The typical American household income was $57,652 in 2017, more than $6,000 higher than 2009’s median income of $51,425. Incomes have risen for the majority of households since the Great Recession, but as income inequality increased across the country, some of the richest places in the country have gotten even wealthier.
Some small towns and suburbs are home to high amounts of concentrated wealth. In these places, the typical household has an income that is three times, and occasionally even four times, that of the national median of $57,652.
To determine America’s richest towns, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey in every American town with a population of between 1,000 and 25,000. Boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages were all considered.
Education is one of the largest determinants of income. Individuals with a college education are much more likely to work in one of the nation’s highest-paying jobs, and areas with higher educational attainment are more likely to attract advanced industry and commercial activity. In all of the 34 richest towns, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is at least double the national figure of 30.9%.
Extreme wealth tends to be much more common in the richest states in the country. And while there are wealthy towns all across the country (these are the richest town in each state), the very richest can be found in just a few states. The 34 towns on this list can be found in just 11 states.
To determine America’s poorest towns, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey in every American town with a population of between 1,000 and 25,000. Boroughs, census designated places, cities, towns, and villages were all considered. We excluded towns for which the margin of error at 90% confidence was greater than 10% of either the median household income or the population. Poverty rates, median home values, and the percentage of adults with at least a bachelor’s degree also came from the ACS and are also five-year estimates through 2017.
Click here to see America’s richest towns.
Source: Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
34. Deer Park, Illinois
> Median household income: $163,750
> Median home value: $556,800
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 63.3%
> Poverty rate: 2.6%
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Source: Paul Sableman / Flickr
33. Town and Country, Missouri
> Median household income: $164,649
> Median home value: $693,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 76.4%
> Poverty rate: 4.4%
Source: Courtesy of Clarkson Valley
32. Clarkson Valley, Missouri
> Median household income: $166,200
> Median home value: $614,400
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 77.8%
> Poverty rate: 1.3%
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Source: dougtone / Flickr
31. Woodbury, New York
> Median household income: $166,568
> Median home value: $831,100
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 65.2%
> Poverty rate: 3.5%
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
30. North Barrington, Illinois
> Median household income: $167,625
> Median home value: $653,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 71.2%
> Poverty rate: 3.1%
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Source: BSPollard / Getty Images
29. Lake Forest, Illinois
> Median household income: $169,122
> Median home value: $855,500
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 78.4%
> Poverty rate: 3.2%
Source: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons
28. Franklin Farm, Virginia
> Median household income: $169,549
> Median home value: $610,200
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 75.3%
> Poverty rate: 2.0%
Source: Idawriter / Wikimedia Commons
27. Fairfax Station, Virginia
> Median household income: $170,130
> Median home value: $654,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 72.7%
> Poverty rate: 1.3%
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Source: jferrer / Getty Images
26. Hinsdale, Illinois
> Median household income: $171,453
> Median home value: $875,900
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.6%
> Poverty rate: 4.2%
Source: uteb / iStock
25. Dellwood, Minnesota
> Median household income: $171,750
> Median home value: $585,500
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 73.7%
> Poverty rate: 1.2%
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Source: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons
24. Broadlands, Virginia
> Median household income: $173,093
> Median home value: $576,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 75.4%
> Poverty rate: 2.3%
Source: Farragutful / Wikimedia Commons
23. Chevy Chase, Maryland
> Median household income: $173,333
> Median home value: $897,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.4%
> Poverty rate: 3.3%
Source: BramLife / Wikimedia Commons
22. Brambleton, Virginia
> Median household income: $173,690
> Median home value: $560,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.5%
> Poverty rate: 1.5%
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Source: Djmaschek / Wikimedia Commons
21. Fulshear, Texas
> Median household income: $174,194
> Median home value: $415,900
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 64.2%
> Poverty rate: 2.5%
Source: Steve Hedin / Wikimedia Commons
20. Coto de Caza, California
> Median household income: $174,943
> Median home value: $958,100
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 62.8%
> Poverty rate: 4.2%
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Source: flickr
19. Dranesville, Virginia
> Median household income: $175,772
> Median home value: $562,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 71.4%
> Poverty rate: 1.8%
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Source: Ser Amantio di Nicolao / Wikimedia Commons
18. Fort Hunt, Virginia
> Median household income: $176,169
> Median home value: $684,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 80.7%
> Poverty rate: 1.1%
Source: County of San Mateo Parks Department
17. Highlands-Baywood Park, California
> Median household income: $177,976
> Median home value: $1,321,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 66.1%
> Poverty rate: 2.9%
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
16. Flower Hill, New York
> Median household income: $178,750
> Median home value: $1,237,700
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 76.3%
> Poverty rate: 1.9%
Source: Wiki name / Wikimedia Commons
15. Bellaire, Texas
> Median household income: $195,018
> Median home value: $803,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.6%
> Poverty rate: 1.7%
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/123443334@N07/
14. Belmont, Virginia
> Median household income: $195,882
> Median home value: $679,100
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 75.4%
> Poverty rate: 3.2%
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/roadgeek/
13. Upper Montclair, New Jersey
> Median household income: $196,285
> Median home value: $726,200
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.5%
> Poverty rate: 3.5%
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottiet812/
12. Floris, Virginia
> Median household income: $198,068
> Median home value: $668,500
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.1%
> Poverty rate: 3.0%
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Source: Courtesy of The Village of East Hills
11. East Hills, New York
> Median household income: $199,000
> Median home value: $970,100
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 80.9%
> Poverty rate: 1.4%
Source: Courtesy of Google Maps 2018
10. Clyde Hill, Washington
> Median household income: $205,500
> Median home value: $1,686,700
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 77.7%
> Poverty rate: 3.7%
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Source: Jerry Dougherty / Wikimedia Commons
9. Darien, Connecticut
> Median household income: $208,848
> Median home value: $1,398,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 81.0%
> Poverty rate: 3.7%
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Source: Drumguy8800 / Wikimedia Commons
8. University Park, Texas
> Median household income: $211,741
> Median home value: $1,193,800
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 87.2%
> Poverty rate: 3.9%
Source: Daniel Case / Wikimedia Commons
7. Greenville (Westchester County), New York
> Median household income: $212,042
> Median home value: $905,200
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.1%
> Poverty rate: 3.8%
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brostad/
6. Belvedere, California
> Median household income: $213,500
> Median home value: $2,000,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 85.0%
> Poverty rate: 2.2%
Source: teemu08 / Flickr
5. Winnetka, Illinois
> Median household income: $216,875
> Median home value: $1,019,800
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 89.3%
> Poverty rate: 3.2%
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Source: Wikimedia Commons
4. Wolf Trap, Virginia
> Median household income: $218,750
> Median home value: $891,100
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 84.3%
> Poverty rate: 1.7%
Source: qingwa / Getty Images
3. Travilah, Maryland
> Median household income: $225,104
> Median home value: $1,072,600
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 79.0%
> Poverty rate: 2.6%
Source: Douglas Rissing / Getty Images
2. Great Falls, Virginia
> Median household income: $230,450
> Median home value: $1,130,400
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 81.3%
> Poverty rate: 3.1%
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Source: Andrei Stanescu / Getty Images
1. Los Altos Hills, California
> Median household income: $248,218
> Median home value: $2,000,000
> Adults with at least a bachelor’s degree: 83.5%
> Poverty rate: 4.2%
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