Americans typically identify with their state or home town. If you’re from Texas, you brag about it. If you’ve made Los Angeles your home, everyone in your life knows you’re from L.A.
But what about your zip code? Often, only the shrewd home buyer knows that individual zip codes are little nuggets of information that can make the difference between a good place to call home and a great one.
So we used Saturday Night Science to rank every zip code in America with at least 1,000 people — more than 22,000 of them — on jobs, incomes, home values, education, commutes, and density.
The best zip code in America for 2026 is 37219 – Nashville, TN. Upscale neighborhoods in Southern and Midwestern cities had a huge showing this time around, alongside a few beach towns where a house costs more than most people will earn in a decade.
The best zip code in America is a small slice of downtown Nashville. Only about 2,400 people live here, and 90% of the adults have a college degree. The median household earns $105,476, and the average commute is under 16 minutes — when you live downtown, the office is close. Keep in mind this is a small area, so the Census estimates come with a bigger margin of error.
Kansas City’s 64113 covers Brookside and the Country Club District, the tree-lined neighborhoods south of the Plaza. The median household here earns $179,964, 89% of adults have a college degree, and 94% of homes are owner-occupied. The drive to work? About 18 minutes.
Downtown Austin is the third-best zip code in America. Plenty of high earners have moved into the towers here — the median household makes $162,168, and the median home is worth $722,400. It’s also one of the densest zip codes on the list, with close to 7,800 people per square mile.
Tennessee gets two of the top four spots. Lookout Mountain, the little town on the ridge above Chattanooga, has a median household income of $201,000 and the lowest poverty rate in the top five at 2.3%. Unemployment is practically zero.
35213 is the Birmingham zip code that covers Mountain Brook, one of the wealthiest suburbs in the South. The median home is worth $789,800, 87% of adults are college educated, and the commute is about 17 minutes.
Charlotte’s 28207 is Myers Park, home to old oak trees, big houses, and a lot of the city’s bankers. The median home here is worth $1.4 million, and the median household earns $217,204 — both among the highest in the top ten.
Corona Del Mar, the coastal village in Newport Beach, is the only California zip code in the top ten. The median home value hits the Census’s $2,000,000 cap, so the real number is likely much higher. Residents earn $174,904 a year, and 72% have a college degree.
Sullivan’s Island is a barrier island just outside Charleston with about 2,100 residents. Home values here also top out at the Census’s $2 million limit, and the median household earns $192,813. The average commute is under 18 minutes, if you can bring yourself to leave the beach.
North Carolina’s second entry is Wrightsville Beach, a beach town next to Wilmington. Unemployment is just 0.4%, the median home is worth $1.13 million, and three out of four adults have a college degree.
Kansas City gets its second zip code in the top ten with Leawood, just across the state line in Kansas. The median household earns $174,394, 78% of adults have a college degree, and unemployment sits at 1%. Johnson County has been piling up “best of” rankings for years, and this is one more.
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is the United States’s statewide median.
the United States statewide median: $80,734
the United States statewide median: $332,700
the United States statewide median: 5.2%
On the map
Where the best zip codes in America are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Zip Codes In America
In order to rank the best zip codes in the United States, we had to decide what people like about a place. It isn’t a stretch to assume people like good jobs, solid incomes, homes that hold their value, an educated neighborhood, and a short drive to work.
We pulled the 2020-2024 American Community Survey for every ZIP Code Tabulation Area in the country — the Census Bureau’s version of a zip code — and ran it through Saturday Night Science using these six criteria:
- Population density (more is better)
- Share of adults with a college degree
- Unemployment rate
- Median household income
- Average commute time
- Median home value
We only looked at zip codes with at least 1,000 residents, which left 22,318 zip codes. Each zip code got ranked from 1 to 22,318 on every criterion, we averaged those six rankings, and the zip code with the best (lowest) average earned the title of “Best Zip Code In America”.
A word of caution: zip codes are small, and the Census estimates for a few thousand people come with bigger margins of error than a whole city’s. A zip code with 2,000 residents can swing a lot from one survey to the next.
We updated this report for 2026. This report is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment — don’t freak out.
