Pack your bags because we are here to look at the richest towns in the United States! Zip code envy is real, ladies and gentlemen. According to Bloomberg, these small towns have the highest average incomes in the country. Trust us that the figures will make your jaw drop. We have covered the West Coast all the way to the East. You will find places in both the Hollywood Hills and New England on our list. If you were ever lucky enough to have grown up in one of these places, we are so envious of you!
McLean, Virginia (Average Household Income – $283,992)
There is a saying that politicians in the United States do not leave their desks or Washington D.C. at the very least. However, the truth is that some of them prefer to reside in a different state and make the daily commute instead! You will find a lot of these people living in gigantic estates in McLean, Virginia. What makes this small town so appealing is that it is only across the Potomac River from the capital. We can see why this town has a lot of power and wealth! People who live here include the likes of former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Secretary of State Colin Powel, and the widow of RFK Ethel Kennedy.
Travilah, Maryland (Average Household Income – $284,682)
The thing about Washington, D.C. is that many influential figures do not actually live there. These people prefer to live in the suburbs near the capital of the nation. Aside from Virginia, some of them prefer to go up north instead. In particular, politicians and their ilk seem to like Montgomery County in Maryland. The wealthiest ones of the lot especially like Travilah. The town does not have a zip code of its own, so it is typically lumped in with the area known as “The Potomac.” If you ever find yourself in this area, you should not be shocked if you ever bump into some of the most powerful people in the United States. Not only are they influential and powerful, but they are also very rich.
Riverside, Connecticut (Average Household Income – $290,904)
We doubt that anyone would be surprised to find this neighborhood in Greenwich, Connecticut on the list. Zillow has listings for houses with nine bedrooms and twelve bathrooms for more than $16 million in this side of town! You can bet that there are other similar offerings over here. There are more memorable things about it aside from these grandiose homes. The list of residents will also make you do a double take, no doubt about that. People like actress Kathie Lee Gifford, NFL star Tiki Barber, and NHL legend Marc Staal call this place home. We are sure that they like the fact that it is not that far from New York City. On top of that, they get to enjoy gorgeous views of the cove from here! Not bad at all.
Ladue, Missouri (Average Household Income – $291,794)
If you happen to have $13 million lying around, you might be interested in buying a 30,000 sq. ft. home with seven bedrooms and thirteen bathrooms just outside St. Louis. Ladue is a county suburb of the Gateway to the West is full of mega mansions for the richest people in the Midwest. It has since become home to a number of professional athletes. Aside from that, the founder of Build-A-Bear Workshop and the former Anheuser-Busch chairman live here. It looks like the number of wealthy residents is on the rise. After all, Ladue shot up seven rankings in the span of a single year.
Kentfield, California (Average Household Income – $299,450)
Are you a fan of the great outdoors and have a couple hundred thousand dollars? If this is the case, it might be a good idea for you to move to Kentfield, California. It is located only a few miles away from San Francisco. There are a lot of gorgeous homes in the area. It used to be the home of Governor Gavin Newsom, and we are sure that he knows the state better than most people do. Just a word of warning that you will need to spend a lot of money if you want to live here. After all, a one-bedroom, one-bathroom house will already cost you $895,000. Mind you, this already includes a price cut of $30,000!
Paradise Valley, Arizona (Average Annual Income – $300,521)
When the going gets tough at the office, we would like to simply leave and go to paradise. However, the wealthiest get to do this every single day since they live in Paradise Valley, Arizona. If you ask us, it really does remind us of real paradise. Do you need proof? Let us just tell you that the likes of David Spade, Mike Tyson, Bret Michaels, and Michael Phelps have all called Paradise Valley their homes at one point or another. On top of that, Emma Stone grew up here and still visits her parents every now and then. For most people, the opportunity to run into the actress is enough reason to take a look at the local listings.
