Does living in one of the richest cities in the United States make you a happier person?
Maybe not – the cost of living rises quickly with income.
Happiness isn’t the metric we’re measuring today, however. We’re looking to see which cities have the highest median income.
Where do you go to see the richest cities in the nation?
The suburbs of major cities where people live in big homes, away from the grimy, packed downtown areas, that’s where.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Richest Cities In The US For 2024
Is everyone in these places loaded? No. But are most of their bank accounts pretty fat? Yeah, they are.
So, what’s the richest big city in America, according to the data? Per the most recent ACS data, the richest city in America is Fremont, CA.
To see exactly how we calculated these rankings, read on.
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The 10 Richest Cities In The United States For 2024
/10
Population: 228,795
Median Income: $169,023 (best)
Average Home Price: $1,413,076 (best)
More on Fremont: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Our next stop, Fremont, California, probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone who lives in the state. When you think of wealthy areas in California, some people may think Beverly Hills or Sunnyvale. But in fact, it’s the jam-packed east bay city of Fremont that’s the wealthiest in all of the Golden State. Households here make earn the highest incomes. The residents here aren’t necessarily famous, but they’re definitely rich.
While you may see people in this city driving around in fancy cars, odds are people you meet there are really comfortable. In fact, people here are more likely to downplay their money than show it off. One reason people are ‘rich’ in Fremont is the fact that salaries are so inflated because the cost of living is so high. So, you’re not as ‘rich’ in Fremont as you would be in, say, Cary, NC.
And while it might be easy to scoff at the success of folks here, you have to remember, just about everyone here worked their butts off to get to where they are.
/10
Population: 304,527
Median Income: $122,948 (4th best)
Average Home Price: $1,331,528 (2nd best)
More on Irvine: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Awesome place. Super safe. Plenty of things to do: nature, city, eats, movies, films, and events.
Expensive. Everything you wanna do here is expensive. You need some income.
/10
Population: 1,001,176
Median Income: $136,010 (3rd best)
Average Home Price: $1,330,692 (3rd best)
More on San Jose: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I love the library of san jose, there are a lot of book in different language juste like the people in this city.
santana row is my favorite place, a lot of store, restaurants, large place, easy to park beautiful place to hang out with friends or family.
/10
Population: 851,036
Median Income: $136,689 (2nd best)
Average Home Price: $1,254,436 (4th best)
More on San Francisco: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
I felt happy to stay San Francisco, Good surroundings,people like to enjoy and helpful to us
I like to go golden bridge, Coit tower
/10
Population: 734,603
Median Income: $116,068 (6th best)
Average Home Price: $827,235 (8th best)
More on Seattle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The city is rather expensive, but some of the locale and people there are first rate. The biggest drawback is property taxes which squeeze out a lot of people from living there. But the climate is great and the people can be quite liberal in orientations.
The best feature of Seattle by far is Club Sapphire. This establishment bills itself as a “place for grown ups to play and fantasies to become real.” Although it might appear at first to be a s********b, Sapphire is a premier s*x club for discriminating individuals and couples to pay and have fun. Swingers and other types enjoy the area and I have had more than a few nice nights out there. I have met so many couples willing to explore their wildest e****c fantasies with me and my SO at Sapphire, it really is an excellent example of what Seattle can be.
/10
Population: 225,850
Median Income: $116,186 (5th best)
Average Home Price: $773,299 (13th best)
More on Santa Clarita: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 1,383,987
Median Income: $98,657 (13th best)
Average Home Price: $955,846 (5th best)
More on San Diego: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
San Diego is one of my favorite places on earth. It has an incredible tourist life, is fun, entertaining, and relaxing all in the same thing.
The thing that stood out the most was the food. We stayed on Mission Bay and the streets were lined with all different types of food with an incredible view.
/10
Population: 276,103
Median Income: $101,984 (10th best)
Average Home Price: $809,308 (9th best)
More on Chula Vista: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 240,537
Median Income: $104,197 (9th best)
Average Home Price: $798,175 (11th best)
More on Scottsdale: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 347,111
Median Income: $88,538 (19th best)
Average Home Price: $844,174 (7th best)
More on Anaheim: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Anaheim, California is a very clean city to live in. The city is fairly new and the buildings elegant, the streets are clean and people are friendly. There is diversity in the city of Anaheim, CA. The food in this city is exceptional thanks to its diverse population. The most fascinating attraction located in this city is Disneyland. Disneyland is an awesome place to bring family and little ones to enjoy the weekend of a holiday, definitely it is a fascinating world.
Disneyland stood out more to me. The place is a world of wonders. The food at the attraction is mouth watering and people in there are educated and friendly. The rides in the park are fun and entertaining. The bad thing about it is that the tickets are too expensive.
