The mansion is one of the most commonly recognized symbols of wealth in America. Big homes are large enough to entertain parties, host multiple guests, and potentially even house staff. Americans are likely familiar with the massive estates the nation’s Carnegies, Vanderbilts, and Rockefellers built during the gilded age — they are some of the grandest historic American mansions.
Not every large home in the United States is of such massive scale, or has the historical significance of Monticello or the Biltmore. But because of America’s relative wealth and abundance of space, it has become home to hundreds of thousands of large houses and mansions. While mega homes, old and more recently-built, can be found across the country, they are particularly common in the richest towns and cities in America, highly affluent suburbs, and exclusive communities.
Based on housing data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the towns, cities, villages, boroughs, and unincorporated areas where homes are highly expensive and very large, based on the share of homes that have at least five bedrooms. In the 22 places on this list, between 25% and 48% of homes have at least five bedrooms. Nationwide, only 4.4% of homes have five bedrooms or more. In many cases, well over half of homes are worth more than $1 million.
Generally, the towns and cities on this list can be found in the wealthiest suburbs of one of the nation’s largest cities, in particular New York City, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Chicago. More than half of the 22 places on this list can be found in either Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, California, and Connecticut, which are among the richest U.S. states.
Click Here to read about the Cities with the Most Mega Homes.
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22. Fairfax Station, Virginia
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 25.0% (1,008)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 57.0% (2,298)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 10.1%
> Median home value: $654,600
> Median household income: $170,130
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21. Town and Country, Missouri
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 25.4% (1,060)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 58.4% (2,438)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 23.6%
> Median home value: $693,000
> Median household income: $164,649
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20. Westport, Connecticut
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 25.4% (2,760)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 47.7% (5,181)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 58.9%
> Median home value: $1,152,100
> Median household income: $181,360
19. Dix Hills, New York
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 26.5% (2,365)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 43.1% (3,854)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 12.1%
> Median home value: $694,600
> Median household income: $152,263
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18. Darien, Connecticut
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 26.5% (1,870)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 49.5% (3,484)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 66.7%
> Median home value: $1,398,600
> Median household income: $208,848
17. Hinsdale, Illinois
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 27.8% (1,696)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 55.1% (3,359)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 38.8%
> Median home value: $875,900
> Median household income: $171,453
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16. Paradise Valley, Arizona
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 27.8% (1,682)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 55.0% (3,330)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 73.6%
> Median home value: $1,406,700
> Median household income: $175,673
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15. Castle Pines, Colorado
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 28.1% (1,038)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 61.2% (2,262)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 10.0%
> Median home value: $549,700
> Median household income: $157,550
14. Coto de Caza, California
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 28.8% (1,453)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 40.3% (2,033)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 45.7%
> Median home value: $958,100
> Median household income: $174,943
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13. Upper Montclair, New Jersey
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 29.3% (1,191)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 46.7% (1,896)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 15.1%
> Median home value: $726,200
> Median household income: $196,285
12. Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 30.0% (1,206)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 55.8% (2,244)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 47.5%
> Median home value: $975,000
> Median household income: $155,458
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11. Weddington, North Carolina
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 30.7% (1,075)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 67.4% (2,356)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 10.1%
> Median home value: $435,500
> Median household income: $133,262
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10. Hillsborough, California
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 33.2% (1,381)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 53.9% (2,242)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 94.0%
> Median home value: at least $2,000,000
> Median household income: $238,750
9. Potomac, Maryland
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 33.6% (5,580)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 59.9% (9,962)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 36.9%
> Median home value: $893,600
> Median household income: $187,568
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8. McLean, Virginia
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 34.2% (6,024)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 58.6% (10,314)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 48.9%
> Median home value: $990,100
> Median household income: $193,426
7. Southlake, Texas
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 35.4% (3,319)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 63.1% (5,918)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 14.0%
> Median home value: $627,700
> Median household income: $207,917
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6. Winnetka, Illinois
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 37.5% (1,642)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 55.8% (2,443)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 51.1%
> Median home value: $1,019,800
> Median household income: $216,875
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5. Scarsdale, New York
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 40.4% (2,335)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 57.7% (3,338)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 69.4%
> Median home value: $1,337,800
> Median household income: at least $250,000
4. Short Hills, New Jersey
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 40.4% (1,707)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 64.3% (2,714)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 73.6%
> Median home value: $1,316,600
> Median household income: at least $250,000
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3. Wolf Trap, Virginia
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 40.5% (2,217)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 75.7% (4,144)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 28.8%
> Median home value: $891,100
> Median household income: $218,750
2. Great Falls, Virginia
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 46.6% (2,490)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 77.7% (4,151)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 59.8%
> Median home value: $1,130,400
> Median household income: $230,450
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1. Travilah, Maryland
> Share of homes with 5+ bedrooms: 47.8% (1,832)
> Share of homes with 9+ rooms: 67.6% (2,589)
> Share of homes valued at $1,000,000+: 56.7%
> Median home value: $1,072,600
> Median household income: $225,104
Methodology
To determine the cities with the most mega homes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2017 five-year American Community Survey for towns, cities, villages, boroughs, and Census designated places. We only considered those places with at least 10,000 residents. In the 22 places on this list, over 25% of housing units have five or more bedrooms, and at least 10% of housing units have a value of over $1 million. Population figures, median home value, and median household income figures are also from the five-year 2017 ACS.
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