The richest counties in America

The wealthiest areas in the US have median household incomes that are double the national average. Here's where some of the nation's 1% live.

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VIDEO ON MSN MONEY

30Comments
Apr 21, 2012 2:25PM
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If your richest county does not mention, that mean it's not THE RICHEST get your county ready for part 2 and stop hating.
Apr 19, 2012 1:42PM
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ddb said: what a "crock of crap" this article is.  typical east coast ****.  ever heard of "marin" or "san mateo" counties in the "bay area"  the west will always be the "best"  .

Sorry but the article is accurate.  The DC area has come on the scene HUGE in recent years. This is NOT the first article to mention this.  Also....it's not a popularity contest.  Hell, I'm a Bay Area guy also.  I know how sweet it is out west.  But this is based on HOUSEHOLD INCOMES.  It's MATH people.  It's NOT DEBATABLE.   

What you and others SHOULD REALIZE is that the Fed has GROWN SO MUCH that the benefactors (local DC economy) have pushed the traditional rich counties down the list.  ALL AT YOUR EXPENSE.
Apr 19, 2012 1:35PM
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Mqualk said:  My husband makes 110k a year as a master electrician.  He does NOT work for the government.....So, no...not everyone here is making their money on the government's dime.

But the bigger question is who are your husbands customers?  I'll guarantee many of them are either businesses who are a supplier/vendor to the fed or households where someone makes a living somewhere on the Fed food chain.  And I don't mean working for the govt directly.  I mean working for company abc, who supplies widgets to the Fed.

Don't get me wrong.....I know the beltway area very well.  And yes there are many good people doing the right thing.  My argument is how much MORE RELIANT the DC area economy is on the Fed when compared to 10-20 years ago when there was much more commercial industry.

Also, if you compare housing prices in DC to other markets you'd see how DC was rather insulated from the recent housing crisis.  At least when compared to other markets.  
Apr 19, 2012 1:32PM
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@rick stern, I find it interesting that you think all of the "poorest are blue"...check your facts.  Nine of the ten poorest states in the US voted for the Republican party in the 2008 presidential election.  So, I'm not sure why you think all of those "poor" people out there are voting for democrats.
Apr 19, 2012 1:31PM
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what a "crock of crap" this article is.  typical east coast ****.  ever heard of "marin" or "san mateo" counties in the "bay area"  the west will always be the "best"    ddb
Apr 19, 2012 1:31PM
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what a "crock of crap" this article is.  typical east coast ****.  ever heard of "marin" or "san mateo" counties in the "bay area"  the west will always be the "best"    ddb
Apr 19, 2012 1:03PM
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of course all the very rich counties are in and around DC...and are blue...as are all the poorest all blue and the middle foot the bill...gee thanks obozo
Apr 19, 2012 12:23PM
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Forgot to mention one more important fact learned in political science courses, for every

1 (one) dollar sent from the federal gov't approximately 40 cents to 60 cents had been landing in our state treasuries...............go figure how many fees were charged to transferr these millions of dollar from point A to point B.  And always keep in mind the "The Federal Reserve" is NOT

an agency of our gov't, it is a private bank, all the good of it and the bad ot it, especailly under

Volker's rule, ie; lowering standards for mortgage approvals, etc.

Apr 19, 2012 12:08PM
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First thanks for reading this, you might find it different.

Please consider who we will be electing to any political office in the future,  there are little known facts the public just doesn't seem to know some obvious, some not so obvious

 

#1 why do we keep electing ATTORNIES to office, you do not have to be an attn to be in a congressional office, all you pass are spending bills and vague laws that each agency, whose jurisdiction it falls under, takes years to interrupt into lay language to implement and enforce those regulations.  AND AS YOU LEARN TODAY IN POLITCAL SCIENCE 101 COLLEGE COURSES, AN AGENCIES MAIN GOAL IS TO PLEAD THEIR CASE FOR A BUDGET INCREASE EVERY YEAR TO ASSURE OTHERS AND THEMSELVES THAT THEY ARE A VIABLE ENTITY  TO JUSTIFY THEIR EXISTENCE.

 

 Also each congressional office pays a retainer to a constitutional attorney and some or all of the staff hired are attn's, we need election reform to boot out these greedy, self servicing, ignorant wealthy lawyers OR wanna be wealthy lawyers.  They all vie for the power and the wealth these offices bring to them in the front door and back door.  Remember that special interests do business in most states in the union and each have of these "interests" have legal issues in the states or local and certain "firms" handle these issues, so how much money do you think gets kicked back and held in escrow for the greedy self servicing lawyers. 

 

Also each year a congressional office automatically has an increase in it's office budget, it's never ending and have you ever heard of a congress member or office rejecting this increase or for that matter voting down a salary increase, do you remember back in the early '80's recession they ignored pleas not to pass an increase in their salaries but no one ever said anything about office budgets.

 

The above applies the same way and with variance in states and local governments.

 

The ELITE ATTORNY CLUB HAS GOT TO GO, OR HAVE THEIR NUMBERS REDUCED SO DRAMATICALLY TO GET US OUT OF THIS STINKIN MESS, HAVE YOU EVER KNOWN OF AN ATTORNEY WHO IS REALLY A GOOD BUSINESS MAN, THEY EXIST BUT IN VERY FEW NUMBERS.

ATTORNIES HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO SEE THE LAW AS “GRAY”, NO RIGHT OR WRONG, JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WANT TO ARGUE IN COURT TO MAKE YOU A WINNER. 

