The Richest Town in Every State

The median household income in Highland Lakes is more than triple the median income across Alabama as a whole. Less than 2% of the town’s 5,500 residents live below the poverty line, a fraction of the state poverty rate. Incomes in the town are so high likely partly because of the residents’ high level of education — more than two-thirds of Highland Lakes residents 25 and over hold at least a bachelor’s degree, one of the larger shares of any small city or town in Alabama. Many residents likely commute to high-paying jobs in nearby Birmingham.

In Gateway, Alaska, most households earn more than $100,000 per year, compared to the statewide median income of $76,715. Just 4% of Gateway households have an annual income of less than $10,000, while 12% of households have an annual income greater than $200,000. More than 10% of Alaska residents live in poverty, yet the poverty rate in Gateway is just 4.2%. The town is just outside of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, providing residents access to many, likely higher-paying, employment opportunities.

The median household income in Paradise Valley is nearly four times as high as the median in Arizona. The Phoenix suburb has a median home value of just over $1.5 million — by far the highest of any small city or town in the state. Arizona has one of the highest poverty rates of any U.S. state, at 16.1%, 2 percentage points higher than the U.S. rate. In Paradise Valley, just 5.0% of residents live in poverty.

Centerton is the fastest growing small city or town in Arkansas and one of the fastest growing places in the entire country. The area’s population grew by 34.5% from 2013 to 2018, compared to the U.S. population growth of 3.6%.

Centerton is situated next to Bentonville, the home to Wal-Mart’s corporate offices and its roughly 17,000 employees. Wal-Mart is the largest employer in Benton County, where Centerton is located. The corporate leadership positions available to Centerton residents have likely helped raise the town’s median household income to over $73,000 — well above the statewide median of $45,726.

Belvedere, California is just north of Richardson Bay, across the water from San Francisco — the second richest metro area in the country — and within driving distance of San Jose, which is the richest metro area. Access to these two hubs for high-paying jobs is likely a major contributing factor in Belvedere’s high incomes — the city has a median household income of over $223,000 — the highest in California and one of the highest in the nation. Most homes in Belvedere are worth more than $2 million.

Genesee is a small Census designated place located less than 20 miles west of Denver. Genesee has a median annual household income of nearly $160,000, more than double the state median. Genesee is the most highly-educated small city or town in Colorado, as 79% of residents 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree. This level of education qualifies Genesee residents for many of the high-paying jobs in the Denver area.

Darien is the wealthiest small municipality in one of the wealthiest states. Connecticut’s median annual household of $76,106 is about $26,000 more than the median nationwide. In Darien, a small Census-designated place in southwest Connecticut within commuting distance of New York City, the typical household earns $210,511.

The area’s high incomes are supported by access to high-paying jobs in nearby urban centers, which in addition to New York City, include Norwalk and Stamord in Connecticut. As is often the case in wealthy communities, real estate is not cheap in Darien. The typical area home is worth about $1.5 million.

North Star, Delaware, located about 10 miles west of Wilmington and 35 miles southwest of Philadelphia, has a median household income of $141,533, more than double the statewide median of $65,627. Incomes tend to rise with educational attainment, and in North Star, about two-thirds of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to fewer than one in every three adults across Delaware as a whole.

Pinecrest, Florida, is located a few miles south of Miami, just inland from Biscayne Bay. Most households in the town earn more than $150,000 annually, and more than one-third earn over $200,000. Due in part to a warm climate, proximity to the ocean, and access to a major city, homes in Pinecrest are expensive compared to statewide home values. Most homes in Pinecrest are worth over $900,000, while most Florida homes are worth less than $200,000.

Avondale Estates is a small city of approximately 3,100 residents located seven miles east of downtown Atlanta. The typical household in Avondale Estates earns $108,299 a year, nearly twice the state median income of $55,679 and far more than the national figure of $60,293.

People with higher educational attainment are more likely to hold higher-paying jobs. In Avondale Estates, 74.8% of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, the largest share of any city in Georgia and more than twice the state college attainment rate of 30.7%.

Ocean Pointe is a Census-designated place on the island of Oahu within commuting distance of Honolulu. The median annual household income in Ocean Pointe is $114,801, more than in any other small city or town in Hawaii.

