The Secret Wealth Behind These Big Cities

How wealthy are the people who live in the richest cities in America? The median household income in the U.S. is $57,617, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but that’s nothing compared to the average household incomes in some of the richest cities in America.

Got your eye on upward mobility? Click through to take a look at these high-society havens.

Mean Household Income: $303,332
Median Household Income: $183,594

When you think of the wealthiest areas in America, think small — not in terms of dollar signs but population. Highland Park’s population of just 9,149 occupies a cozy 2.26 square miles of land. Just 3 miles from the hub of Dallas, 20 percent of Highland Park’s developed land is reserved for park space, hence the name, which makes it easy for the Dallas elite to relax in style.

Mean Household Income: $305,630
Median Household Income: $206,250

Estimated at only 5,785 people, the village of Indian Hill is to Cincinnati what Highland Park is to Dallas — the quiet enclave where the wealthy go to escape the bustle of the city. That small population is spread out over almost 20 square miles of family-friendly turf which includes three churches, a couple of garden clubs and both a Boy Scouts and a Girl Scouts chapter.

Mean Household Income: $308,625
Median Household Income: $180,208

Of the roughly 8,723 people in Glencoe Village, only 3.70 percent live below the poverty level. The well-to-do Chicago suburb keeps it classy with plentiful community activities, including a golf club, historical society, grand prix and writers’ theater.

The late writer, director and actor Harold Ramis — of “Ghostbusters,” “Caddyshack” and “Groundhog Day” — called Glencoe Village his home until his death in 2014. Later, his six-bedroom mansion was listed for sale at $2.599 million, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Mean Household Income: $311,296
Median Household Income: $234,091

There were a little over 5,200 homes in Great Falls and over 5,000 of them were occupied, according to 2015 census data. The median value of those homes was $1.1 million, with renters paying a median monthly rent of $3,061 to live alongside a whole lot of wealthy D.C. politicians.

That pricey premium on housing might have something to do with Great Falls Park, a gorgeous, 800-acre national park on the Potomac River known for its steep, rugged rocks and natural attractions like the Mather Gorge and Patowmack Canal. It makes for a nice contrast to the nation’s capital, which is just minutes away — and which might explain those high home values and housing prices.

Mean Household Income: $311,902
Median Household Income: $211,773

Like Glencoe, Winnetka is another idyllic suburb of Chicago. With 12,187 people and a prominent rush hour buzz, this commuter town has a little more pep, however. While Winnetka serves as an upscale refuge from the Windy City, locals still enjoy a chic downtown shopping district of boutique stores.

Mean Household Income: $313,277
Median Household Income: $208,906

Darien describes itself as a “mainly residential community with no industry,” and it really isn’t kidding. A little more populous than most wealthy cities on this list, the sleepy, 1800s-inspired town of Darien is home to 21,392 people. And those people really, really like recreation. Within its 14.9 square miles, you’ll find two beaches, an indoor ice skating rink, three country clubs and four clubs dedicated to waterside activities.

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Mean Household Income: $317,063
Median Household Income: $198,839

No, it’s not the Bronx — it’s the Village of Bronxville, an old-fashioned, English-style village located about 15 miles north of midtown Manhattan. Incorporated in 1898, the village vibe coupled with a 28-minute train ride to Grand Central Station makes this close-knit community a famous enclave for New York commuters. In fact, the Kennedy family has a long history in Bronxville. The highly sought-after Tudor, Colonial and Victorian homes go for a median price of about $916,700.

There’s also good news for renters: Bronxville is one of the cities where rent has increased the least, found a GOBankingRates study.

Mean Household Income: $327,035
Median Household Income: $234,250

Don’t expect California to give up its dominance in the realm of wealthy ZIP codes any time soon. Uber-rich Silicon Valley startup CEOs, movie moguls and silver screen stars have to live somewhere, right?