Rumson, New Jersey (Average Household Income – $303,542)
This is a small town with a population of only a little more than 7,000. We understand why you might not have heard of Rumson before. However, you might be surprised to hear that Queen Latifah, Jon Bon Jovi, Heather Locklear, Charlie Puth, and Bruce Springsteen all live here to some capacity. The residents of the town have huge homes with sky-high price tags to go with their big names. You need to shell out $10 million or so for a home with seven bedrooms and ten bathrooms in this part of New Jersey. You might be surprised to hear that this is not the wealthiest town in the state! More on that later.
Westport, Connecticut (Average Household Income – $304,439)
We wonder if locals like to call Westport the “Bestport”! This Connecticut town is located only 52 miles away from New York City. In essence, residents are paying a lot of money for the best of both worlds. They get to live in one of the nicest suburbs in the world but could head off to the Big Apple whenever they feel like it. As proof of how nice it is, we will have you know that The Stepford Wives was filmed here! That should tell you everything that you need to know. We can’t help but wonder if the characters in the show also had to pay $20 million to move into one of the houses over here.
University Park, Texas (Average Household Income – $304,898)
You have probably heard the saying that goes everything is bigger in Texas. We can totally see that the Lone Star State favors size when it comes to a variety of things. It should not be surprising to hear that the suburbs are no exception to the rule. University Park is a Dallas enclave that will show you how everything, even the houses and their accompanying price tags, is truly bigger in this part of the nation. In 2017, the median house value of a single-family house had been $1,193,800. What makes this even more interesting is that University Park is only 3.7 sq. mi. It has a ton of mansions in a tight space.
Great Falls, Virginia (Average Household Income – $309,599)
Beside Mclean, you will find the most expensive suburb in the greater Washington, D.C. area. You will not be surprised to hear that Great Falls is home to the likes of Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder and Senator Rick Santorum. This suburb offers that small-town America feels and picturesque views. Did you know that MTV recorded Finding Carter over here? As you might have guessed, you need to have a high net worth if you plan to live in this part of the country. For what it is worth, it might be worth it for the proximity to Great Falls National Park!
Larchmont, New York (Average Household Income – $313,586)
Even though Larchmont, New York had humble beginnings, it has truly changed over the years. Fun fact: the oldest home here was constructed in 1797. Now called the Manor House, it was made by the nephew of John Joy, who was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States! These days, the home is only one of many huge estates located in this part of the state. According to Zillow, the town in Westchester County has a $1.1 million median home value! If you are in the market for a six-bedroom home, we hope that you can afford $9.9 million for it.
West University Place, Texas (Average Household Income – $330,459)
This Houston suburb got its name from how near it is to Rice University, but you should not be fooled by its name. We highly doubt that students can pay for the homes in this rich neighborhood. Just so you know, a five-bedroom home will cost you more than $4 million! As you can imagine, the average person in the area makes almost four times more than a regular American household. The homes were built alongside highbrow streets. Every street in the town had been named after famous poets and authors! In 2018, a financial news website called 24/7 Wall Street called it the best American city to live in.
Winnetka, Illinois (Average Household Income – $331,231)
You might want to check out Winnetka if you are ever near Chicago. It is a good way to avoid the hustle and bustle of the Windy City without venturing further than 16 miles north. But what exactly draws tourists to this random suburb anyway? A lot of Home Alone fans do this as a pilgrimage of sorts since this is where the McCallister family home is. They would take a photo of themselves beside the house, though some also like to make the screaming face that Macaulay Culkin pulled off in the film. We are sure that people would make the same face after seeing how much houses here are worth.
Old Greenwich, Connecticut (Average Household Income – $336,692)
The New York Times have called Old Greenwich, Connecticut a “front-porch kind of place.” On the other hand, Mansion Global said that it is “a neighborhood for quieter money.” In the past, writers have also described it as a town with huge houses yet somehow maintains a small-town vibe. If you ever go on a walk through this affluent coastal neighborhood, you will probably start to wonder what those people have in mind when they say, “small town vibes.” After all, we are sure that the vast majority of small towns do not have a Tesla dealership. Among others, it has always attracted Wall Street executives.