The town’s widespread prosperity suggests that Ocean Pointe is a desirable place to live. This is further evidenced by rapid population growth. Over the last five years, the number of people living Ocean Pointe jumped by 44.0%.

Idaho’s median annual household income is just over $53,000, which is lower than the majority of states. Its richest municipality, Dalton Gardens, has a median household income of just over $71,000, which is lower than that of any other municipality on this list. Dalton Gardens is north of Coeur D’alene, Idaho, and across the border from Spokane, Washington, giving its residents access to two major population centers where they can find employment. The poverty rate in Dalton Gardens is 3.6%, a fraction of Idaho’s 13.8% poverty rate.

Inverness is a suburb located some 33 miles northwest of downtown Chicago in Cook County. The typical Inverness household earns $180,541 a year, nearly three times the median household income of $63,575 across Illinois as a whole and the most of any small city or town in the state.

Built with one-acre plot minimums for most of its history, the Inverness housing stock is among the most expensive in the country. The typical home is worth $625,100, more than three times both the state median home value of $187,200 and the national value of $204,900.

Hidden Valley is a private residential community on the eastern edge of Indiana, just across the Ohio border from Cincinnati. The town is centered by Hidden Valley Lake. The median home value in Hidden Valley is $196,800, more than $60,000 higher than the median home value in Indiana as a whole.

Less than 1% of people in Robins, Iowa, live below the poverty line, and more than 22% of households in the town earn more than $200,000 annually. With over 55% of residents 25 and older holding at least a bachelor’s degree, Robins one of Iowa’s most highly educated towns with residents qualified for the many high-paying jobs available nearby in places like Cedar Rapids. The three largest employers in Linn County, where Robins is located, are in the aerospace, insurance, and health care fields, all of which can pay relatively high salaries.

A suburb of Kansas City, Fairway, like many small cities and towns on this list, is well within commuting distance of employment opportunities in a major city. Many of those jobs in and around Fairway are high paying, as most households in the area earn over $100,000 a year, and more than one in five households earn $200,000 or more.

As is often the case in wealthy communities, Fairway has high real estate values. Of all small cities and towns in Kansas, Fairway is the only one where most homes are worth more than $300,000. The typical home in Fairway is worth $352,000.

Buckner is a Census-designated place located about 20 miles northeast of Louisville. With a median income of $123,220, Buckner is the wealthiest place in Kentucky. More than one in every five households in the area earn over $200,000 a year. A far higher than average share of workers in Buckner work as health diagnosing and treating practitioners, which are generally high paying jobs.

Destrehan is a Census-designated place with 11,000 residents, located about 20 miles west of downtown New Orleans. The wealthiest town in the state, Destrehan’s median household income of $92,052 is nearly double the median income across Louisiana of $47,942. High paying jobs typically require a college degree, and Detrehan residents are far more likely than the typical Louisiana resident to have a college education. Some 39.0% of adults have a bachelor’s degree or higher, well above the comparable 23.7% share of adults across the state as a whole.

Topsham is a Census-designated place of approximately 6,100 residents located about 25 miles north of Portland, Maine. The typical Topsham household earns $72,537 a year, the most of any small city or town in the state and more than the statewide median household income of $55,425.

One of the primary determinants of income is education. In Topsham, 44.9% of adults have a bachelor’s degree, one of the larger shares of any small city or town in Maine and far more than the state bachelor’s degree attainment rate of 30.9%.

Travilah is a wealthy suburb situated some 15 miles up the Potomac River from downtown Washington D.C. With a median household income of $235,669 a year, Travilah is the wealthiest place with a population between 1,000 and 25,000 in both Maryland and the United States.

With roots dating back to the early 1800s, Travilah is home to a large number of historic homes with large tracts of land, and it has some of the most expensive houses in the country. The typical Travilah home is worth $1.1 million, more than three times the $305,500 state median home value and more than five times the $204,900 national figure.

The Boston suburb of Winchester has a median household income of nearly $160,000 a year — more than double the statewide median of $77,378, which itself is one of the highest among states. As is often the case in the small cities and towns on this list, Winchester residents tend to be well educated. More than three out of every four adults in the area have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 41.9% of adults in Massachusetts.

Real estate values in Winchester reflect the area’s high incomes. The typical Winchester home is worth $893,700, more than double the median home value of $366,800 in Massachusetts.