The full list
The 100 Best Zip Codes To Live In America
Click any column to sort. Search by zip code or town.
| Rank | Zip Code | Population | College Educated | Unemployment | Median Income | Home Value | Commute (Min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 37219 – Nashville, TN | 2,398 | 90.1% | 0.0% | $105,476 | $640,700 | 15.8 |
| 2 | 64113 – Kansas City, MO | 12,386 | 89.1% | 1.2% | $179,964 | $508,500 | 17.6 |
| 3 | 78701 – Austin, TX | 11,824 | 82.3% | 1.4% | $162,168 | $722,400 | 20.9 |
| 4 | 37350 – Lookout Mountain, TN | 2,111 | 86.8% | 0.4% | $201,000 | $855,300 | 19.1 |
| 5 | 35213 – Birmingham, AL | 15,603 | 86.8% | 1.5% | $159,824 | $789,800 | 17.3 |
| 6 | 28207 – Charlotte, NC | 9,527 | 86.7% | 1.9% | $217,204 | $1,409,300 | 20.8 |
| 7 | 92625 – Corona Del Mar, CA | 12,294 | 71.7% | 2.5% | $174,904 | $2,000,000 | 19.1 |
| 8 | 29482 – Sullivans Island, SC | 2,087 | 84.3% | 1.5% | $192,813 | $2,000,000 | 17.6 |
| 9 | 28480 – Wrightsville Beach, NC | 2,776 | 73.8% | 0.4% | $172,500 | $1,131,800 | 17.7 |
| 10 | 66206 – Leawood, KS | 12,153 | 78.0% | 1.0% | $174,394 | $672,100 | 20.3 |
| 11 | 02109 – Boston, MA | 3,612 | 85.7% | 2.0% | $158,843 | $958,000 | 22.4 |
| 12 | 63124 – Saint Louis, MO | 10,839 | 85.7% | 2.1% | $193,942 | $988,600 | 14.8 |
| 13 | 94301 – Palo Alto, CA | 17,508 | 81.8% | 2.5% | $242,006 | $2,000,000 | 21.8 |
| 14 | 37201 – Nashville, TN | 1,467 | 70.9% | 0.0% | $114,229 | $621,200 | 19.8 |
| 15 | 48070 – Huntington Woods, MI | 6,328 | 83.8% | 0.9% | $190,150 | $473,900 | 20.6 |
| 16 | 75225 – Dallas, TX | 22,237 | 85.4% | 3.2% | $200,234 | $1,671,900 | 18.6 |
| 17 | 37215 – Nashville, TN | 22,018 | 80.6% | 1.7% | $155,863 | $1,046,500 | 18.4 |
| 18 | 10007 – New York, NY | 7,406 | 83.3% | 1.8% | $250,000 | $2,000,000 | 24.3 |
| 19 | 55424 – Minneapolis, MN | 10,289 | 85.6% | 3.1% | $250,000 | $992,600 | 18.2 |
| 20 | 35223 – Birmingham, AL | 10,666 | 83.9% | 1.6% | $168,278 | $775,100 | 18.3 |
| 21 | 30327 – Atlanta, GA | 23,673 | 85.6% | 1.6% | $189,250 | $1,136,500 | 20.0 |
| 22 | 29401 – Charleston, SC | 9,339 | 74.7% | 2.4% | $99,667 | $1,164,800 | 15.5 |
| 23 | 02142 – Cambridge, MA | 4,737 | 89.4% | 2.2% | $147,723 | $1,954,500 | 23.1 |
| 24 | 94306 – Palo Alto, CA | 27,183 | 80.9% | 2.8% | $210,000 | $2,000,000 | 22.0 |
| 25 | 20004 – Washington, DC | 1,831 | 95.6% | 2.5% | $184,792 | $689,600 | 21.8 |
| 26 | 53122 – Elm Grove, WI | 6,508 | 74.2% | 0.7% | $157,962 | $514,800 | 19.2 |
| 27 | 55401 – Minneapolis, MN | 11,816 | 76.7% | 1.3% | $113,522 | $396,500 | 18.4 |
| 28 | 55436 – Minneapolis, MN | 14,462 | 71.6% | 2.1% | $144,129 | $643,400 | 18.7 |
| 29 | 28203 – Charlotte, NC | 18,823 | 81.1% | 1.8% | $104,696 | $707,800 | 19.9 |
| 30 | 27608 – Raleigh, NC | 12,604 | 86.9% | 3.0% | $162,188 | $977,400 | 19.0 |
| 31 | 85253 – Paradise Valley, AZ | 17,904 | 71.9% | 1.8% | $184,979 | $2,000,000 | 19.6 |
| 32 | 63131 – Saint Louis, MO | 17,935 | 81.6% | 2.2% | $225,493 | $778,100 | 18.8 |