The San Francisco Bay suburb of Piedmont City is characterized by single-family homes, plentiful parks, tennis courts and peaceful tree-lined streets. It also features those characteristic Bay Area rent prices, with median rates clocking in at $2,485 per month.

Mean Household Income: $333,780
Median Household Income: $226,319

In 2017, luxury real estate website Mansion Global called Los Altos Hills “a playground for Silicon Valley’s biggest stars.” In an interview with the site, an agent with Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty noted that it’s not rare for homes to go on the market for between $30 million and $68 million.

Homes are often situated on acres of land in a horse-friendly, hilly town that is pure California country. Pony up the mortgage and your neighbors might include Google founder Sergey Brin and CEO Sundar Pichai or actress Adrienne Barbeau.

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Mean Household Income: $341,401
Median Household Income: $207,500

Old Greenwich has a reputation as a close, neighborly community — the type of place where all the families know each other, the houses are side by side and the kids play in the neighbor’s yard. It boasts some modern, eco-trendy boutiques to boot. Known for its waterfront properties, homes here have a median value of $1.4 million, making it Connecticut’s most expensive ZIP code.

Mean Household Income: $344,778
Median Household Income: $189,744

Tucked away in the Santa Monica Mountains, Lake Sherwood is a private, star-studded community just north of Los Angeles in Ventura County. Home to such famous residents as Wayne Gretzky, Britney Spears, Sylvester Stallone and even the late Tom Petty, a five-bedroom, five-bathroom home in Lake Sherwood could run you around $1.7 million.

Mean Household Income: $345,361
Median Household Income: $250,000+

The sister village of Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point is another member of the triumvirate of the Memorial Villages suburbs of West Houston. To get a home in the region, be prepared to pay: A newly-constructed six-bedroom, nine-bathroom abode with coffered ceilings and European oak flooring in the Piney Point Village section is listed for $4.35 million.

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Mean Household Income: $346,819
Median Household Income: $250,000+

With a mean household income of $346,819, Short Hills is not short on dough. A quiet getaway and commuter town for senior executives, Short Hills has a staggeringly low 1.9 percent of residents living below the poverty line.

About 30 percent of its employed 16-and-over population work in the finance and insurance industries. These wealthy residents spend their rainy day money at Short Hills’ opulent mall, which features its own Tesla dealership and clothing stores like Bonpoint, Reiss, Johnston & Murphy and Chico’s.

Mean Household Income: $349,570
Median Household Income: $214,167

Considered by Businessweek to be the wealthiest town in America, Brookville is yet another Long Island enclave — and home to Long Island University’s flagship campus, LIU Post.

With famous faces like Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Angie Dickinson calling Brookville home, it’ll cost you a pretty penny to settle down within Brookville’s city limits — a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in the town is listed at $1.4 million.

Mean Household Income: $351,490
Median Household Income: $193,125

Described by its official website as “an oasis of natural beauty,” Westlake is ranked as a Gold-Level Scenic City and snuggled into the heart of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro region.

Prime and ready for a business boom, Westlake was tapped as the best city in Texas to start a small business by a 2016 study by Fundera. Major firms such as Goosehead Insurance and Charles Schwab have taken notice — both have recently relocated to the city as well, making this a great location for entrepreneurial-minded individuals to settle down and call home.

Mean Household Income: $355,730
Median Household Income: $250,000+

Considered by Businessweek to be the most wealthy suburb in the state of Texas, Hunters Creek Village is regarded as the crown jewel of Houston’s Memorial Villages section of communities. In 2008, Forbes tapped Hunters Creek — along with its neighbor Piney Point Village — as one of the top suburbs to live well nationwide.

Mean Household Income: $368,949
Median Household Income: $229,097

For the 2015 census, Hillsborough had a rental vacancy rate of zero. If by some miracle, you were able to rent in this exclusive little town, you’d be looking at a median rent rate of $2,833 per month. The San Mateo County town’s homes have a median value of more than $2 million, with price tags regularly ranging from about $2.5 million to $20 million in 2017.