Bloomfield Hills is the wealthiest place in Michigan. Most households in the area earn over $170,000 a year — more than triple the median annual household income statewide of $55,000. A suburb of Detroit, Bloomfield Hills is located less than 30 miles from Hamtramck, the poorest community in the state where most households earn less than $26,000 a year.

Wealthy areas tend to be home to well-educated populations — and Bloomfield Hills is no exception. Of all area residents 25 and older, 70.6% have a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 28.6% of adults across the state as a whole.

Situated on the northeast shore of White Bear Lake some 20 miles from downtown Minneapolis, Dellwood is one of the wealthiest suburbs in the Midwest. The typical household earns $176,528 a year, more than twice the $68,411 state median household income and nearly three times the $60,293 national figure.

Individuals with greater educational attainment are more likely to have high-paying jobs. In Dellwood, some 75.2% of adults have a bachelor’s degree, more than twice both the state bachelor’s degree attainment rate of 35.4% and the national rate of 31.5%.

Based on median household income, Mississippi is the poorest state in the country. The typical Mississippi household earns just $43,567 a year, about $17,000 less than the typical American household. Even in Brandon, the wealthiest place in the state, the typical household earns $74,172 annually — which, while high in the context of Mississippi, is less than the median income in half a dozen states, including Alaska, Connecticut, and New Jersey.

While many of the small cities and towns on this list have median home values of well over half a million dollars, in Brandon, most homes are worth less than $178,000. For context, the typical American home is worth about $205,000.

Clarkson Valley is a small Missouri city of less than 3,000 people. Located less than 25 miles west of St. Louis, Clarkson Valley residents have access to employment opportunities in the nearby city, many of them high paying. The typical Clarkson Valley household earns about $171,000 a year, more than three times the income the typical Missouri household earns.

Incomes tend to rise with educational attainment, and as is often the case in other states, Missouri’s wealthiest town is also its best educated. Clarkson Valley is the only small city or town in the state where more than 75% of the adult population has a bachelor’s degree or higher. Across Missouri, 28.6% of adults have a four-year college education.

Initially a mining camp in the 19th century, Montana City has since developed into a wealthy suburb of approximately 2,800 residents. The typical Montana City household earns $93,194 a year, the most of any small city or town in Montana and far more than the $52,559 state median household income.

Montana City is also home to some of the most expensive homes in the state. The typical home in Montana City is worth $331,900, the most of any city with a population between 1,000 and 25,000 in Montana and far more than the $219,600 state median.

A wealthy suburb of the Omaha metro area, Papillion has grown from approximately 1,000 residents in 1950 to more than 20,000 today. The typical household in Papillion earns $80,853 a year, the most of any small city or town in Nebraska and far more than the state median household income of $59,116.

The typical home in Papillion is worth $180,700, far more than the $151,100 median home value in neighboring Omaha and the $147,800 state median.

Spring Creek is a small suburb of approximately 14,000 residents in Elko County in northeast Nevada. The typical household in Spring Creek earns $97,143 a year, far more than both the state median household income of $57,598 and the national median of $60,293. Top employers in Elko County include the Elko County School District and West Wendover Casinos.

While incomes and home values often correlate, housing in Spring Creek is more affordable than in much of Nevada. The typical Spring Creek home is worth $225,400, less than the $242,400 state median home value.

Hampton is a small seaside Census-designated place of approximately 9,000 residents in Rockingham County. The typical Hampton household earns $92,688 a year, the most of any small town in New Hampshire and far more than the $74,057 state median household income.

A popular New England vacation destination, Hampton is home to some of the most expensive houses in New Hampshire. The typical home in Hampton is worth $358,300, far more than both the state median home value of $252,800 and the $204,900 national figure.

One of the wealthiest states in the country, New Jersey has a median household income of $79,363, about $29,000 more than the national median. In Glen Ridge, New Jersey, about 15 miles west of Manhattan, the typical household earns $213,801 a year, more than in any other small city or town in the state, and among the most anywhere nationwide.

The high incomes in Glen Ridge are evident by real estate values. The typical area home is worth about $645,000, nearly double the value of the typical New Jersey home.

A relatively low-income state, New Mexico is one of only seven states nationwide where most households earn less than $50,000 a year. Not all parts of the state are low income, however. In Los Alamos, most households earn over $100,000 a year.

