The Wealthiest Towns in the U.S.
It should come as no surprise that the wealthiest towns in the U.S. are largely situated near some of the country’s most culturally rich and happening cities, such as New York, San Francisco and Chicago. Just north of New York City, Connecticut is actually the state with the greatest per-capita wealth in the nation — not to mention some of the most affluent towns.
Celebrities, businesspeople and politicians alike are among the residents of many of these rich suburbs, which means they get both the perks of small-town life and the vibrancy of the country’s best cities. Check out the wealthiest towns in the U.S., all ranked by a Bloomberg analysis.
Atherton, California
Situated in San Mateo County between San Jose and San Francisco, Atherton, California, is home to plenty of Silicon Valley’s tech wealth. Despite the fact that the median cost of a home in Atherton is $6 million and the average household income is around $450,000, the majority of the town is row houses. It also has a small town hall and a library.
Among the town’s residents is billionaire Sheryl Sandberg, the first woman to serve on the board of directors for Facebook. Another is Meg Whitman, the CEO of Quibi who serves on the board of directors for Dropbox.
Scarsdale, New York
Just north of New York City lies the famously rich town of Scarsdale. It’s one of the wealthiest towns on the East Coast. From 2017 to 2019, the median household income of Scarsdale rose to over $417,000. The median home price is $1.8 million.
The town’s wealthy residents include former All My Children actress Susan Lucci and Preet Bharara, the Attorney General for the Southern District of New York. Rumor also has it that Jay-Z and Beyonce may have a home in Scarsdale.
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
Not too far south of Denver is Cherry Hills Village, which is known for its gigantic 10,000-square-foot mansions in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. These homes have majestic views that add even more to their luxurious ambience. NFL stars Peyton Manning and John Elway both have homes in Cherry Hills Village.
The average price of a house in this small Colorado town is $2 million, while the average income for a household is $394,000. The area is also a hotspot for golfers — two PGA tournaments have been hosted in Cherry Hills Village.
Los Altos Hills, California
Just a bit north of San Jose in Santa Clara County is Los Altos Hills, California. This town is particularly notable for having strict regulations about how businesses can operate. The idea is to make sure residents, many of whom are Silicon Valley tech folks, get space from their busy working lives.
Plenty of rich and some famous people reside in Los Altos Hills, including Google’s co-founder Sergey Brin and its CEO Sundar Pichai. The average price of a Los Altos Hills home is around $4 million. The median household income is $386,000.
Hillsborough, California
It won’t take you long to reach Hillsborough on the train from San Francisco. It’s located just south of The City by the Bay and not far from Silicon Valley. Hillsborough’s wealthy and notable residents include Alicia Silverstone and Jimmy Kimmel. Tech billionaire Larry Ellison also has a home here.
The average household income in Hillsborough is $373,000. At least the median price of a home is only $2 million — but you can expect to spend more if you want one of the larger mansions in the area.
Short Hills, New Jersey
West of New York City is the very wealthy town of Short Hills, New Jersey. Technically, it’s close enough to be considered one of New York City’s suburbs. If you’re into literature, perhaps you’ll recognize that Philip Roth’s novel Goodbye Columbus is set here. Actor Anne Hathaway and fashion designer Rachel Zoe both have homes in Short Hills.
The mid-range price of a home in Short Hills is $1.75 million, and the town’s average household income is $367,000. It was also named one of the best places to live in the U.S.
Highland Park, Texas
Lots of old Spanish architecture decorates Highland Park, Texas, a northern suburb of Dallas. Some of Highland Park’s more notable buildings in this style include the country’s first shopping center, Highland Park Village, and the St. Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral.
With the average price of a home in Highland Park at $1.4 million and the median household income sitting around $359,000, it should come as no surprise that lots of famous Texans have made Highland Park their home. These names include former presidential candidate Ross Perot and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban.
Darien, Connecticut
A mere 37 miles from New York City sits Darien, Connecticut, a beautiful town with several private clubs, gorgeous beaches and a blooming golfing and yachting culture. Many of New York’s wealthy residents come here for leisure and entertainment.
Aside from just weekending in Darien, lots of rich folks call this small town in Connecticut their year-round home. Grammy nominee Moby grew up in Darien. The average price of a Darien home is $1.3 million, with the average household income clocking in at $341,000.
Bronxville, New York
Bronxville is a short 15 miles outside of Manhattan, making it an ideal location for New York’s rich and famous. It has the best of both worlds, being close to the most culturally rich city in the U.S. while still maintaining the quietness of suburban life.
Bronxville itself is tiny, only taking up a square mile of space. Even though the median household income is $340,000 and the median price of a home is $2.33 million, this little village manages to maintain its classy look without mansions that are too ostentatious.
Glencoe, Illinois
The gorgeous town of Glencoe, Illinois, is actually a suburb of Chicago. It sits on Chicago’s North Shore along Lake Michigan. Both Sixteen Candles and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off were filmed around here. Expect a five-bedroom home with views of the lake to cost about $5 million — even a basic home costs over $1 million here.
