These are the 10 wealthiest counties in California, according to new median income ranking
All but one of the 10 wealthiest counties in California are situated in the northern portion of the state, according to financial website SmartAsset.
The July ranking put Santa Clara County — median household income of $140,258 and median home value of $1,468,206 — at the top spot, with San Mateo and Marin counties trailing closely behind.
SmartAsset ranked U.S. counties by their investment income, property value and median income, according to the website. Data sources include Internal Revenue Service’s Statistics of Income Tax Statistics, real estate website Zillow and the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey.
California has the sixth-highest median household income in the country at $84,097, according to the latest data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Washington, D.C. took the top spot with a median of $93,547.
Wealthiest counties in California
Here’s a list of the 10 wealthiest counties in California, according to SmartAsset. The ranking is based on a median household income from 2017 to 2021.
The Bee cross-referenced the median household income data below with the United States Census Bureau. The median home value is from SmartAsset.
No. 1: Santa Clara County
- Median income: $140,258
- Median home value: $1,468,206
No. 2: San Mateo County
No. 3: Marin County
- Median income: $131,008
- Median home value: $1,428,578
No. 4: San Francisco County
- Median income: $126,187
- Median home value: $1,272,795
No. 5: Alameda County
No. 6: Contra Costa County
- Median income: $110,455
- Median home value: $808,983
No. 7: Orange County
- Median income: $100,485
- Median home value: $1,005,769
No. 8: Placer County
- Median income: $99,734
- Median home value: $668,050
No. 9: Napa County
- Median income: $97,498
- Median home value: $886,233
No. 10: Santa Cruz County
- Median income: $96,093
- Median home value: $1,120,335
Poorest counties in California
Here’s a list of the 10 poorest counties in California, according to SmartAsset:
- Trinity County
- Imperial County
- Siskiyou County
- Modoc County
- Tehama County
- Del Norte County
- Mariposa County
- Humboldt County
- Lake County
- Sierra County
Roughly 12% of California residents are reported to be living in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Statuses “cannot be determined” for the following groups:
- Institutional groups
- College dorms
- Military living quarters
- Living situations without typical housing (who are not in shelters)
- Unrelated children under 15
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 11:05 AM with the headline "These are the 10 wealthiest counties in California, according to new median income ranking."