Increase (July 2005 - July 2006): 34,821
The largest county in terms of area in the United States, San Bernardino encompasses more acreage than the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Delaware and Rhode Island combined!
Like its next-door neighbor to the south, Riverside County, the western reaches of San Bernardino County have become bedroom communities for many workers from Los Angeles seeking affordable housing.
Much of the county is still undeveloped and boasts wide areas of mountain and desert wilderness. That includes Death Valley National Park.
The county's rapid growth may be spurring problems involving environmental issues. In April 2007 California Attorney General Jerry Brown brought a lawsuit against the county accusing the it of not properly considering the impact of rapid growth on global warming.
Crime Rate
The state of California had the ninth highest crime rate among the 50 states across the country, according to Morgan Quitno Press, an independent researcher in Lawrence, Kansas, which publishes the rankings annually.