Methodology: How We Determined The Wealthiest Cities in The US For 2024
When HomeSnacks looks at a place to live, we study the most important data you can find anywhere with Saturday Night Science. The data you would use at a bar to argue with friends over what city is richer.
For this analysis we used the U.S. Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey and Zillow. We considered the following categories:
- Median Incomes
- Median Home Prices
The census just updated their data at the end of they ear, so we can take a fresh look at it.
And, to be clear, we measured the 100 largest cities in America. So, while your little small town might be rolling in the dough, we’re only looking at the most populated areas.
To score the cities, we ranked each one from 1 to 100 where 1 is the “richest” for that category. We then averaged the two rankings into a rich score with the lowest overall score being crowned richest in the United States.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the richest cities in America.
Summary: The Wealthiest Cities in The United States For 2024
After the analysis was over, we crowned Fremont as the richest city in America for 2024.
The richest cities in the United States are Fremont, CA, Irvine, CA, San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, Santa Clarita, CA, San Diego, CA, Chula Vista, CA, Scottsdale, AZ, and Anaheim, CA.
In most of these cities, people have it made financially. They have new homes, drive new cars, and have bright futures. But this comes at a cost. Long work hours mean more stress and less family time. Keeping up with friends and neighbors means private school, after-school activities, and two substantial car payments.
For some, it’s the only way to live.
For the rest of America, we can feel better about ourselves when we define rich as love, friends, health, or the little things in life.
While it’s good news for the cities we mentioned, we have to mention the poorest cities in America.
Here’s a look at the poorest cities in America:
- Cleveland
- Detroit
- Toledo
For more reading, check out:
Richest Cities In The United States For 2024
Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fremont, CA | 228,795 | $169,023 | $1,413,076 |
2 | Irvine, CA | 304,527 | $122,948 | $1,331,528 |
3 | San Jose, CA | 1,001,176 | $136,010 | $1,330,692 |
4 | San Francisco, CA | 851,036 | $136,689 | $1,254,436 |
5 | Seattle, WA | 734,603 | $116,068 | $827,235 |
6 | Santa Clarita, CA | 225,850 | $116,186 | $773,299 |
7 | San Diego, CA | 1,383,987 | $98,657 | $955,846 |
8 | Chula Vista, CA | 276,103 | $101,984 | $809,308 |
9 | Scottsdale, AZ | 240,537 | $104,197 | $798,175 |
10 | Anaheim, CA | 347,111 | $88,538 | $844,174 |
11 | Oakland, CA | 437,825 | $94,389 | $790,956 |
12 | Washington, DC | 670,587 | $101,722 | $615,747 |
13 | Gilbert, AZ | 267,267 | $115,179 | $566,231 |
14 | Boston, MA | 665,945 | $89,212 | $714,795 |
15 | Plano, TX | 284,948 | $105,679 | $503,025 |
16 | Jersey City, NJ | 287,899 | $91,151 | $591,988 |
17 | Long Beach, CA | 462,293 | $78,995 | $799,165 |
18 | Chandler, AZ | 275,618 | $99,374 | $519,175 |
19 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,379 | $84,210 | $753,174 |
20 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,881,041 | $76,244 | $926,593 |
21 | Riverside, CA | 316,076 | $83,448 | $606,630 |
22 | Austin, TX | 958,202 | $86,556 | $533,213 |
23 | Denver, CO | 710,800 | $85,853 | $558,402 |
24 | Portland, OR | 646,101 | $85,876 | $523,622 |
25 | New York, NY | 8,622,467 | $76,607 | $733,006 |
26 | Henderson, NV | 318,063 | $85,311 | $461,416 |
27 | Aurora, CO | 387,349 | $78,685 | $472,149 |
28 | Sacramento, CA | 523,600 | $78,954 | $467,947 |
29 | Colorado Springs, CO | 479,612 | $79,026 | $440,298 |
30 | Boise City, ID | 234,192 | $76,402 | $468,085 |