 

 KEEP THE GOOD ONES WHO LISTEN OR HAVE FINALLY WOKE UP AND HEARD THE MUSIC AND KEEP FLOODING THEIR OFFICES THAT YOU WANT TERM LIMITS, 12 YEARS IS ENOUGH FOR SENATE, 2 YR ELECTIONS FOR REP'S ARE REDICULOUS, SHOULD BE 4 YR TERMS WITH A 3 TERM LIMIT, THIS WILL STOP THAT CAMPAIGAN MONEY MACHINE FROM SPECIAL INTERESTS FROM GETTING TOO IMBEDED AND MAYBE JUST REDUCE THE 20,000 LOBBYISTS DANCING AROUND OUR CAPITAL GROUNDS,    THIS JUST MIGHT ALLOW THE REP TO DO HIS JOB

 

STAY INDEPENDENT IN YOUR VOTING, GET INVOLVED IN THE GRASS ROOTS IN YOUR BACKYARD, STOP BEING APATHIC AND PUSH BACK HARD TO BRING US BACK TO A HEALTHIER COUNTRY, AND PICK YOUR FIGHTS, STOP NIT PICKING AND GETTING LOST IN POOR MEDIA COVERAGE OF PETTY ISSUES, OUR ISSUE IS FINANCIAL AND BIG BROTHER IN OUR HOMES AND  THE COMPANIES WE WORK FOR, WE NEED SUSTAINABLE FISCAL STABILITY FIRST AND A VERY STABLE MIDDLE CLASS, WHICH I DEFINE AS AROUND $40,000 A YEAR PLUS, WE WORK HARD, ARE LOYAL, EDUCATED IN VARIOUS DIFFERENT PROFESSIONS AND WE SAVED AND INVESTED IN OUR 401'S OR PENSIONS. 

Please do not forget the TRILLION DOLLAR GOV'T PENSIONS ARE STILL IN TROUBLE,  THE FIRST WAVE OF BAIL OUT WENT TO STATE PENSIONS AND ? BUT THEY ARE STILL FAR FROM HAVING BOTH FEET ON THE GROUND, so do not dilude yourself that "things" are getting better.  Jobs and retraining will make us "the middle class" better so we won't have to sleep under a bridge when our bodies give out in aging or earlier health issues or affect the millions of baby boomers coming of age or who are already there.  We are willing to work as long as physically able as long as we can and hopefully as needed in a re-invention of our futures.

Thanks for  reading this rant

 

 

Apr 19, 2012 11:49AM
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I live in Loudoun County.  My husband makes 110k a year as a master electrician.  He does NOT work for the government.  I am a stay-at-home mom.  We bought our house for 250k, when many houses around here were going for upwards of 500-700k.  So, no...not everyone here is making their money on the government's dime.  No, not everyone here is under water on their mortgage.  No, not every family HAS to have 2 working adults to make it.  Don't make assumptions about a place you have never been.  There are a lot of hard working, down-to-earth people out here.  Not everyone is a crook, criminal or politician. Not everyone is financially irresponsible and living beyond their means. There are still good, honest people working hard and making a living here in good old LoCo.
Apr 19, 2012 10:35AM
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All RED statesSmile!

 

And to those who think some of California's counties should be on the list. That's a joke; for every person who makes over 100K there's 5 people who work at minimum wage. 

Apr 19, 2012 10:25AM
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I have been to most of these counties and I will tell you that the reason they are the richest is because it takes 2 people working in a family to make a living there. They have high paying jobs because they are educated and they live in populated areas of this country. Most of these people get up at 3 am and fight to get to work by train or slug lines. Then they work at a high stress job all day and fight to get back home by 8pm. I don't live there and I pray I never have to. The homes are stick built with what I call Northern VA brick (Vinyl all around and brick front)and these people pay prices of $500,000 or more for a home that is filled with basic fixtures and basic paint. It isn't the house that cost so much, it is the land. Oh and they failed to mention that most of the people in that area are so tanked on their home that it will take them years to get out of it... So they can keep all of that up there, I will take my chances in Alabama...
Apr 19, 2012 9:26AM
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And we keep electing the same people.  Doesn't anyone see anything wrong with this picture?
Apr 19, 2012 8:31AM
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So...anyone still think our Fed Govt is NOT OVER SPENDING?  Most people already know this, as pointed out here.  To those who feel that the writer didn't cover places like Cali, TX, & NY....sorry, you're wrong.  The Beltway area in DC has been prospering...at a cost.  Meanwhile the usual rich locations haven't kept up with the beltway area.  It's simple math people.

@Dean Miller....your comment re all the Lobbyist in and around DC is not accurate.  It's all the business/vendors to the Fed.  80% of the ppl in DC area make their living on the Fed dime.  It WASN'T like that 15-20 years ago.  And MANY people are getting rich bc of it. Your rant against right wingers makes you look foolish.  This ISN'T about RIGHT Vs LEFT.  It's MATH!



Apr 19, 2012 8:07AM
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@mr barnes.  As a resident of Howard Co. MD and having worked in Montgomery Co. MD I've always known this.  Seems like the money is traveling between NY and DC and goes through NJ and PA on the way.  What a concentration of wealth! 
Apr 19, 2012 8:05AM
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my hard earned tax money going to work while i am broke any one else wants a 100k a year let me know i will get a second job to support you also
Apr 19, 2012 8:03AM
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Politicians are the leaches of society they are just as bad as the illegal immigrants and they should be deported.

Apr 19, 2012 7:49AM
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Did notice most of these county were Maryland area next to Washington D.C. I guess we now know where are tax dollars are supporting.
Apr 19, 2012 5:53AM
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Looks like the writer tried to keep his on-site survey to one tank of gas!

And one frame of mind.

Apr 19, 2012 3:43AM
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what about Newport Beach Calif? Orange County includes that and Laguna Beach.
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