The Village Of Indian Hill, Ohio (Average Household Income – $338,267)
In 1904, this small town was founded in Ohio. However, we are sure that the founders did not have any idea that the Village of Indian Hill would make it to a list like this one. They were farmers who planned to start their very own agricultural community. It later became a popular weekend getaway for those living in Cincinnati. The only agricultural stuff you will find here would be the landscaping of multiacre properties. These days, the median home value rests at more than a million bucks. If you are looking for a home here, you can get a five-bedroom, eight-bathroom house with a pool for a cool $5 million.
Glencoe, Illinois (Average Household Income – $339,883)
Have you ever seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Sixteen Candles? If you watched those ‘80s hits, you have already seen Glencoe. The gorgeous suburban town served as the shooting location of those films! Aside from that, it is also the richest town in Illinois. As a matter of fact, it is in the top ten richest towns in the nation. You better have a lot of money if you want to live a comfortable life in this affluent town. A five-bedroom, nine-bathroom home with a sauna, pool, hot tub, and its very own private beach is listed at $5 million. That should give you an idea of what the market is like!
Bronxville, New York (Average Household Income – $340,448)
While Bronxville only has a width of a square mile, the village packs as much wealth as it could. It is found in Eastchester, New York. A lot of wealthy families use it as an escape when they need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. The median home value in the neighborhood is $2.33 million or so. It is interesting to see that it has maintained its wealth without being “too fancy or flashy,” as the New York Times put it. On top of that, this is the hometown of John, Robert, Joseph, Rose, and Ted Kennedy. If it is good enough for them, we are sure that it is good enough for everyone else.
Darien, Connecticut (Average Household Income – $341,090)
It says a lot when one of the local past times is yachting. That is a clear sign that it is one of the richest towns in the nation! Even though Darien is in a different state than New York City, it is still pretty near. After all, it is just 37 miles away from downtown Manhattan! This has made it the preferred residence of many wealthy New Yorkers. It might be the smallest town on the “Gold Coast” of Connecticut, but it definitely packs a punch with its country clubs and public beaches. On top of that, it boasts a boat club, a hunting club, and a yacht club. If you want a private dock and beach, it will cost you $15 million.
Highland Park, Texas (Average Household Income – $358,994)
Here is one more Dallas enclave on the list. Highland Park is also considered one of the richest towns in the country! In 2017, the median value of a single-family home was $1.4 million. This explains why this place is considered the seventh most expensive place in the nation. It is only four miles north of Dallas, so it appeals to the rich and the famous of the Lone Star State. There was a time when Governor Bill Clements called it home! Aside from that, the popular TV show Dallas was also filmed here.
Short Hills, New Jersey (Average Household Income – $367,491)
California might have the highest number of towns on the Top 100 Richest Towns list by Bloomberg, but New Jersey came in at second place with its 18 entries. One of those places would be Short Hills, which is the wealthiest town in the Garden State. The median listing price here used to be $1.75 million, which should give you an idea of what the place is like. It is a top pick for people who prefer to just commute to New York City. People like Rachel Zoe, Patti Stranger, and Anne Hathaway call the suburb their home!
Hillsborough, California (Average Household Income – $373,128)
What does Hillsborough have going for it? For one thing, it is close to Silicon Valley. It only takes an hour on the train to reach San Francisco! This makes it very appealing to some of the wealthiest people in the world. Aside from tech millionaires, celebrities such as Alicia Silverstone and Jimmy Kimmel also live here. We are not surprised to hear that the price tags are sky-high as well. There is a Zillow listing for a three-bedroom, eight-bathroom home for $17.9 million. We know that sounds like a lot of money, but you might be interested in it for its huge garage with enough space for six cars.
