Contra Costa

County Results

Stores in our communities play a critical role in our health. The types of products available, many of which can contribute to chronic health issues, and how they're promoted, influence us all, but especially our children. Scroll down or use the quick menu on the left to see What's Changed in Contra Costa County since the start of the Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community campaign. Learn more about what your local store survey found about the balance of healthy and unhealthy options, and its impact on your neighborhood.

County Population: 1,123,678

Is Your Community Healthy?

Scroll to see if Contra Costa County has changed to a healthier community since 2016.

What's changed in
California?

Learn about the changes that happened in California between the 2016 - 2019 Healthy Stores for a Healthy Community surveys.

In September 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom directed the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) to launch a statewide public awareness campaign on the health risks of vaping nicotine and cannabis products.
As of March 2020, over 75 California jurisdictions passed local laws restricting the sale of flavored tobacco products, and 65 of them also restrict menthol cigarette sales.
Governor Newsom also signed legislation imposing stricter age verification requirements for tobacco products sold online or by mail.
Since June 2019, 209 Californians with a history of vaping, were hospitalized for severe breathing problems and lung damage. These cases were identified as part of the nationwide outbreak of e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury, and resulted in the death of four Californians.

Survey Results

What's this data telling us?

Store advertising and sale of tobacco, food products, alcohol and condoms all contribute toward a healthy or unhealthy community. The products that are promoted and sold in our communities have an impact on health. The Survey is a statewide collaboration between tobacco and alcohol use prevention, sexually transmitted disease prevention, and nutrition partners to examine what's in our community stores and how that impacts public health. Click through the tabs to view survey results conducted in 2019 throughout California to assess product marketing and the availability of healthy and unhealthy options in stores that sell tobacco.

How Far has Contra Costa Come?

2013 vs 2016 vs 2019 Comparison Data

% of stores:

2013 Contra Costa
2016 Contra Costa
2019 Contra Costa

Storefront Advertising

11.9%
16.7%
15.8%
with healthy storefront ads
67.3%
64.5%
69.4%
with unhealthy storefront ads
78.6%
66.1%
75.0%
near schools with unhealthy storefront ads

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Tobacco

54.0%
61.6%
59.6%
with chewing tobacco
85.0%
84.7%
72.1%
with little cigars/cigarillos
69.0%
50.7%
41.0%
with single little cigars/cigarillos
51.8%
65.0%
57.9%
with vaping products
82.3%
80.8%
71.0%
with flavored tobacco products (other than cigarettes)
80.4%
76.8%
71.2%
near schools with flavored tobacco products (other than cigarettes)
Item not comparable or asked in 2013
29.1%
36.1%
with tobacco marketing in kid-friendly locations
97.3%
97.0%
80.9%
with menthol cigarettes

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Food

45.1%
41.9%
54.1%
with any fresh fruits or vegetables
41.0%
26.6%
33.9%
with low- or non-fat milk
55.3%
48.8%
53.0%
with sugary drinks at check-out
39.8%
36.5%
49.2%
with sugary drinks storefront ads

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Survey information was collected from nearly 8,000 randomly selected licensed tobacco retailers in all 58 California counties, and not reflective of all retailers that sell food.

Alcohol

73.5%
69.5%
74.3%
with alcohol
42.8%
46.8%
48.5%
(among stores that sell alcohol) with alcohol ads near candy/toys or below 3 feet
Item not comparable or asked in 2013
76.6%
79.4%
(among stores that sell alcohol) with alcopops

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Item not comparable or asked in 2013
83.3%
85.8%
with condoms
Item not comparable or asked in 2013
32.0%
42.6%
with condoms on the shelf and unlocked

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

How does Contra Costa Compare to CA?

2019 Comparison Data

% of stores:

2019 CA State Average
2019 Contra Costa

Storefront Advertising

14.8%
15.8%
with healthy storefront ads
69.9%
69.4%
with unhealthy storefront ads
70.7%
75.0%
near schools with unhealthy storefront ads

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Tobacco

56.3%
59.6%
with chewing tobacco
81.0%
72.1%
with little cigars/cigarillos
46.3%
41.0%
with single little cigars/cigarillos
54.7%
57.9%
with vaping products
81.8%
71.0%
with flavored tobacco products (other than cigarettes)
80.6%
71.2%
near schools with flavored tobacco products (other than cigarettes)
35.3%
36.1%
with tobacco marketing in kid-friendly locations
88.3%
80.9%
with menthol cigarettes

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Food

46.3%
54.1%
with any fresh fruits or vegetables
33.1%
33.9%
with low- or non-fat milk
43.6%
53.0%
with sugary drinks at check-out
41.2%
49.2%
with sugary drinks storefront ads

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Survey information was collected from nearly 8,000 randomly selected licensed tobacco retailers in all 58 California counties, and not reflective of all retailers that sell food.

