The Richest Town in Every State

Source: flickr

26. Helena Valley Northwest, Montana
> Town median household income: $78,737
> State median household income: $47,169 (12th lowest)
> Town poverty rate: 2.9%
> Town population: 3,990

The typical household in Helena Valley Northwest earns $78,737 annually, nearly $32,000 more than the $47,169 median household income statewide. A relatively small town of roughly 4,000 people, the majority of working residents commute to high paying jobs in larger cities nearby. Some 93% of workers living in Helena Valley Northwest are employed outside of the town’s borders, one of the largest such shares of any town nationwide. Helena Valley Northwest is about 13 miles from Helena, the state capital.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

27. Waverly, Nebraska
> Town median household income: $83,081
> State median household income: $52,997 (25th highest)
> Town poverty rate: 3.1%
> Town population: 3,614

The typical household in Waverly, Nebraska earns $83,081 annually, more than any other town in the state. Unlike many towns on this list, home values in Waverley are not especially high. The typical Waverly home is worth only $154,500, less than the $178,600 value of the typical American home. Higher paying industries are often more common in urban centers and Waverly residents are only a 20 minute commute from the state capital of Lincoln.

Source: Rich Williamson / Flickr

28. Spanish Springs, Nevada
> Town median household income: $78,604
> State median household income: $51,847 (24th lowest)
> Town poverty rate: 4.5%
> Town population: 15,789

The typical household in Spanish Springs, the wealthiest town in Nevada, earns $78,604 a year, nearly $27,000 more than the $51,847 median household income statewide. Area residents are able to earn high incomes despite relatively low educational attainment. Just 21.9% of Spanish Springs adults have a bachelor’s degree, nearly the smallest share of any U.S. town with a median household income above $75,000 annually.

About six miles south of Spanish Springs down State Route 445 is the town of Sun Valley, Nevada’s poorest town. The typical household in Sun Valley has an income of just $44,013.

Source: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons

29. South Hooksett, New Hampshire
> Town median household income: $91,495
> State median household income: $66,779 (7th highest)
> Town poverty rate: 3.0%
> Town population: 5,825

South Hooksett is a suburb located just north of Manchester, the largest city in New Hampshire. Median annual household income in South Hooksett is $91,495, more than the $66,779 state median and the $53,889 national median.

New Hampshire is a relatively wealthy state with comparatively low income inequality. The difference between the median income in the wealthiest town and statewide is only about $25,000, which is less than half the $67,000 average disparity across all 50 states. Just 8.9% of New Hampshire residents live in poverty, the smallest share of any state in the country.

Source: EdZa / Wikimedia Commons

30. North Caldwell, New Jersey
> Town median household income: $200,152
> State median household income: $72,093 (3rd highest)
> Town poverty rate: 2.3%
> Town population: 6,415

North Caldwell is a small borough in Essex County, New Jersey. The typical North Caldwell household earns $200,152 a year, more than twice the $72,093 statewide median and among the most of any U.S. town. The borough is almost entirely residential, with most businesses in the town concentrated in two small commercial districts on the north and southern ends of town. An estimated 95% of North Caldwell workers are employed outside of the borough and commute to nearby cities which include Newark, Jersey City, and New York.

A large share of these commuters are professionals with excellent salaries, as evidenced by the over 70% bachelor’s attainment rate in the area, approximately double that of the state.