The economy in Los Alamos is supported by the Los Alamos National Lab — a research and development center for the Department of Energy and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The facility has a nearly $3.0 billion annual budget and employs some 13,000 people — about two-thirds of whom have a college degree.

Greenville is a relatively short commute to New York City, providing its residents access to the many high-paying jobs. Even in one of the wealthiest states, Greenville stands out as especially affluent. It has a higher share of wealthy residents than any other small city or town in New York, with 56.9% of households earning at least $200,000 per year. Greenville’s median home value is more than triple that of New York state, at over $950,000.

Weddington is a small town of approximately 11,000 residents located 16 miles south of downtown Charlotte. The typical Weddington household earns $132,587 a year, more than twice the median household income of $60,886 in Charlotte and the state median of $52,413.

Largely agricultural for most of its history, Weddington began to develop more residential housing in the 1970s in tandem with the expansion of the Charlotte metro area. Today it has some of the most expensive homes in North Carolina. The typical home in Weddington is worth $443,600, the highest median home value of any small city or town in North Carolina and more than twice the $165,900 state median.

Horace is a small bedroom community located roughly 10 miles southwest of downtown Fargo. The population of Horace has grown rapidly over the past several decades, from 276 residents in 1970 to 2,660 today. The typical household in Horace today earns $131,354 a year, the most of any small town in North Dakota and more than twice the state median household income of $63,473.

What started as a small farming community in the 1870s now has some the most expensive homes in North Dakota. The typical home in Horace is worth $293,800, the most of place in North Dakota and far more than the median home value statewide of $185,000.

New Albany is a suburb of the Columbus metro area, located less than 15 miles northeast of the Ohio state capital. The wealthiest place in the state, New Albany has a median household income of $203,194, nearly four times the income the typical Ohio household earns annually. Like many prosperous communities, New Albany is growing rapidly. In the last five years, the number of people living there jumped by 33.9%.

New Albany boasts 53 miles of walking trails, more than 2,000 acres of parkland, and a 5,000 acre business park. The typical home in New Albany is worth $494,600, more than three times the state median home value of $140,000.

Jenks, Oklahoma, is located just south of Tulsa, so residents have access to the many high-paying jobs in the bigger city, in sectors like health care and aerospace engineering. Oklahoma has one of the lower median household incomes among states, at $51,424. The median in Jenks is tens of thousands of dollars higher, at over $93,000. This prosperity has likely attracted many new residents to Jenks — the population grew by more than 24%, from less than 18,000 in 2013 to over 21,000 in 2018.

Bethany is the most affluent neighborhood in Oregon. The typical household earns $127,351 a year, more than double the $59,393 the typical Oregon household earns. The high incomes in the community are due in part to the presence of major companies. The surrounding area is home to a number of tech companies, including Intel and Tektronix and textile companies like Columbia Sportswear and Nike.

Edgeworth is a small borough of approximately 1,600 residents located some 12 miles up the Ohio River from downtown Pittsburgh. The median household income in Edgeworth is $161,641, making it the wealthiest municipality in Pennsylvania. By comparison, the median household income across Pennsylvania is $59,445.

Edgeworth was originally developed in the late 19th century as a haven for managers and professionals wanting to escape the pollution of industrialized Pittsburgh, and today it has some of the most expensive homes in the state. The typical home is worth $602,000, the most of any small town in Pennsylvania and more than triple the $174,1000 state median home value.

Cumberland Hill is a small Census-designated place of about 8,000 residents located in northern Rhode Island. The typical household in the area earns $88,199 a year, a higher median income than in every other small city or town in the state.

Incomes tend to rise with educational attainment, and not only is Cumberland Hill the wealthiest place in the state, it is also the best educated. Of all adults in the area, 38.0% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 33.3% of adults statewide.

Tega Cay, South Carolina, is located on a peninsula along Lake Wylie, just south of the border with North Carolina. It is a short drive from Charlotte. With a median home value of $316,500, the typical home in the town has a median value more than double the median home value across the state as a whole. South Carolina has one of the higher poverty rates among states, at 16.0%. The U.S. poverty rate is 14.1%. In Tega Cay, less than 1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Brandon is a small city in eastern South Dakota, just outside of Sioux Falls — a city home to several major companies that offer high-paying employment opportunities. These include financial companies Citi and Wells Fargo as well as the biomedical companies Avera Health and Sanford Health — each of which employs thousands of people.

