Cities WhereAmericans Earn the MostMany people aspire to earn a six-figure income,but only about one-fifth of the nation's households succeed. And,according to recent research, those six-figure families tend tocongregate in a handful of cities, such as San Ramon, Calif., where63.5 percent of the population clears the $100,000 threshold and afull one-quarter earn $200,000 or more.
Where should you go to hang-out with the well-heeled? According toa new analysis of Census data by NerdWallet, there are 16 U.S. cities where more than 50 percentof the households earn six-figure incomes. These are the top10.
1. San Ramon, Calif.
SanRamon, Calif. (JANE DOUGHNUT/FLICKR)
San Ramon, Calif., home to companies ranging from Chevron Corp. to24-Hour Fitness, is one of several U.S. cities that have beenindirect beneficiaries of the technology boom that has fueled theeconomic growth of the San Francisco Bay area. Now, with 63.5percent of the city's households boasting annual income exceeding$100,000 -- and one-quarter earning $200,000 or more, it'sAmerica's top-earning city.
2. Flower Mound, Texas
FlowerMound, Texas (SHIVA SHENOY/FLICKR)
Flower Mound, Texas, a Dallas suburb, has the second-lowest crimerate in the U.S., according to the FBI's latest crime report. AndCNN Money recently ranked it in its listing of 100 best places tolive in the U.S.. It certainly ranks well among cities whereresidents earn the most, with 62.8 percent of households takinghome more than $100,000 and 18.6 percent earning $200,000 ormore.
3. Pleasanton, Calif.
Pleasanton,Calif. (JAY GALVIN/FLICKR)
Pleasanton, Calif., home to Safeway and Ross Stores, maintains asmall-town feel with big-town wages. Just south of San Ramon, some59.8 percent of its residents earn over $100,000 and 22.3 percentearn more than $200,000.
4. Yorba Linda, Calif.
Nixon'sYorba Linda birthplace (NATIONAL PARKSERVICE)
Yorba Linda is among four California cities on the top earners listand it's the only one not located in the San Francisco Bay area.This Southern California bedroom community is known for large lotsand horse trails and frequently has been ranked among the bestplaces to live in the U.S. The birthplace of former presidentRichard Nixon, Yorba Linda now brags that 58.8 percent of itsresidents earn upwards of $100,000 and 18.6 percent earn $200,000or more.
5. Carmel, Ind.
Publicart in Carmel, Indiana (STEVENDRAKE/FLICKR)
Carmel, Ind., just a short commute to Indianapolis, ranked first inMoney Magazine's best places to live in the U.S. With wide bikelanes and friendly residents, it's also got a lower-than-averageunemployment rate and better-than-average earnings, with 58.4percent of households earning over $100,000 and 23.2% earning over$200,000.
6. Palo Alto, Calif.
PaloAlto High School (ROAROFTHEFOUR/FLICKR)
Palo Alto, Calif., home to Facebook, Hewlett-Packard and StanfordUniversity, is where technophiles come to live, learn and launchnew businesses. Thanks to rising wages for engineers andstock-millionaires, the city brags that 57.8 percent of itshouseholds take home more than $100,000 and 28.2 percent earn morethan $200,000.
7. Newton, Mass.
Newton,Mass. (MERRILL617)
Newton, Mass., a suburb just outside of Boston that's set up like aseries of villages -- several lining scenic lakes and ponds, is notonly one of the cities where residents are likely to earn the most,its real estate is also among the most costly in the nation, withthe average home selling for more than $1.2 million, according toreal estate site Trulia.com. As for wages, some 55.4 percent ofNewton households earn over $100,000 and 25.7 percent pocket morethan $200,000 annually.
8. Naperville, Ill.
Naperville,Ill. (LOCO STEVE/FLICKR)
Naperville, a Chicago, Ill.-suburb has had many brushes with fame.Named the second-best place to live by Money Magazine in 2006, itwas also cited as one of the wealthiest towns in the nation in2010. Now, it ranks eighth among America's city for the percentageof households earning six-figures, with 54.8 percent over $100,000and 22.8 percent taking home more than $200,000.
9. Frisco, Texas
Sportingevent in Frisco, Texas (DANNYB/FLICKR)
Frisco, Texas, some 20 miles north of Dallas, brags fourprofessional sports teams, 150 outdoor sculptures, plenty of luxuryhotels and restaurants - as well as average incomes that make thiscity of 131,510 residents among the nation's richest towns. Some53.7 percent of Frisco residents earn $100,000 or more and 13.3percent take home upwards of $200,000.
10. The Woodlands, Texas
Thelake in The Woodlands, Texas (DEBBIELAGANT/FLICKR)
A master-planned community founded by Texas oilman George P.Mitchell in the early 1970s, was designed to be such an attractivebedroom community that it "would entice city slickers" to movethere. Now home to corporate campuses for Chevron, McKesson Corp.and Hewitt, the tiny Texas community with some 55,000 residents isamong the nation's wealthiest cities, with 53.4 percent of thepopulation earning more than $100,000 and 15.3 percent of thepopulation earning upwards of $200,000.
For the rest of the listing, check out
NerdWallet's city data here.
