Richest U.S. Counties 2026: Top 100 by Median Household Income
U.S. County Income Ranking: 2026 Snapshot
Loudoun County, Virginia ranks first with a median household income of $181,765, followed by Santa Clara County, California at $164,281 and San Mateo County, California at $158,855. The ranking uses U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey Detailed Table B19013, variable B19013_001E.
The source dataset is the 2020–2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, released January 29, 2026. Values are reported in 2024 inflation-adjusted U.S. dollars. Higher median household income ranks higher.
Data status: 100 official_value; 0 calculated_value; 0 official_forecast; 0 modeled_projection. All 100 entries are direct Census estimates; no calculated or projected county income values are used.
Loudoun County, Virginia ranks #1.
York County, Virginia ranks #100.
Confirmed county-level geographies across 24 states.
5-year estimates in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.
What median household income measures
Median household income is the midpoint of the household-income distribution: half of households are estimated above the median and half below it. It is not the same as average income, per-capita income, household wealth or net worth.
The U.S. median in the same ACS dataset is $80,734. The #100 entry in this ranking, York County, Virginia, is $109,956, placing every geography in the Top 100 well above the national median on this measure.
The 2026 label describes the publication snapshot. The underlying ACS estimate combines survey responses collected from 2020 through 2024 and expresses them in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.
Top 10 U.S. counties by median household income
Loudoun County leads Santa Clara County by $17,484. California has three entries in the Top 10, Virginia has two, while Maryland, Colorado, New Mexico, New York and Georgia each have one.
Top 10 county-level geographies by ACS B19013 median household income
| Rank | County / equivalent | Median household income | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loudoun County | $181,765 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 2 | Santa Clara County | $164,281 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 3 | San Mateo County | $158,855 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 4 | Fairfax County | $153,637 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 5 | Howard County | $149,763 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 6 | Douglas County | $149,594 | Colorado · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 7 | Marin County | $149,091 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 8 | Los Alamos County | $147,139 | New Mexico · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 9 | Nassau County | $146,202 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 10 | Forsyth County | $143,784 | Georgia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
Ranks use the published ACS point estimate in descending order. No forecast, projection or synthetic 2026 adjustment is applied.
Chart: Top 20 counties by median household income
The chart uses the same raw values as the ranking table. Loudoun County is the only Top 20 entry above $180,000.
Methodology
The metric is U.S. Census Bureau ACS Detailed Table B19013, variable B19013_001E: median household income in the past 12 months. The universe is households, the unit is 2024 inflation-adjusted U.S. dollars, and the ranking direction is descending.
Dataset
2020–2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, released January 29, 2026. The page is therefore a 2026 snapshot using the latest complete ACS 5-year county dataset available for this ranking.
Geographic coverage
Eligible rows are Census county-level geographies in the 50 states and District of Columbia, including official county equivalents such as Virginia independent cities, Alaska census areas and Connecticut planning regions.
Ranking rule
Valid B19013_001E point estimates are sorted from highest to lowest. The Top 100 consists of exactly the first 100 confirmed rows. Missing values are not imputed.
Data status
Every included row is official_value because the value is directly published by the Census Bureau. No calculated_value, official_forecast or modeled_projection rows are included.
Margins of error are not used to reorder the ranking. ACS figures are survey estimates, so close point estimates should not automatically be interpreted as statistically different without formal significance testing.
The metric does not measure household wealth, assets, debt, per-capita income, average household income, local purchasing power, housing affordability or cost of living.
Main ranking: Top 100 U.S. county-level geographies
Search by county or state, filter by status, change sort order, or switch between Top 10, Top 20 and all 100 confirmed entries.
