BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Kern County has the highest teen birth rate in the state, that's according to new numbers released by the California Department of Health on Monday.

The state teen birth rate fell by just two births per 1,000 females, while the county's number technically went up but is said to be holding steady. Public health experts agree though, that the numbers are not a surprise.

The state of California's teen birth rate in 2008 was the lowest its ever been at 35.2 per 1,000 females, down from 37.1 in 2007. In 1991 the state rate was 70.9.

Kern County tops the state with 63.8 teen births a year average from 2006-2008 according to California Department of Public Health, with four other Central Valley counties making up the five highest in the state over that span, but that's not a surprise to public health officials. The county's 2008 rate was 64.9.

The county's number is the highest in the last four years, but officials say its basically stayed the same and just means the community needs to get involved to help lower the number

Public Health officials can't really say for certain why the county's number is the highest in the state, but that the data will help public and private groups work to find a solution.