It’s no secret that living in Massachusetts, especially in the Boston area, can cost a pretty penny. But new Census data show just how much residents in each United States county are also making — and those in Eastern Massachusetts are apparently raking it in.
The Census late last week released data from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey, which provides detailed profiles of communities nationwide. The data show several different key points of interest — including how much household income is being reported in each community nationwide.
The highest earners in Massachusetts live in Dover, according to the data, with a whopping $204,018 median household income reported — more than twice the statewide median of $74,167. Closely following Dover was Weston at $196,651; Wellesley at $176,852; Sudbury at $170,945; and Sherborn and Carlisle, at $170,872 and $170,703, respectively.
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Meanwhile, the towns and cities with the lowest median household incomes tended to be located outside Greater Boston. Monroe in northwestern Massachusetts was the lowest at $31,458, with Springfield ($37,118), Holyoke ($37,954), North Adams ($38,774), and Fall River ($39,328) following.
The Census data also show how much household income is being reported in each county nationwide.
Out of more than 3,140 counties, four in Massachusetts are among the top 100 with the highest median household incomes. The median household income for Norfolk County (think: Wellesley, Brookline, and Needham), which is the 25th highest in the nation, was $95,668; Middlesex County clocked in at 35th highest at $92,878. Meanwhile, households in Nantucket County (number 40) make a median of $91,942, and Plymouth County residents were 86th highest with $82,081.
Suffolk County, which houses Boston, was further down the list at number 459, with a median household income of $61,242.
The highest earners nationwide, according to Census data, live in Loudoun County in Virginia, which sits just northwest of Washington, D.C. Those in Loudoun County reported a median household income of $129,588. (In fact, four of the top five counties were located in Virginia — with the other one being in Maryland.)
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To put all of this in perspective, the national median household income was $57,652, according to Census data.
County | State | Median annual household income |
---|---|---|
Loudoun County | Virginia | $129,588 |
Fairfax County | Virginia | $117,515 |
Howard County | Maryland | $115,576 |
Falls Church city | Virginia | $114,795 |
Arlington County | Virginia | $112,138 |
Douglas County | Colorado | $111,154 |
Hunterdon County | New Jersey | $110,969 |
Los Alamos County | New Mexico | $110,190 |
Morris County | New Jersey | $107,034 |
Fairfax city | Virginia | $106,870 |
Santa Clara County | California | $106,761 |
Somerset County | New Jersey | $106,046 |
Nassau County | New York | $105,744 |
San Mateo County | California | $105,667 |
Marin County | California | $104,703 |
Williamson County | Tennessee | $103,543 |
Montgomery County | Maryland | $103,178 |
Stafford County | Virginia | $103,005 |
Prince William County | Virginia | $101,059 |
Calvert County | Maryland | $100,350 |
Delaware County | Ohio | $100,229 |
Putnam County | New York | $99,608 |
Forsyth County | Georgia | $96,445 |
San Francisco County | California | $96,265 |
Norfolk County | Massachusetts | $95,668 |
Summit County | Utah | $94,952 |
Fauquier County | Virginia | $94,775 |
Anne Arundel County | Maryland | $94,502 |
Charles County | Maryland | $93,973 |
Fort Bend County | Texas | $93,645 |
Alexandria city | Virginia | $93,370 |
Rockwall County | Texas | $93,269 |
Scott County | Minnesota | $93,151 |
Carver County | Minnesota | $93,095 |
Middlesex County | Massachusetts | $92,878 |
Elbert County | Colorado | $92,849 |
Suffolk County | New York | $92,838 |
Chester County | Pennsylvania | $92,417 |
Oldham County | Kentucky | $92,237 |
Nantucket County | Massachusetts | $91,942 |
Monmouth County | New Jersey | $91,807 |
Bergen County | New Jersey | $91,572 |
Billings County | North Dakota | $91,518 |
Juneau City and Borough | Alaska | $90,749 |
Hamilton County | Indiana | $90,582 |
Carroll County | Maryland | $90,510 |
Collin County | Texas | $90,124 |
Westchester County | New York | $89,968 |
Williams County | North Dakota | $89,874 |
Kendall County | Illinois | $89,860 |
Fairfield County | Connecticut | $89,773 |
Washington County | Minnesota | $89,598 |
Queen Anne's County | Maryland | $89,241 |
Sussex County | New Jersey | $89,238 |
Rockland County | New York | $88,571 |
Frederick County | Maryland | $88,502 |
Contra Costa County | California | $88,456 |
Poquoson city | Virginia | $88,328 |
York County | Virginia | $86,781 |
Goochland County | Virginia | $86,652 |
St. Mary's County | Maryland | $86,508 |
Morgan County | Utah | $86,071 |
Valdez-Cordova Census Area | Alaska | $86,019 |
Alameda County | California | $85,743 |
Broomfield County | Colorado | $85,639 |
Rockingham County | New Hampshire | $85,619 |
Aleutians West Census Area | Alaska | $85,192 |
Daggett County | Utah | $85,000 |
Hanover County | Virginia | $84,955 |
Sublette County | Wyoming | $84,911 |
Fayette County | Georgia | $84,861 |
Montgomery County | Pennsylvania | $84,791 |
King George County | Virginia | $84,770 |
DuPage County | Illinois | $84,442 |
Sherburne County | Minnesota | $83,895 |
Eagle County | Colorado | $83,803 |
King County | Washington | $83,571 |
Harford County | Maryland | $83,445 |
Denali Borough | Alaska | $83,295 |
Middlesex County | New Jersey | $83,133 |
Burlington County | New Jersey | $82,839 |
Dallas County | Iowa | $82,719 |
Lake County | Illinois | $82,613 |
Anchorage Municipality | Alaska | $82,271 |
McHenry County | Illinois | $82,230 |
Plymouth County | Massachusetts | $82,081 |
Bucks County | Pennsylvania | $82,031 |
Ventura County | California | $81,972 |
Orange County | California | $81,851 |
Lincoln County | South Dakota | $81,849 |
Middlesex County | Connecticut | $81,673 |
Gloucester County | New Jersey | $81,489 |
Spotsylvania County | Virginia | $81,434 |
Tolland County | Connecticut | $81,312 |
Waukesha County | Wisconsin | $81,140 |
Johnson County | Kansas | $81,121 |
Kendall County | Texas | $81,023 |
Loving County | Texas | $80,938 |
Will County | Illinois | $80,782 |
James City County | Virginia | $80,772 |
The new Census data also shed light on a few other topics.
For example, it appears true what they say about Boston being a young city. With a population of 780,685, Suffolk County — home of the renowned college town — showed the median age as being 32.6, according to the new data. (For comparison, Middlesex County’s median age is 38.5, Essex County’s is 40.8, Norfolk County’s is 41, and Barnstable County’s is 52.4.)
And if you think your commute is long, you’re probably right. The median commute in several Eastern Massachusetts counties proved to be several minutes longer than the national median of 26.4 minutes. Norfolk County commuters reported taking 33.9 minutes; Suffolk County commuters took 30.7 minutes; and Middlesex County workers commuted 30.3 minutes.
Matt Rocheleau of the Globe staff contributed to this report.