Alcohol

71.4%
74.3%
with alcohol
31.5%
48.5%
(among stores that sell alcohol) with alcohol ads near candy/toys or below 3 feet
75.7%
79.4%
(among stores that sell alcohol) with alcopops

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

82.8%
85.8%
with condoms
43.0%
42.6%
with condoms on the shelf and unlocked

100%50%% of stores
100%50%% of stores

Facing Facts

It's important to review what's accessible in our local stores that sell tobacco products because it impacts our individual and community health.

Percent of adults who smoke cigarettes
1. 2016, 2017, 2018 California Health Interview Survey, Date Accessed 3/12/2020
10.4%
Number of adult smokers per store
1. 2016, 2017, 2018 California Health Interview Survey, Date Accessed 3/12/2020

2. California Community Health Assessment Tool (CCHAT), Date Accessed 3/12/2020

3. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). Cigarette and tobacco licensing list. Sacramento, CA, October 2018.

4. American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-year estimates
130
Stores that sell tobacco products
1. California Community Health Assessment Tool (CCHAT), Date Access 3/12/2020

2. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). Cigarette and tobacco licensing list. Sacramento, CA, October 2018.
691

Percent of stores in low-income areas
1. California Community Health Assessment Tool (CCHAT), Date Accessed 3/12/2020

2. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). Cigarette and tobacco licensing list. Sacramento, CA, October 2018.

3. American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-year estimates
11.6%
Number of youth per store
1. California Community Health Assessment Tool (CCHAT), Date Accessed 3/12/2020

2. American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-year estimates
378
Percent of pharmacies that sell tobacco products
1. State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs. Retail pharmacy licensing list. Sacramento, CA, 2019.

2. California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA). Cigarette and tobacco licensing list. Sacramento, CA, October 2018.
39.6%

Percent of adults who are overweight or obese
1. 2016, 2017, 2018 California Health Interview Survey
59.5%
Percent of children and teens who consumed soda yesterday
1. 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 California Health Interview Survey, Date Accessed 3/12/2020
15.2%

Gonorrhea incidence per 100,000 people
California Department of Public Health, Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Branch. Gonorrhea, Cases and Incidence Rates, California Counties and Selected Health Jurisdictions, 2018.
179.3

Percent of youth alcohol use before age 15
1. California Healthy Kids Survey, 2009-2015
37%
Percent of youth who binge drink
1. California Healthy Kids Survey, 2009-2016
19%

The Makeup of Contra Costa

What makes up this county by age, race/ethnicity, and income

Median Household Income: $88,456

Age

5.8% Under 5

17.4% 5 - 17

26.8% Under 21

Race/Ethnicity

44.9% White

25.3% Hispanic /Latino

16.3% Asian/ Pacific Islander

8.3% African American/ Black

5.2% All Other Races

100% 50% 0%

Tobacco Retailer Map

Toggle the map points to show median household income and number of tobacco retailers near schools.

Income
# Tobacco Retailers
Near Schools

Median household income by zip code

-
-
-
-
-
Tobacco Retailers

# of tobacco retailers near schools

-
-
-
-
-
Tobacco Retailers

Source: Median household income (American Community Survey 2013-2017 5-year block group estimates; Tobacco retailers (ArcGIS CDTFA Cigarette and Tobacco Licensees, June, 2020); Active Public K-12 schools (California Department of Education, June, 2020). The color layers represent the total number of tobacco retailers divided by the total number of schools within each zip code.

Get Involved

Find a local health department program to get involved with, contact your local mayor or explore the media center to search by county to find information that can be downloaded, printed or shared about your community.

See what you can do to help improve your county.

Get Involved

View downloadable resources for this campaign by county.

Media Center

Contra Costa

County Results

County Population: 1,123,678

Share the Results

Is Your Community Healthy?

Survey Results

What's this data telling us?

Storefront Advertising

Tobacco

Food

Alcohol

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Storefront Advertising

Tobacco

Food

Alcohol

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Median Household Income: $88,456

Age

Race/Ethnicity

Median household income by zip code

# of tobacco retailers near schools

Get Involved