Have you ever wondered what the richest town in New York is? Online media content organization Stacker recently compiled a list of the richest towns in every state and found Scarsdale to be the wealthiest in the Empire State.
Using Census Bureau American Community Survey Five-Year Data as of August 2024, Stacker looked at median household income and excluded any places with a population smaller than 1,000 people. As the bureau's statistics don't show specific incomes or earnings beyond $250,000, the earnings are designated as $250,000 and over.
"From 1963 to 2022, the richest top 1% of American families experienced a sevenfold increase in wealth, from $1.8 million to $13.6 million," the analysis read. "Wealthy American towns offer a host of amenities, access and offerings, from suburban communities renowned for their school districts and club soccer teams to bustling neighborhoods filled with trendy bars and restaurants."
Here's what to know.
What is the richest town in New York?
Scarsdale is the richest town in New York, according to Stacker. Located in Westchester County, just 23 miles northeast of New York City, Scarsdale has a population of over 18,200 and a median household income of $250,000, which is 232.7% more than the U.S. median income.
About 74% of households earn over $200,000 annually, the median earnings for workers is $138,829 and most of the population — 98.8% — has health insurance. The unemployment rate in Scarsdale is 4.5% and only 1.5% of families have an income below the poverty level.
"White settlers arrived in the town in 1660 after purchasing the land from the Siwanoy Tribe," the analysis states. "Scarsdale now boasts a population of over 18,200 and grew slowly because of its isolated nature and lack of access to Long Island Sound or the Hudson River."
What is the richest county in New York?
While Scarsdale is the richest town in the state, it is not in the richest county. According to 2022 data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis , New York County is the richest. The county has a per capita income of $186,848.
Westchester County isn't too far behind, though, as it's the second richest county with a per capita income of $124,029.
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What are the richest towns in the Northeast?
According to Census data, these are the richest areas in each Northeastern state along with median household income:
- Borough of Newtown, Connecticut : $144,375
- South Portland, Maine : $82,489
- Newton, Massachusetts : $176,373
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire : $100,169
- Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey : $250,000
- Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania : $250,000
- Cranston, Rhode Island : $83,123
- Essex Junction, Vermont : $92,589
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What are the richest towns in the United States?
The richest towns all recorded a median household income of $250,000, which are: Hillsborough, California; Cherry Hills Village, Colorado; Kildeer, Illinois; Mission Hills, Kansas; Chevy Chase, Maryland; Ladue, Missouri; Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey; Scarsdale, New York ; Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania; Belle Meade, Tennessee; Hunters Creek Village, Texas; and Clyde Hill, Washington.
The least affluent of the richest towns per state was South Portland, Maine. The median household income is $82,489. The second-least-affluent city was Cranston, Rhode Island, where the median household income was $83,123, and the third-least-affluent city was Henderson, Nevada, where the median household income was $85,311.
Emily Barnes reports on consumer-related issues for the USA TODAY Network’s NY-Connect Team, focusing on scam and recall-related topics. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @byemilybarnes . Get in touch at ebarnes@gannett.com .
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: This is the richest town in NY. Is it what you expected?
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