U.S. Cities with High Median Household Income
Explore high-income U.S. cities with Census household medians, rent context and margins of error. Open-ended income estimates are identified separately.
Four covered places with at least 20,000 residents report an open-ended median household income of at least $250,000: Southlake and University Park in Texas, and Los Altos and Saratoga in California. They cannot be ordered by an exact median. The numbered table below ranks only usable exact estimates; Garden City, New York leads that subset.
What the data show
Garden City village, New York leads the eligible exact-value table at $244,152 per year . The ranking contains 1,938 places. Among the first 100 rows, California has 40; Texas has 9; Illinois has 8. These counts describe ranked places, not the share of all residents living in those states.
Applying a larger-city threshold of 100,000 residents changes the leading examples to Sunnyvale city, CA ($186,170); Fremont city, CA ($181,506); Santa Clara city, CA ($178,958) . This sensitivity check uses the same metric and precision rules, and shows why a population cutoff must accompany any headline about the “top” city.
Open-ended estimates appear separately below; they are above the exact-value table without a knowable precise order.
Places with open-ended median household income estimates
4 places meeting the population threshold have source medians expressed as a range. They are excluded from the numbered exact-value table. Their order here is alphabetical, not a rank.
- Los Altos city, California : At least $250,000
- Saratoga city, California : At least $250,000
- Southlake city, Texas : At least $250,000
- University Park city, Texas : At least $250,000
Median household income ranking and city comparison table
Filter the complete eligible set by name, state or a higher population threshold. The rank column keeps each place’s position in the original national eligible universe. Downloads contain all matching rows, including rows on later table pages.
Top 100 of 1,938 eligible places. National ranks use unrounded values.
| National rank | Place | Population · July 2025 | Median household income | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden City village, NY | 23,043 | $244,152 ±$13,012 | $3,265 ±$744 |
| 2 | Sammamish city, WA | 66,110 | $239,690 ±$15,260 | $2,857 ±$168 |
| 3 | San Carlos city, CA | 29,261 | $237,470 ±$15,954 | $2,854 ±$128 |
| 4 | Cupertino city, CA | 58,333 | $234,707 ±$12,596 | At least $3,500 |
| 5 | Westfield town, NJ | 32,595 | $232,629 ±$17,720 | $2,357 ±$209 |
| 6 | Danville town, CA | 43,302 | $232,216 ±$13,793 | At least $3,500 |
| 7 | Palo Alto city, CA | 67,609 | $231,101 ±$9,859 | $3,484 ±$157 |
| 8 | Lafayette city, CA | 25,313 | $228,250 ±$25,040 | $2,892 ±$302 |
| 9 | Mercer Island city, WA | 25,422 | $219,069 ±$17,476 | $2,502 ±$191 |
| 10 | Colleyville city, TX | 25,727 | $218,328 ±$15,954 | $3,263 ±$379 |
| 11 | Los Gatos town, CA | 32,576 | $217,554 ±$14,059 | $3,247 ±$211 |
| 12 | Dublin city, CA | 71,602 | $214,385 ±$9,481 | $3,191 ±$66 |
| 13 | Menlo Park city, CA | 32,713 | $210,025 ±$20,341 | $3,239 ±$156 |
| 14 | Ridgewood village, NJ | 26,527 | $208,211 ±$17,735 | $2,499 ±$347 |
| 15 | Belmont city, CA | 28,752 | $205,297 ±$18,232 | $2,875 ±$108 |
| 16 | Manhattan Beach city, CA | 33,122 | $204,306 ±$20,391 | $3,449 ±$250 |