Los Altos Hills, California (Average Household Income – $386,174)
Before you pack your bags to move to Los Altos Hills, you should keep a couple of things in mind. First of all, the residents are clearly doing well when it comes to business. However, it enforces a strict ban on the operation of businesses within town limits. As a matter of fact, you will only find two retail shops here, a gift shop and a bookstore. The developers wanted to make a space that was entirely for the relaxation of the richest people in Silicon Valley. This explains why you will not find a lot of businesses in the area. Despite this, we are sure that not a lot of people would ever describe the town as “quaint.”
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado (Average Household Income – $394,259)
This is the only place in Colorado that made it to our list! Cherry Hills Village is a Denver suburb that has attracted a ton of attention thanks to its very famous residents and mega mansions. Among others, NFL player Peyton Manning lives in the area! Cherry Hills Village has become known for its 10,000 sq. ft. mansions and rolling hills. It is also appealing for its hiking trails, horse stables, and picturesque views. The town is so picturesque that it has served as the host of not only one but two PGA Championships in the past. It has hosted the U.S. Women’s Open as well.
Scarsdale, New York (Average Household Income – $417,335)
This town probably sounds familiar to you! After all, Scarsdale is considered the second richest town in the entire United States. It also happens the claim the title of the richest town on the East coast. If you want to live in the New York City suburb, we hope that you have $1.8 million on hand. There is a Zillow listing for a six-bedroom home going for just below $9 million. The town has served as the home of some of the wealthiest people in the Big Apple. For a while, the grapevine even said that Beyonce and Jay-Z had a home there. This is just a rumor, but we won’t be surprised if this happens to be true.
Atherton, California (Average Household Income – $450,696)
This is the town that was hailed the richest town in the entire United States of America. Atherton is a small neighborhood located between San Francisco and San Jose. It boasts a number of mega mansions. Zillow has said that the median home value here is around $6 million. Thanks to its location, it is now the preferred home of some of the richest entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. For example, it is the residence of people like Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook, Eric Schmidt of Google, and Meg Whitman of Hewlett-Packard. Aside from tech executives, it is also the home of Lindsey Buckingham and Shirley Temple!
Honorable Mention – Los Altos, California (Average Household Income – $280,162)
Los Altos made it to the list of the richest towns in the United States thanks to its proximity to Silicon Valley. The northern town in the Bay area has benefitted from the wealth of the tech community. The name of the town means “the heights” in Spanish, and it has truly lived up to its name. After all, it is not a stretch to call it the height of luxury. The town has been inching its way into the lists of the most expensive towns year after year. Even though it did not make it to the top 25, it was close enough at 26.
Honorable Mention – Greenville, New York (Average Household Income – $279,820)
Do you want to set down roots in the suburbs but still live close enough to New York City? If this is the case, you might want to take a look at Greenville. However, you will need a lot of money if you plan to move to this part of Westchester County. The median home value here is $905,200. However, it might be worth it if you have kids since the town spends a lot of money on education. Taxpayers often spend $12,000 or so per student education. This figure is nearly double the amount at $25,000 in Greenville. We are not surprised to hear that the wealthier New Yorkers prefer to start their families here.
Honorable Mention – Montecito, California (Average Household Income – $276,564)
According to Mansions Global, Montecito is a “celebrity paradise that’s surprisingly under.” The town has only gotten wealthier, although it still failed to break the Bloomberg list of the top 25 richest towns in the United States. We are glad to report that it constantly goes up the rankings, however. It sounds a lot like paradise with its “Mediterranean climate” and proximity to Santa Barbara. The residents are star-studded, of course. Just so you know, Rob Lowe, Drew Barrymore, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, and Portia de Rossi all own homes here. We are sure that they picked Montecito after careful deliberation.