Appropriately, Hillsborough was founded by the fortune-seeking William Davis Merry Howard in the mid-1850s and economically fueled by the California gold rush. Looks like Howard found his fortune, after all.

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Mean Household Income: $371,194
Median Household Income: $242,782

New York’s Scarsdale village is known for a few things: Its five-star restaurants, finance industry commuters and being named the richest town in America by USA Today in 2015. Living among that sort of prestige comes at a high cost of entry, though.

The median home value was $1.23 million, according to 2015 census data. But if you’re really looking to spend, it won’t be hard to find an abode in this historic town for $2.5 million to $6.5 million.

Mean Household Income: $376,584
Median Household Income: $250,000+

Located slightly above Ann Arbor, the town was founded in the early 1900’s with the name of “Huron Farms,” the neighborhood blossomed out of the Detroit Edison Company’s plans for an “exclusive, upscale” residential community that featured a “mark of distinction.” Before deciding to make the leap into the exclusive zip code, be sure to weigh your options; A two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 1,800-square-foot home in the region will cost you just under a half million dollars. With high property and income tax rates, Michigan is one of the worst states to be rich in America.

Mean Household Income: $392,868
Median Household Income: $250,000+

A suburb of eastern Cleveland, Hunting Valley straddles two county lines — Cuyahoga and Geauga — and took the top spot as the wealthiest neighborhood in Ohio. Hunting Valley — aside from being a luxurious hot spot for Ohioans — is also the birthplace of the 20th President of the United States, James Garfield. Getting access to a Hunting Valley home is no easy feat, however — a modest four-bedroom, seven-bathroom estate in the region has a listing price of $1.98 million.

Mean Household Income: $403,532
Median Household Income: $237,569

If you’re looking for an affluent town with a completely different vibe from the rest of the richest cities in the U.S., Cherry Hills Village might just be the ticket. One of the younger towns on the list, this circle of upscale country homes just outside of Denver was incorporated in 1945 and has since held on to its rustic Colorado style.

“Rustic” doesn’t mean cheap, though. In 2016, Denver Broncos former head coach Mike Shanahan and his wife, Peggy, put their 3.88-acre Cherry Hills property on the market for $22 million, according to the Denver Post.

Mean Household Income: $419,662
Median Household Income: $250,000+

Choosing to call Chevy Chase Village your new home means you’ll move into one of the town’s 721 houses — residing comfortably in Maryland’s most affluent zip code. Home to a number of Capitol Hill notables and Washington figures, the town developed as an exclave of the D.C. sprawl. Also notable, if you plan to head to Chevy Chase Village — pump the brakes. The town is known for deriving over 24 percent of its annual revenue from traffic citations.

Mean Household Income: $442,629
Median Household Income: $250,000+

Tucked into the heart of Long Island, Hewlett Bay Park is an affluent Nassau County enclave and one part of “The Hewletts” — comprised of the hamlet of Hewlett, Hewlett Bay Park, Hewlett Harbor and Hewlett Neck.

Although the population tops off around 404 as per the 2010 US Census Data, you’re paying for exclusivity — homes on Redfin within the Hewlett Bay Park boundaries fetch upwards of $1.9 million for a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a waterfront view and 1.23 acres of land.

Mean Household Income: $444,374
Median Household Income: $250,000+

You didn’t think we were done with California quite yet, did you? The San Mateo County town of Atherton’s residents made an astounding mean of $444,374 per year. It’s little wonder that Bloomberg called this Silicon Valley housing hub America’s wealthiest town in 2017.

If you want to be neighbors with the tech industry’s brightest stars, you’d better start saving — Zillow places the median home value in Atherton at $6.44 million, a figure that’s predicted to rise 1.7 percent within the next year.

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Rachel Farrow contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: All mean and median household income and gross rent information was provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, calculated in 2015 dollars, unless otherwise noted.