The income of the average Glencoe household is $339,000 annually. Glencoe has lovely beaches on six miles of coastline, not to mention a beautiful botanical garden that houses several dozen distinct plant collections.
The Village of Indian Hill, Ohio
Indian Hill, Ohio, was founded as an agricultural community, but a lot has changed there in the past 100 years. Now it’s one of the wealthiest towns in America, located a few miles outside of Cincinnati. One of the reasons Indian Hill transformed from its humble beginnings was because wealthy businessmen moved in to help get the area developed.
Now, Indian Hill is a popular weekend getaway for Cincinnati residents. Today, mid-range homes in Indian Hill cost more than $1 million, and the median household income sits at $338,000.
Old Greenwich, Connecticut
Located along the Long Island Sound and home to Tod’s Point, one of its longest beaches, is Old Greenwich, Connecticut. It may have started as a railway station serving mainly to connect nearby cities in 1961, but now it’s a place wealthy folks comfortably call home.
Still, Old Greenwich is on the National Register of Historic Places because of its interesting background. It maintains the quaintness of a small town while housing some sizable mansions owned by many Wall Street executives. The median household income here is $336,000.
Winnetka, Illinois
Just a hop, skip and a jump north of Chicago is the wealthy town of Winnetka, Illinois. Aside from notable wealthy residents Rock Hudson, Chris O’Donnell and Virginia Madsen, Winnetka was the setting for the Christmas classic Home Alone. The unmistakable house from the movie makes for a great landmark.
The average cost of a house in Winnetka is just over a million dollars, and the median household income is $331,000. Two famous architects, David Adler and Howard Van Doren Shaw, designed many of Winnetka’s stunning houses and churches.
West University Place, Texas
Close to Rice University in Houston, Texas, is West University Place, an upper class town where larger homes can cost more than $4 million. The average income here is $330,000 for a household. Houses here have a lot of charm, which draws residents looking for somewhere to settle that doesn’t feel too busy.
Despite its proximity to urban Houston, West University Place has kept its small-town vibe, with streets named after famous authors like Chaucer and Shakespeare. Brian Cushing, an NFL player, and Craig Biggs, a former MLB player, are some of the town’s notable residents.
Larchmont, New York
Larchmont, New York, has a history spanning a few hundred years. One of its oldest homes was built in 1797 by Peter Jay Munro. Today, that home is called “The Manor House”; it received this name in 1887 when it became a hotel after a four-track railroad was built and prominent New York City residents came looking to buy property in the area.
Larchmont has become one of the wealthiest towns in America. A six-bedroom home here can cost upwards of $10 million. Even the average home costs $1.1 million, with the median household income sitting at $313,000.
Great Falls, Virginia
Only 20 miles outside of Washington, D.C., Great Falls, Virginia, is an incredibly wealthy suburb. Many well-known people reside in Great Falls, including Senator Rick Santorum, AOL’s former CEO Steve Case and Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder.
An average house in Great Falls will set you back $1.1 million, but that’s affordable for average residents with a median household income of $309,000. Aside from its hefty price tags, it’s a beautiful town along the banks of the Potomac River with some incredible waterfalls inside of Great Falls Park, one of the most scenic areas in the region.
University Park, Texas
A northern suburb of Dallas that sits just 13 miles from downtown, University Park is a spot that many oil tycoons and other wealthy business professionals call home. Expect to see massive mansions, high-end boutiques and cute restaurants all over this town, which isn’t far from Southern Methodist University.
Because of its proximity to the private research university, this town has a lot of highly educated residents. University Park’s average household income is about $305,000, with a single-family home costing in the million-dollar range.
Westport, Connecticut
Westport is located on Long Island Sound about 52 miles away from New York City. It feels like a small town despite its proximity to one of the busiest places in the country. Westport was part of the setting for the film Bewitched and is also actor Paul Newman’s hometown.
This seaside town is no cheap place to live, as it’s on what’s known as the Gold Coast of Connecticut. Westport’s median household income rings in at $304,000. The average price of a home here is a little over $1 million.
Rumson, New Jersey
Rumson, New Jersey, is a tiny town of only about 7,000 residents. Among them are Bruce Springsteen, Queen Latifah, Jon Bon Jovi and Charlie Puth, all of whom have good reason to have made Rumson their home at one point or another: all of its beautiful beaches and Atlantic coastline.
Some of the massive mansions in Rumson cost over $7 million, though the average price of a home is only $1.2 million. Rumson’s median household income is $303,000 — a big jump from its 2018 median household income of $256,000.
Paradise Valley, Arizona
Paradise Valley may actually be the definition of paradise. Just outside of Phoenix, Paradise Valley boasts some of the most gorgeous and picturesque landscapes in the U.S. It’s no wonder Emma Stone, David Spade, Dick Van Dyke and Michael Phelps have homes here.