Top 100 by median household income, 2020–2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates
| Rank | County / equivalent | Median household income | Source / method note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loudoun County | $181,765 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 2 | Santa Clara County | $164,281 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 3 | San Mateo County | $158,855 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 4 | Fairfax County | $153,637 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 5 | Howard County | $149,763 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 6 | Douglas County | $149,594 | Colorado · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 7 | Marin County | $149,091 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 8 | Los Alamos County | $147,139 | New Mexico · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 9 | Nassau County | $146,202 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 10 | Forsyth County | $143,784 | Georgia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 11 | Falls Church city | $143,262 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 12 | Arlington County | $142,114 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 13 | Hunterdon County | $141,715 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 14 | San Francisco County | $140,970 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 15 | Somerset County | $140,374 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 16 | Nantucket County | $139,688 | Massachusetts · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 17 | Summit County | $138,114 | Utah · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 18 | Stafford County | $137,807 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 19 | Morris County | $137,326 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 20 | Williamson County | $135,594 | Tennessee · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 21 | Aleutians West Census Area | $135,500 | Alaska · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 22 | Calvert County | $133,922 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 23 | Delaware County | $133,540 | Ohio · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 24 | Elbert County | $132,685 | Colorado · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 25 | Montgomery County | $132,450 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 26 | Fairfax city | $132,348 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 27 | Prince William County | $131,402 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 28 | Morgan County | $130,929 | Utah · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 29 | Middlesex County | $130,847 | Massachusetts · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 30 | Norfolk County | $130,739 | Massachusetts · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 31 | Suffolk County | $130,686 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 32 | Fauquier County | $130,189 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 33 | Alameda County | $129,367 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 34 | Western Connecticut Planning Region | $128,188 | Connecticut · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 35 | Rockwall County | $127,981 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 36 | Contra Costa County | $127,229 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 37 | Chester County | $127,208 | Pennsylvania · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 38 | Putnam County | $126,257 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 39 | Carver County | $125,946 | Minnesota · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 40 | Dukes County | $125,786 | Massachusetts · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 41 | Anne Arundel County | $124,911 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 42 | Bergen County | $124,884 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 43 | Monmouth County | $124,845 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 44 | King County | $124,746 | Washington · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 45 | Teton County | $124,172 | Wyoming · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 46 | Broomfield County | $123,874 | Colorado · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 47 | New Kent County | $123,314 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 48 | Charles County | $122,816 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 49 | Oldham County | $122,497 | Kentucky · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 50 | Frederick County | $122,002 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 51 | Collin County | $121,600 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 52 | Hamilton County | $121,530 | Indiana · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 53 | Oconee County | $121,217 | Georgia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 54 | Poquoson city | $120,972 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 55 | Alexandria city | $119,681 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 56 | St. Mary's County | $119,446 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 57 | Scott County | $119,314 | Minnesota · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 58 | Westchester County | $118,976 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 59 | Goochland County | $118,931 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 60 | Rockingham County | $118,331 | New Hampshire · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 61 | Carroll County | $118,211 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 62 | Wasatch County | $117,608 | Utah · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 63 | Clarke County | $117,111 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 64 | King George County | $116,884 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 65 | Orange County | $116,289 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 66 | Sussex County | $116,186 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 67 | Placer County | $115,998 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 68 | Washington County | $115,345 | Minnesota · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 69 | Kendall County | $114,962 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 70 | Bucks County | $114,764 | Pennsylvania · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 71 | Bristol County | $114,490 | Rhode Island · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 72 | San Benito County | $114,394 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 73 | Plymouth County | $114,201 | Massachusetts · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 74 | Fort Bend County | $114,041 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 75 | Montgomery County | $113,915 | Pennsylvania · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 76 | Manassas city | $113,590 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 77 | Queen Anne's County | $112,826 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 78 | Hanover County | $112,805 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 79 | Spotsylvania County | $112,738 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 80 | Union County | $112,322 | Ohio · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 81 | Harford County | $112,265 | Maryland · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 82 | DuPage County | $112,096 | Illinois · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 83 | Fayette County | $111,978 | Georgia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 84 | Kendall County | $111,601 | Illinois · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 85 | Middlesex County | $111,549 | New Jersey · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 86 | Denton County | $111,498 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 87 | Napa County | $111,471 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 88 | Williamson County | $111,340 | Texas · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 89 | Boone County | $111,250 | Indiana · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 90 | Snohomish County | $111,246 | Washington · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 91 | Santa Cruz County | $111,093 | California · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 92 | Davis County | $110,884 | Utah · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 93 | Jefferson County | $110,656 | Colorado · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 94 | Powhatan County | $110,537 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 95 | Lake County | $110,416 | Illinois · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 96 | Warren County | $110,132 | Ohio · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 97 | James City County | $109,985 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 98 | Will County | $109,984 | Illinois · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 99 | Rockland County | $109,959 | New York · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
| 100 | York County | $109,956 | Virginia · ACS B19013 · 2020–2024 5-year · 2024 dollars · official_value. |
All rows use the same Census ACS B19013 methodology and the same 2020–2024 5-year release. Rank is based on the raw published point estimate.