| 17 | Mountain Brook city, AL | 21,661 | $201,479 ±$15,143 | $1,456 ±$254 |
| 18 | Foster City city, CA | 32,411 | $199,143 ±$11,786 | At least $3,500 |
| 19 | Parkland city, FL | 39,186 | $198,669 ±$13,417 | $3,157 ±$370 |
| 20 | San Ramon city, CA | 86,209 | $196,161 ±$11,535 | $2,968 ±$96 |
| 21 | Prosper town, TX | 45,605 | $195,281 ±$12,809 | $2,176 ±$159 |
| 22 | Princeton, NJ | 31,469 | $192,079 ±$24,402 | $2,636 ±$281 |
| 23 | Wilmette village, IL | 27,459 | $190,662 ±$19,517 | $1,978 ±$282 |
| 24 | Newton city, MA | 90,741 | $190,304 ±$8,593 | $2,370 ±$81 |
| 24 | Summit city, NJ | 23,314 | $190,304 ±$34,890 | $2,430 ±$210 |
| 26 | Pleasanton city, CA | 74,556 | $190,124 ±$9,119 | $3,060 ±$123 |
| 27 | Mountain View city, CA | 85,438 | $189,917 ±$10,319 | $3,062 ±$93 |
| 28 | Fulshear city, TX | 64,630 | $187,035 ±$23,499 | $1,952 ±$1,517 |
| 29 | Sunnyvale city, CA | 156,577 | $186,170 ±$5,402 | $3,039 ±$59 |
| 30 | Highland city, UT | 21,571 | $186,075 ±$13,861 | $2,166 ±$298 |
| 31 | Leawood city, KS | 34,093 | $185,625 ±$12,837 | $1,983 ±$254 |
| 32 | Brentwood city, TN | 45,313 | $182,088 ±$12,809 | $2,825 ±$355 |
| 33 | Fremont city, CA | 226,442 | $181,506 ±$3,676 | $2,933 ±$48 |
| 34 | Hoboken city, NJ | 59,027 | $180,579 ±$10,044 | $2,938 ±$129 |
| 35 | Rancho Palos Verdes city, CA | 39,654 | $179,623 ±$9,558 | At least $3,500 |
| 36 | Santa Clara city, CA | 133,446 | $178,958 ±$8,034 | $3,016 ±$60 |
| 37 | Milpitas city, CA | 78,596 | $178,798 ±$10,931 | $3,120 ±$150 |
| 38 | Mountain House city, CA | 25,315 | $177,163 ±$18,940 | At least $3,500 |
| 39 | Murphy city, TX | 20,985 | $175,699 ±$16,778 | $2,847 ±$334 |
| 40 | Keller city, TX | 46,078 | $174,950 ±$12,338 | $2,144 ±$135 |
| 41 | Burlingame city, CA | 31,929 | $174,000 ±$12,320 | $2,785 ±$120 |
| 42 | Erie town, CO | 40,904 | $173,349 ±$9,854 | $2,805 ±$260 |
| 43 | Bainbridge Island city, WA | 24,691 | $172,188 ±$13,014 | $2,194 ±$239 |
| 44 | Zionsville town, IN | 33,624 | $172,024 ±$16,763 | $1,792 ±$127 |
| 45 | Hudson city, OH | 23,085 | $171,427 ±$11,966 | $2,344 ±$344 |
| 46 | Milton city, GA | 41,266 | $171,295 ±$18,779 | $2,065 ±$130 |
| 47 | Celina city, TX | 64,427 | $170,894 ±$12,592 | $2,379 ±$466 |
| 48 | Newark city, CA | 47,895 | $169,064 ±$9,066 | $2,776 ±$113 |
| 49 | Highland Park city, IL | 30,767 | $168,094 ±$17,851 | $1,925 ±$124 |
| 50 | Libertyville village, IL | 20,701 | $165,667 ±$6,307 | $1,637 ±$123 |
| 51 | Bellevue city, WA | 154,193 | $165,576 ±$7,893 | $2,572 ±$53 |
| 52 | Calabasas city, CA | 22,027 | $165,288 ±$15,759 | $3,089 ±$154 |
| 53 | Harrison village, NY | 32,273 | $164,250 ±$17,352 | $2,616 ±$155 |
| 54 | Morgan Hill city, CA | 45,625 | $163,920 ±$8,235 | $2,474 ±$142 |
| 55 | Millbrae city, CA | 22,869 | $163,476 ±$11,394 | $3,272 ±$163 |
| 56 | Redmond city, WA | 82,506 | $162,560 ±$10,119 | $2,409 ±$48 |
| 57 | Encinitas city, CA | 60,736 | $162,229 ±$10,306 | $2,886 ±$115 |
| 58 | Flower Mound town, TX | 79,540 | $161,235 ±$7,234 | $2,231 ±$83 |
| 59 | Wildwood city, MO | 34,955 | $161,060 ±$10,613 | $1,661 ±$185 |
| 60 | Livermore city, CA | 83,457 | $160,775 ±$7,055 | $2,677 ±$94 |
| 61 | Pacifica city, CA | 36,890 | $160,523 ±$13,153 | $3,098 ±$184 |
| 62 | Dublin city, OH | 49,094 | $160,296 ±$11,351 | $1,686 ±$109 |
| 63 | Johns Creek city, GA | 80,401 | $160,093 ±$7,573 | $2,257 ±$41 |
