trade. Due to these industry highs, living conditions have improved quite a bit. These increases haven’t been all positive though, as housing prices have increased quite a bit, being over the national average.