East County & Ripon-Escalon

The eastern and southeastern portion of San Joaquin County, encompassing the smaller cities of Ripon (pop ~16,400) and Escalon (pop ~7,500) along Highway 99 south of Manteca, plus rural communities like Linden and Farmington in the foothills east of Stockton. Ripon is known as the 'Almond Capital of the World' and maintains a small-town agricultural character despite steady growth. Escalon retains its farming-community identity along the Stanislaus River border. This region offers the most rural and affordable living in the metro.