| 64 | Eastvale city, CA | 70,594 | $160,069 ±$7,106 | $3,252 ±$105 |
| 65 | Redwood City city, CA | 82,178 | $157,814 ±$8,282 | $2,968 ±$76 |
| 66 | Northbrook village, IL | 34,744 | $157,782 ±$19,596 | $2,463 ±$303 |
| 67 | Yorba Linda city, CA | 65,632 | $157,582 ±$8,394 | $2,846 ±$149 |
| 68 | Newport Beach city, CA | 81,977 | $156,867 ±$10,941 | $3,316 ±$90 |
| 69 | Upper Arlington city, OH | 35,893 | $155,167 ±$13,473 | $1,588 ±$97 |
| 70 | Naperville city, IL | 153,114 | $155,105 ±$4,387 | $1,885 ±$39 |
| 71 | Issaquah city, WA | 39,423 | $154,669 ±$13,820 | $2,590 ±$115 |
| 72 | Frankfort village, IL | 21,365 | $154,375 ±$11,309 | $2,442 ±$882 |
| 73 | Birmingham city, MI | 21,923 | $153,510 ±$14,199 | $1,902 ±$156 |
| 74 | San Mateo city, CA | 103,337 | $153,504 ±$7,504 | $3,077 ±$100 |
| 75 | Naples city, FL | 20,114 | $153,182 ±$25,425 | $2,305 ±$578 |
| 76 | Maple Valley city, WA | 28,482 | $152,885 ±$14,437 | $2,304 ±$242 |
| 77 | Rancho Santa Margarita city, CA | 45,779 | $152,560 ±$11,761 | $2,625 ±$120 |
| 78 | Rockville Centre village, NY | 25,770 | $151,938 ±$18,030 | $1,881 ±$257 |
| 79 | Kirkland city, WA | 97,410 | $150,414 ±$5,890 | $2,401 ±$54 |
| 80 | Redondo Beach city, CA | 67,281 | $150,245 ±$8,646 | $2,691 ±$71 |
| 81 | Frisco city, TX | 236,955 | $150,212 ±$6,821 | $2,014 ±$65 |
| 82 | Germantown city, TN | 40,001 | $149,920 ±$8,036 | $1,816 ±$120 |
| 83 | Elmhurst city, IL | 46,111 | $149,644 ±$10,307 | $1,975 ±$142 |
| 84 | Moorpark city, CA | 35,023 | $148,480 ±$12,054 | $2,559 ±$190 |
| 85 | Poway city, CA | 49,180 | $148,359 ±$8,311 | $2,301 ±$112 |
| 86 | Harrisburg town, NC | 20,742 | $148,254 ±$9,305 | $2,640 ±$310 |
| 87 | Herndon town, VA | 25,506 | $148,000 ±$18,469 | $2,259 ±$80 |
| 88 | Alpharetta city, GA | 66,921 | $147,612 ±$9,158 | $1,948 ±$50 |
| 89 | Louisville city, CO | 20,581 | $147,319 ±$14,349 | $2,166 ±$154 |
| 90 | West Linn city, OR | 26,567 | $146,507 ±$13,220 | $2,116 ±$172 |
| 91 | San Jose city, CA | 989,814 | $146,427 ±$2,140 | $2,669 ±$28 |
| 92 | Coppell city, TX | 41,386 | $146,235 ±$11,704 | $2,022 ±$105 |
| 93 | Franklin Town city, MA | 33,955 | $145,773 ±$9,492 | $1,899 ±$156 |
| 94 | Campbell city, CA | 42,490 | $145,268 ±$8,146 | $2,737 ±$83 |
| 95 | Leesburg town, VA | 49,917 | $145,205 ±$8,147 | $2,105 ±$62 |
| 96 | Castle Rock town, CO | 83,815 | $145,197 ±$7,924 | $2,000 ±$107 |
| 97 | Pleasant Hill city, CA | 34,017 | $145,029 ±$13,104 | $2,533 ±$164 |
| 98 | Fair Lawn borough, NJ | 37,128 | $144,574 ±$12,614 | $1,917 ±$88 |
| 99 | Paramus borough, NJ | 26,723 | $144,349 ±$16,221 | $3,032 ±$340 |
| 100 | Geneva city, IL | 21,138 | $144,341 ±$9,457 | $1,768 ±$101 |
Household income is not an individual salary
A household can include several people and more than one income source. Median household income describes the middle household in the income distribution, not the wage of a typical worker or the salary a newcomer will receive. Comparing households of different sizes without further adjustment can hide substantial differences in resources per person.
The measure includes income counted under the ACS definition, rather than household net worth. A high-income place is not necessarily the place with the greatest wealth. Neither income nor wealth specifies the price or availability of a particular rental home. This page shows median gross rent beside income to support a separate housing-cost comparison.
