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
Median income: $136,837 Median home value: $1,495,191
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
Median income: $112,017 Median home value: $1,067,823
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:
These are the 10 poorest counties in California, according to new median income ranking
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
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