Honorable Mention – Rye, New York (Average Household Income – $276,177)
Only an hour away from downtown Manhattan, this small city straddles the border between New York and Connecticut. Rye is another excellent option for rich people who want to live near the Big Apple without dealing with all the hustle and bustle. It is also climbing the rankings! In only one year, it went up five spots on the list, going from the 35th spot to the 29th. Vogue Magazine also featured it in an article called “Why Rye, New York, Should Be Your Next Day-Trip Destination.” However, we daresay that the coastal city should be your next home if you have enough money for it! Doesn’t it sound ideal?
Honorable Mention – Piedmont, California (Average Household Income – $275,243)
The wealthy denizens of the San Francisco area picked Piedmont as their hideaways. This suburban city is entirely surrounded by the gorgeous and quirky city of Oakland. Even though California towns have been doing well on the Bloomberg list, this actually went down from the 21st spot to the 30th. Despite this, it is still home to some of the biggest names in the world of sports. For example, Bubba Paris of the NFL and David McCarty live here. Aside from that, Bill Romanowski, Peter Docter, and Billie Joe Armstrong all have homes here as well! It must be fun to live there when you have neighbors like that.
Honorable Mention – Orinda, California (Average Household Income – $272,918)
It is not easy to find a place that is friendly and wealthy at the same time. However, we are glad to report that Orinda can be described both ways! It is in the 31st sport on the Bloomberg list. Aside from that, Forbes also called it the second friendliest town in the United States! We can see why Bay Area residents are drawn to this place with its hiking trails and huge parks. It might be a generally friendly place, but the homes here will still cost you a lot of money. We simply can’t describe the price tags as friendly to your pockets. After all, a five-bedroom, eight-bathroom home here goes for $5.8 million!
Honorable Mention – Upper Saddle River, New Jersey (Average Household Income – $271,700)
The New York Times has said that Upper Saddle River “has big houses” and “landscapes groomed to perfection.” Aside from that, the publication also said that “the constant renewal gives the town a look of freshness of Stepford-like artifice, depending on your point of view.” It was a total understatement to call the mega mansions “big houses.” If you check out Zillow, you might find a home with seven bedrooms, ten bathrooms, a hot tub, and a fountain across 2,000 sq. ft. Doesn’t that sound like the life to you? If you want it, just know that it will cost you almost $5 million!
Honorable Mention – Tiburon, California (Average Household Income – $269,419)
You only need to take a quick ferry ride from Tiburon to get to San Francisco. Yet again, we are not shocked to hear that the wealthy people in Silicon Valley have taken to this town. Forbes once said that it was “arguably California’s best kept paradise – where un-hurried New England charm meets Italian riviera seascapes, miles of unspoiled coastal trails, and laid-back luxury that’s refreshingly un-flashy.” It might sound small and humble to you, but it does offer great luxury in the form of houses with 7 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. The house in question spans 13,836 sq. ft. and has its very own tennis court. If you want it for yourself, get ready to shell out $19 million for it.
Honorable Mention – Lake Forest, Illinois (Average Household Income – $268,922)
Can you imagine what it would be like to soak up the sun on the shores of Lake Michigan and enjoy the benefits of living near Chicago at the same time? That sounds like the best! This is the reality for those who live in Lake Forest, Illinois. If you are considering this place, it is a good idea to check out what the real estate market is like over here. Are you looking for a home with eight bathrooms and eight bedrooms? If this is the case, we have the perfect one for you at $15 million. If you want a smaller one with only six bedrooms, there is a shoreline property going for $12 million.
Honorable Mention – Palm Beach, Florida (Average Household Income – $268,695)
This place has earned a reputation as the perfect vacation town. Palm Beach, Florida sounds ideal since it is located on the Atlantic Ocean. We are envious of the people who get to call it their home no matter the time of the year. However, they actually had to spend a lot of money on their beach town property. If you go to Zillow, you will find listings of mega mansions without any difficulty. Would you be interested in this home with a pool, six bedrooms, and ten bathrooms on the water? If you have $44 million, it is all yours. We would love to live there, but we sadly do not have the means to do so!