31 | Anchorage, AK | 290,674 | $95,731 | $373,986 |
32 | Raleigh, NC | 465,517 | $78,631 | $431,992 |
33 | Virginia Beach, VA | 457,900 | $87,544 | $384,137 |
34 | Chesapeake, VA | 249,377 | $92,703 | $374,172 |
35 | Reno, NV | 265,196 | $73,073 | $526,202 |
36 | Mesa, AZ | 503,390 | $73,766 | $431,607 |
37 | Atlanta, GA | 494,838 | $77,655 | $379,030 |
38 | Durham, NC | 284,094 | $74,710 | $395,610 |
39 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,609,456 | $72,092 | $417,187 |
40 | Charlotte, NC | 875,045 | $74,070 | $387,529 |
41 | Stockton, CA | 320,030 | $71,612 | $428,288 |
42 | Nashville, TN | 684,103 | $71,328 | $428,714 |
43 | Bakersfield, CA | 404,321 | $73,827 | $377,282 |
44 | Irving, TX | 254,962 | $76,686 | $337,139 |
45 | North Las Vegas, NV | 264,022 | $71,774 | $385,939 |
46 | Madison, WI | 268,516 | $74,895 | $369,136 |
47 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,877 | $76,332 | $318,812 |
48 | Glendale, AZ | 248,083 | $66,375 | $405,468 |
49 | Tampa, FL | 388,768 | $66,802 | $391,344 |
50 | Las Vegas, NV | 644,835 | $66,356 | $399,875 |
51 | St. Petersburg, FL | 259,343 | $70,333 | $375,897 |
52 | Miami, FL | 443,665 | $54,858 | $569,425 |
53 | Fort Worth, TX | 924,663 | $72,726 | $303,501 |
54 | Arlington, TX | 393,469 | $71,736 | $312,016 |
55 | Orlando, FL | 307,738 | $66,292 | $373,263 |
56 | Garland, TX | 244,026 | $71,044 | $297,145 |
57 | Chicago, IL | 2,721,914 | $71,673 | $283,025 |
58 | Spokane, WA | 227,922 | $63,316 | $374,653 |
59 | Fresno, CA | 541,528 | $63,001 | $363,927 |
60 | St. Paul, MN | 308,806 | $69,919 | $278,672 |
61 | Omaha, NE | 489,201 | $70,202 | $268,796 |
62 | Hialeah, FL | 222,996 | $49,531 | $445,753 |
63 | Lexington, KY | 321,276 | $66,087 | $289,233 |
64 | Lincoln, NE | 290,531 | $67,846 | $267,971 |
65 | Dallas, TX | 1,300,642 | $63,985 | $306,310 |
66 | Jacksonville, FL | 950,203 | $64,138 | $293,086 |
67 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,551 | $61,503 | $321,089 |
68 | Newark, NJ | 307,355 | $46,460 | $432,693 |
69 | Richmond, VA | 227,171 | $59,606 | $328,655 |
70 | Norfolk, VA | 236,973 | $60,998 | $284,301 |
71 | Kansas City, MO | 505,958 | $65,256 | $227,993 |
72 | Houston, TX | 2,296,253 | $60,440 | $260,901 |
73 | Columbus, OH | 902,449 | $62,994 | $237,662 |
74 | Louisville, KY | 629,176 | $63,114 | $231,566 |
75 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,804 | $64,449 | $216,357 |
76 | Tucson, AZ | 541,033 | $52,049 | $324,757 |
77 | San Antonio, TX | 1,445,662 | $59,593 | $257,552 |
78 | Oklahoma City, OK | 681,088 | $64,251 | $195,449 |
79 | Pittsburgh, PA | 303,843 | $60,187 | $224,210 |
80 | Greensboro, NC | 297,202 | $55,051 | $248,523 |
81 | Indianapolis, IN | 882,006 | $59,110 | $218,415 |
82 | Laredo, TX | 255,293 | $60,928 | $206,477 |
83 | Winston-Salem, NC | 249,571 | $54,416 | $241,673 |
84 | New Orleans, LA | 380,408 | $51,116 | $253,741 |
85 | Fort Wayne, IN | 264,514 | $58,233 | $216,656 |
86 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,593,208 | $57,537 | $216,286 |
87 | Wichita, KS | 395,951 | $60,712 | $183,706 |
88 | Lubbock, TX | 258,190 | $58,734 | $204,713 |
89 | El Paso, TX | 677,181 | $55,710 | $213,288 |
90 | Cincinnati, OH | 308,870 | $49,191 | $235,782 |
91 | Tulsa, OK | 411,938 | $56,648 | $192,607 |
92 | Baltimore, MD | 584,548 | $58,349 | $179,189 |
93 | Baton Rouge, LA | 225,500 | $50,155 | $214,487 |
94 | Buffalo, NY | 276,688 | $46,184 | $215,169 |
95 | St. Louis, MO | 298,018 | $52,941 | $168,569 |
96 | Milwaukee, WI | 573,299 | $49,733 | $191,843 |
97 | Memphis, TN | 630,027 | $48,090 | $144,868 |
98 | Toledo, OH | 269,962 | $45,405 | $114,512 |
99 | Detroit, MI | 636,787 | $37,761 | $66,544 |
100 | Cleveland, OH | 370,365 | $37,271 | $100,343 |
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