Insights from the Top 100
Key Insight
Loudoun County leads at $181,765, which is $17,484 above Santa Clara County and $22,910 above San Mateo County.
Top 100 Threshold
The ranking cutoff is $109,956 in York County, Virginia. The gap between #1 and #100 is $71,809.
State Concentration
Virginia has 20 entries, California 11 and Maryland 10. Together, those three states account for 41 of the Top 100.
County-Equivalent Example
Western Connecticut Planning Region ranks #34 at $128,188. It is an official Census county-equivalent planning region rather than a traditional county.
What the ranking means
A higher position means a higher published median household income estimate on one consistent ACS 5-year basis. It does not automatically mean households have greater wealth or greater purchasing power after local costs.
County-equivalent geographies are included because they are part of the Census Bureau’s official county-level geography structure. That is why Virginia independent cities, Alaska census areas and Connecticut planning regions can appear alongside conventional counties.
Very small gaps between adjacent ranks should be interpreted cautiously because ACS estimates carry margins of error.
FAQ
Which U.S. county has the highest median household income?
Loudoun County, Virginia ranks first in this dataset at $181,765.
Are these 2026 income figures?
No. This is a 2026 snapshot using the 2020–2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, expressed in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.
Why use ACS 5-year estimates?
ACS 5-year estimates provide a consistent Census dataset for county-level geographies regardless of population size.
Are these official published values?
Yes. Every row is an official_value directly published by the U.S. Census Bureau in ACS B19013. No calculated or projected county values are included.
Does “richest county” mean highest household wealth?
No. The ranking measures median household income, not assets, liabilities, net worth or household wealth.
Why are independent cities and planning regions included?
They are official Census county-equivalent geographies and are part of the same county-level geography structure used for the ranking.
Are the dollar values inflation-adjusted?
Yes. The 2020–2024 ACS 5-year B19013 estimates are expressed in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.
Do margins of error affect the ranking?
The ranking uses published point estimates. Close ranks should not be interpreted as statistically significant differences without formal testing.
Sources
U.S. Census Bureau — ACS B19013
Primary source for all median household income values in the ranking.
Census Data API — B19013_001E
Variable definition for median household income in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.
https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs5/variables/B19013_001E.html
2024 ACS 5-Year release
Release documentation for the 2020–2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates.
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/news/data-releases/2024/release.html
ACS Summary File
Official bulk-data and geography documentation for the ACS release.
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/data/summary-file.2024.html
ACS 1-year vs. 5-year guidance
Census guidance on choosing a consistent ACS estimate product for geographic comparisons.
https://www.census.gov/help/topics/faq.when-is-it-best-to-use-acs-1-year-or-5-year-estimates.html
ACS Statistical Testing Tool
Census guidance for comparisons involving margins of error and statistical significance.
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/guidance/statistical-testing-tool.html