In Brandon, most households earn over $84,000 a year, about $28,000 more than the typical South Dakota household.

Oak Hill is a small city of approximately 4,600 residents located about 7 miles south of downtown Nashville. The typical household in Oak Hill earns $159,167 a year, more than triple the median household income of $50,927 across Tennessee as a whole and the most of any small city or town in the state.

Educational attainment is one of the largest determinants of income. In Oak Hill, some 78.2% of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree — about three times the 26.6% state college attainment rate and by far the most of any small city or town in Tennessee.

Originally developed as housing for the teachers and staff of Southern Methodist University in the early 1920s, University Park has since developed into one of the wealthiest communities in the country. The small city has grown in tandem with SMU and the larger Dallas metro area, increasing from a population of 4,200 in 1930 to 24,954 today.

The typical household earns $214,477 a year, more than three times both the state median household income of $59,570 and the $60,293 national figure. The typical home in University Park is worth $1.2 million, compared to the median home value of $161,700 statewide.

Highland, Utah, is located between Salt Lake City, the largest metro area in the state, and Provo, home to Brigham Young University, the state’s largest college. Nearly 60% of Highland residents 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, as compared to 33.3% of Utah adults. This helps qualify Highland residents for the many high paying jobs available in the area, such as those in higher education, health care, and tech.

The typical household in Vermont earns about $60,000 a year, in line with the national median household income. Relative to much of the country, median incomes do not vary much from place to place in Vermont. In Essex Junction, the wealthiest small city or town in the state, the median household income is just $75,439. While the median income in Essex Junction is about $15,000 more than the statewide median, it falls below the overall median in several other states, including neighboring Massachusetts and nearby Connecticut.

As is typical among the cities and towns on this list, Essex Junction is within commuting distance of a larger urban area. Burlington, the largest city in the state, sits less than 10 miles west of Essex Junction.

Great Falls is the richest town in Virginia and one of the richest in the entire country. The median annual household income is over $228,000 — more than triple that of the state. Great Falls is just across the Potomac River from Maryland and a short commute away from Washington, D.C., giving residents access to the many high-paying jobs available in the area in government and with government contractors. The largest companies in the area include government tech contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, Inova Health System, and government-sponsored finance giant Freddie Mac.

Duvall is a small city of about 8,000 people located 25 miles northeast of Seattle. With a median household income of $156,205, Duvall is the wealthiest small city or town in the state. Many high-income residents likely commute to high-paying jobs in the Seattle area. Major employers in the area include Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft.

High-income areas tend to have well-educated populations — and Duvall is no exception. More than half of all adults in the area have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 35.3% of adults living in Washington state.

West Virginia has the lowest bachelor’s degree attainment rate of any state, at 20.3%. Bridgeport, just south of Morgantown and West Virginia University, has the highest four-year college attainment rate of any town in the state, at 50.7%. West Virginia’s median household income is one of the lowest among states, at just under $45,000. Bridgeport’s median is just over $80,000, which is the highest of any municipality in the state but one of the lowest on this list. The town also has a poverty rate of 4.1%, less than a quarter of the state poverty rate which is 17.8%.

Whitefish Bay is a small village of 14,000 residents located less than 10 miles north of downtown Milwaukee. The village was originally incorporated in 1892 as a means to organize a school system for the children of farmers, and today it is the wealthiest small town in Wisconsin.

The typical Whitefish Bay household earns $117,300 a year, nearly twice the $59,209 state median household income and the $60,293 national figure. Some 22.6% of households earn $200,000 or more, more than five times the comparable 4.4% of households throughout Wisconsin.

Rock Springs is a city located at the intersection of Interstate 80 and US 191 in Sweetwater County in southwest Wyoming. Settled by a diverse community of immigrant coal miners in the late 19th century, the population of Rock Springs has grown from 3,406 in 1890 to 23,633 today. Rock Springs has since transitioned from coal to an economy dependent on trona mines and oil and gas, and is today the wealthiest small town in Wyoming.

The typical household in Rock Springs earns $75,441 a year, more than the $62,268 state median household income but less than the vast majority of places on this list. The typical home in Rock Springs is worth $217,400, slightly more than the $213,300 state median home value.