12 West Coast Cities With the Most Households Earning Six Figures

jeremyiswild / Getty Images

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

It wasn’t that long ago that crossing over into the six-figure salary mark meant you’d made it into the leagues of the upper middle class. But now, in most states, that makes you middle-middle class and in some states, possibly lower middle class.

No matter where you live, a six-figure salary is obviously preferable to a five-figure salary, but in the West Coast, infamously among the more expensive regions in the U.S., making, say, $100,000 a year, may be barely enough to live on.

The West Coast is rife with households pulling in six figures. In which cities is making this kind of money especially common? In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities on the West Coast to find the cities with the most households earning a six-figure income.

Let’s have a look at the household median income, the average cost of a single-family home, the total cost of living annually and the number of households making at least six figures in 12 places on the West Coast.  

12. San Ramon, California 

• Household median income: $197,358  
• Single-family home average value: $1,775,965 
• Total cost of living annually: $147,188  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 22,835 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 76.9%  

11. Dublin, California 

• Household median income: $205,046  
• Single-family home average value: $1,529,121 
• Total cost of living annually: $131,377  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 18,474 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 77.6%  

10. Palos Verdes Estates California

• Household median income: $247,500  
• Single-family home average value: $2,796,503 
• Total cost of living annually: $222,666  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 3,909 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 77.7%  

9. Saratoga, California 

• Household median income: $241,348  
• Single-family home average value: $4,183,370 
• Total cost of living annually: $320,916  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 8,437
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 78.5%  

8. Lafayette, California

• Household median income: $222,393  
• Single-family home average value: $1,936,042 
• Total cost of living annually: $159,589  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 7,245 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 78.5%  

7. Orinda, California

• Household median income: 250,000+  
• Single-family home average value: $1,970,270
• Total cost of living annually: $161,751  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 5,886 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 79.7%  

6. San Carlos, California

• Household median income: $233,333  
• Single-family home average value: $2,506,713 
• Total cost of living annually: $202,712  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 8,843
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 80%  

5. La Canada Flintridge, California

• Household median income: $221,451 
• Single-family home average value: $2,444,752 
• Total cost of living annually: $201,782  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 5,135 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 80.2% 

4. Sammamish, Washington

• Household median income: $227,273  
• Single-family home average value: $1,711,087 
• Total cost of living annually: $148,029  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 18,218 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 82.5%  

3. Los Altos, California

• Household median income: 250,000+  
• Single-family home average value: $4,577,456 
• Total cost of living annually: $348,007 
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 8,973 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 83.4%  

2. Piedmont, California

• Household median income: 250,000+  
• Single-family home average value: $2,246,507
• Total cost of living annually: $181,967  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 3,228 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 86.4%  

1. Snoqualmie, Washington

• Household median income: $197,531  
• Single-family home average value: $1,148,719 
• Total cost of living annually: $108,057  
• Number of households earning $100k or more: 3,910 
• Percentage of households earning $100k or more: 89.1%  

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities on the West Coast to find the cities with the most households earning a six-figure income. The West Coast states are defined as: CT,MA, ME NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, and WV. To qualify for this study the city has to have at least 10,000 population as well as data available from all sources. For each city a number of factors were found including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, household median income, households earning $100,000 to $149,000, households earning $150,000 to $199,000, and households earning $200,000 or more, all sourced from the U.S. Census 2023 5-year American Community Survey. The households earning each category were used to calculate the percent of households earning within each category and were summed to find the percentage of households that earn at least $100,000. The cities were sorted to show the cities with the highest percentage of households earning $100,000 or more. The top 100 cities were selected. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and using the average expenditure cost as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost can be calculated for each city. The average single family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index from March 2025. Assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated for each city. Using the average mortgage and expenditure cost, the total cost of living can be calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. The cities were sorted to show the highest percentage of households earning $100k or more. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Apr. 22, 2025.

Share This Article: