Special Report
The Richest County in Each State
January 29, 2015 6:58 am
Last Updated: December 4, 2019 7:14 am
21. Nantucket County, Massachusetts
> County median household income: $85,478
> State median household income: $66,866
> Pct. households in county making $200,000 or more: 8.9%
> 2013 county unemployment rate: 5.9%
A typical Massachusetts household earned nearly $67,000 annually over the five years through 2013, one of the higher incomes compared to other states. In Nantucket, the state’s wealthiest county, the comparable figure was $85,478 over that period. While Nantucket’s average poverty rate of 10.4% over that period was lower than the comparable national rate, it was not particularly low compared to other states’ wealthiest counties.
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22. Livingston County, Michigan
> County median household income: $72,359
> State median household income: $48,411
> Pct. households in county making $200,000 or more: 4.8%
> 2013 county unemployment rate: 8.1%
The high incomes in Livingston County likely helped residents purchase their homes. More than 85% of housing units in the area were owned by their occupants over the five years through 2013, one of the highest homeownership rates nationwide. While Livingston residents tended to be wealthier than most Americans, the unemployment rate of 8.1% in 2013 was higher than the national rate. In addition, across the state, residents were not particularly well-off, as a typical family in Michigan earned $48,411 annually over that period, considerably less than the national median income for that time.
23. Scott County, Minnesota
> County median household income: $86,112
> State median household income: $59,836
> Pct. households in county making $200,000 or more: 8.0%
> 2013 county unemployment rate: 4.7%
Scott County households had an annual median income of $86,112 over the five years through 2013, the highest in the state and one of the higher figures compared to other states’ wealthiest counties. Just 5.5% of county residents lived in poverty on average during the five years, versus the comparable national figure of 15.4%.
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24. Madison County, Mississippi
> County median household income: $59,904
> State median household income: $39,031
> Pct. households in county making $200,000 or more: 8.5%
> 2013 county unemployment rate: 6.3%
MIssissippi households had an annual median income of less than $40,000 over the five years through 2013, the lowest of any state. Madison, the state’s wealthiest county, was also not especially wealthy compared to the nation, with a median household income of less than $60,000 annually over that period. Still, county residents were less likely than most Americans to live in poverty and the unemployment rate of 6.3% was lower than the national rate of 7.4% in 2013.
25. St. Charles County, Missouri
> County median household income: $71,077
> State median household income: $47,380
> Pct. households in county making $200,000 or more: 4.5%
> 2013 county unemployment rate: 5.6%
More than 80% of housing units in St. Charles County were owned by their occupants over the five years through 2013. This was one of the highest rates even among other states’ wealthiest counties, where residents were far more likely to own their own homes than most Americans. The high homeownership rate was largely due to high area incomes. St. Charles had a median household income of more than $71,000 annually over that period.
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