A county in the U.S. state of California. One of the smaller counties by area in California, it has a high population density and is growing rapidly due to overflow from the Bay Area's need for housing. Named for the San Joaquin River which runs through it. The television show Sons of Anarchy was set in a fictional town in San Joaquin County. As the Gold Rush drew miners to the Sierra Nevada, Stockton grew into a major logistical and mercantile hub for the San Joaquin Valley