Contra Costa County
Congressman Garamendi is proud to represent many communities in Contra Costa County, including all or portions of Alamo, Antioch, Bethel Island, Canyon, Concord, El Cerrito, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Moraga, Oakley, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek.
Created in 1850 when California became a state, Contra Costa County is home to a number of cities and communities critical for Bay Area commerce. With eight major highways, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Amtrak’s Capitol Corridor connections, and the port of Richmond, California’s fourth busiest port, Contra Costa County is also a critical regional transportation artery. Diverse employers in technology, heavy industry, manufacturing, research, engineering, construction, and finance are headquartered in Contra Costa County.
Congressman Garamendi’s top priorities for Contra Costa County include:
- Bringing more stimulus and other federal dollars to the county to help put residents back to work;
- Revitalizing and widening the county’s aging highway infrastructure while broadening the availability and reliability of public transportation to reduce congestion (See Transportation and Infrastructure for more information);
- Developing solutions to prevent home foreclosures, an issue of particular importance for Antioch;
- Safeguarding the county’s treasured natural wonders and scenic waterfronts from pollution and blight;
- Expanding financial aid availability to encourage more young adults to apply to college while providing additional federal assistance to public schools; and
- Defending the civil rights of all of the county’s diverse residents.
According to the 2008 U.S. Census Department estimate, 1,029,703 people live in Contra Costa County. Contra Costa County is 71.7 percent White, 13.7 percent Asian, 9.7 percent Black, 0.8 percent American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.5 percent Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander. 22.9 percent of Contra Costa County residents are of Latino or Hispanic origin, and 3.6 percent of residents report being of two or more races. 23,290 nonfarm private establishments employ 329,401 employees in Contra Costa County. As of September 2009, 11.2 percent of Contra Costa County residents are unemployed. Contra Costa County has a household median income of $76,317, and 9.7 percent of residents are below the poverty line.