The average price of a home in Paradise Valley is $1.8 million, and its average household income is around $300,000. Full of private clubs and immaculate golf courses with incredible views, Paradise Valley is also a popular getaway for Phoenix’s elite.
Kentfield, California
Located in Marin County, Kentfield is one of the wealthiest towns in America for many reasons, including its proximity to San Francisco, which is only 18 miles away.
Even more, the area is known for its gorgeous scenery and hiking opportunities all around thanks to its location on the eastern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. The average price of a home in Kentfield is over $2 million, and the median household income is just shy of $300,000.
Ladue, Missouri
If you’re wealthy, love the Midwest and aren’t too keen on brutal Chicago winters, Ladue might just be your ideal spot. Some of its gargantuan mansions can set you back around $13 million, though the average price of a home is a bit less at just under $900,000.
A suburb of St. Louis, Ladue is only 12 miles from the city center. This means Ladue offers the best of both worlds with a small-town vibe and a short commute to all the action. Here, the average household income is around $291,000.
Riverside, Connecticut
Riverside is only 36 miles from New York City, situated on Long Island Sound between Cos Cob Harbor and Greenwich Cove. Some of its massive, beautiful mansions can cost as much as $16 million. However, an average home in Riverside costs around $1.7 million.
Lots of famous people have chosen to make this New York City suburb their home, including Kathie Lee Gifford, former NFL star Tiki Barber and former NHL star Marc Staal. This makes sense given its idyllic scenery and proximity to the big city. Riverside’s median household income lands at about $291,000.
Travilah, Maryland
Travilah is an elite suburb of Washington, D.C., situated in an area northeast of the city known as Potomac. This is an ideal cozy spot to settle in — particularly for the wealthy entrepreneurs, politicians, lawyers and doctors of the nation’s capital.
The average cost of a home in Travilah is just over $1 million, and the town’s median household income is about $285,000. While it maintains a small-town feel, Travilah is not devoid of its own culture. In fact, it even has its own gorgeously designed contemporary art museum called Glenstone.
McLean, Virginia
Home of the CIA headquarters, McLean is just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., and is one of the richest towns in the U.S. Plenty of notable people have made their homes in McLean over the years, including Dick Cheney, Colin Powell and Ethel Kennedy.
Today, McLean is home to numerous diplomats, members of Congress and other high-ranking government officials thanks to its lovely views and proximity to Washington. With an average household income of $284,000 and an average home costing $1 million, McLean is nothing short of fancy.
Los Altos, California
Situated in the northern end of Silicon Valley, Los Altos is no stranger to wealth. The average property in Los Altos is around $2.8 million. The town’s median income is $280,000, and it’s home to a slew of celebrities, tech millionaires and sports stars.
The rolling hills of Los Altos make it a picturesque place in which to settle down. That’s not to mention its proximity to one of the country’s most culturally rich cities: San Francisco. Even if you don’t want to venture the 37 miles to the city, Los Altos has its own quaint downtown full of trendy cafes and boutiques.
Greenville, New York
Upstate New York’s town of Greenville is 133 miles from New York City. Albany, the state’s capital, is much closer — only 36 miles away. Still, Greenville is one of America’s wealthiest towns, with a median household income of $280,000 and an average home clocking in at $910,000.
In the foothills of the Catskills, Greenville boasts some incredible scenery and recreational opportunities; it’s not far from many great hiking trails and ski resorts. For the East Coast elites who want to truly get away from the city, Greenville is a popular place to settle.
Montecito, California
Just east of Santa Barbara is the wealthy town of Montecito, California. Its median household income is $276,000, while the average price of a Montecito home is a whopping $3.3 million. The reason for this likely has a lot to do with Montecito’s residents and location.
Oprah Winfrey and Gwyneth Paltrow are among the famous people who have made Montecito their home. Oprah’s Montecito estate is worth $90 million. Wealthy celebrities often choose this area because it’s a gorgeous small town on the coast, but it’s not too far from Hollywood.
Rye, New York
Rye, New York, is on the border with Connecticut and only 26 miles from Manhattan. The median household income is $276,000. While it may not be as wealthy as some of the other northern suburbs of New York City, it’s still one of the richest towns in the U.S.
The average home in Rye costs about $1.7 million. This high price tag comes from its great location on Long Island Sound and its short distance from the city that never sleeps.
Piedmont, California
While not surprising for the Bay Area, the average price of a home in Piedmont, California, is over $700,000. And some homes can cost upwards of $4 million. With impressive hills that overlook much of the surrounding terrain, it’s no wonder some of the country’s wealthiest people have decided to make Piedmont their home.
The median household income in Piedmont is $275,000. Seeing as they’re living only 13 miles from San Francisco, Piedmont residents get the luxury of suburban life with the proximity to the lively and bustling big city.