Why the highest reported medians need special treatment
Some ACS median distributions have an open upper interval. In this release, a household-income median encoded as 250001 means at least $250,000, rather than exactly $250,001. Sorting that sentinel as a normal dollar amount would manufacture a precise order the data do not provide.
We list the qualifying open-ended places separately above the exact-value ranking. No exact numbered position is assigned to them. The point-estimate table’s national rank therefore refers only to the stated exact-value subset, and is not a claim that Garden City has a higher median than those four places. Original open-ended labels are retained in city profiles and source downloads.
How to compare income with housing and uncertainty
Eligible exact-value rows have at least 20,000 residents in July 2025, a positive income median and a published numerical margin of error no greater than half the estimate. Income refers to the ACS 2020–2024 window in 2024 dollars. The later population estimate is used only for the size threshold.
A higher household income can reflect the composition of residents, including how many earners live together. It does not prove that local employers pay more for the same occupation. Resident income and workplace wages have different definitions and geographies. Use official occupational wage data separately when evaluating a job offer.
Positions are ordered by exact survey point estimates, with equal competition ranks for equal values. Differences in rank do not establish statistical significance. Keep the margins of error and household definitions attached when citing the table. Rental and owner housing figures help identify trade-offs, but a ratio of medians is not a household budget.
Ranking criteria, exclusions and sources
Starting universe: 19,483 PEP place profiles. Population cutoff: 20,000 residents , applied to July 1, 2025. 1,946 places meet that cutoff; 1,938 enter the numbered ranking. 8 are excluded from numbered ranks , including 4 open-ended medians; other exclusions concern unavailable or nonpositive estimates, unavailable MOEs, precision, and the stated worker threshold where applicable .
Ties use competition ranking: two places tied for first share rank 1, and the next is rank 3. The numerical MOE must be at most half the positive point estimate. This is an editorial precision rule. An exact median means a published point estimate, not an error-free measurement. Missing records never become zeros.
Original source: ACS B19013_001 . Census statistical testing guidance explains how to evaluate differences. Our methodology documents transformations and geographic joins. Source releases and the update log identify publication dates. Submit a correction with a source and page address.
Questions about this city ranking
Which cities have the highest household income?
Southlake, University Park, Los Altos and Saratoga report medians of at least $250,000 in the covered 20,000-plus population universe. Their exact order is unavailable. Garden City has the highest eligible exact median.
Does high household income mean high wages?
Not necessarily. Household income combines income across household members and sources. The measure is different from an occupation’s wage or the earnings offered by employers in the city.