| 33 | 33131 – Miami, FL | 23,095 | 78.5% | 3.3% | $144,138 | $655,100 | 19.1 |
| 34 | 04110 – Cumberland Foreside, ME | 1,657 | 76.6% | 0.0% | $194,205 | $923,600 | 21.5 |
| 35 | 77046 – Houston, TX | 1,793 | 77.5% | 0.0% | $131,932 | $286,500 | 18.3 |
| 36 | 92075 – Solana Beach, CA | 11,944 | 72.1% | 2.7% | $149,327 | $2,000,000 | 20.8 |
| 37 | 75202 – Dallas, TX | 2,892 | 65.5% | 0.4% | $133,155 | $359,500 | 17.8 |
| 38 | 45208 – Cincinnati, OH | 17,943 | 83.5% | 2.0% | $137,600 | $547,200 | 20.7 |
| 39 | 23226 – Richmond, VA | 15,477 | 74.7% | 1.8% | $126,655 | $530,900 | 18.3 |
| 40 | 37220 – Nashville, TN | 5,265 | 81.5% | 0.7% | $180,417 | $818,200 | 20.9 |
| 41 | 63105 – Saint Louis, MO | 18,875 | 85.4% | 3.5% | $116,439 | $766,300 | 16.6 |
| 42 | 75205 – Dallas, TX | 26,572 | 86.8% | 4.2% | $181,631 | $1,706,700 | 17.8 |
| 43 | 07927 – Cedar Knolls, NJ | 4,882 | 54.9% | 0.8% | $170,400 | $646,700 | 20.8 |
| 44 | 92007 – Cardiff By The Sea, CA | 11,100 | 72.2% | 3.2% | $182,629 | $2,000,000 | 21.1 |
| 45 | 33629 – Tampa, FL | 27,710 | 75.7% | 3.0% | $164,355 | $851,400 | 21.3 |
| 46 | 97221 – Portland, OR | 12,915 | 76.6% | 2.5% | $145,671 | $821,400 | 20.7 |
| 47 | 50323 – Urbandale, IA | 17,265 | 63.0% | 0.6% | $175,944 | $486,800 | 20.2 |
| 48 | 34103 – Naples, FL | 11,299 | 59.5% | 2.2% | $116,875 | $950,900 | 18.5 |
| 49 | 60606 – Chicago, IL | 3,840 | 93.6% | 2.4% | $128,609 | $416,400 | 19.9 |
| 50 | 83353 – Sun Valley, ID | 1,450 | 70.3% | 0.0% | $126,645 | $952,100 | 13.0 |
| 51 | 84060 – Park City, UT | 8,619 | 67.9% | 0.8% | $128,295 | $1,795,000 | 15.1 |
| 52 | 78746 – Austin, TX | 28,256 | 81.8% | 2.6% | $188,414 | $1,494,300 | 20.1 |
| 53 | 55410 – Minneapolis, MN | 20,422 | 80.6% | 3.0% | $146,425 | $620,600 | 20.8 |
| 54 | 02210 – Boston, MA | 6,971 | 93.0% | 2.6% | $172,124 | $1,190,900 | 23.9 |
| 55 | 66211 – Leawood, KS | 5,791 | 77.8% | 1.4% | $106,486 | $633,300 | 16.4 |
| 56 | 66209 – Leawood, KS | 20,413 | 71.9% | 2.5% | $143,393 | $598,200 | 19.4 |
| 57 | 98039 – Medina, WA | 2,928 | 87.6% | 2.8% | $250,000 | $2,000,000 | 21.3 |
| 58 | 22207 – Arlington, VA | 35,479 | 80.4% | 2.7% | $245,745 | $1,257,900 | 23.5 |
| 59 | 15015 – Bradfordwoods, PA | 1,291 | 77.1% | 1.4% | $155,208 | $499,400 | 19.8 |
| 60 | 32814 – Orlando, FL | 9,286 | 79.8% | 2.7% | $140,274 | $754,300 | 22.6 |
| 61 | 33129 – Miami, FL | 14,702 | 70.8% | 2.4% | $113,367 | $736,300 | 21.9 |
| 62 | 66208 – Prairie Village, KS | 21,576 | 73.9% | 1.9% | $124,000 | $445,600 | 18.9 |
| 63 | 77401 – Bellaire, TX | 17,213 | 83.5% | 3.7% | $243,750 | $1,036,800 | 20.9 |
| 64 | 22301 – Alexandria, VA | 13,665 | 85.6% | 1.6% | $194,819 | $1,027,900 | 26.4 |
| 65 | 10004 – New York, NY | 3,711 | 90.5% | 0.7% | $250,000 | $1,477,700 | 27.8 |
| 66 | 75230 – Dallas, TX | 27,763 | 68.0% | 1.9% | $110,956 | $931,500 | 21.7 |
| 67 | 10280 – New York, NY | 8,933 | 87.2% | 1.6% | $206,299 | $976,300 | 27.0 |
| 68 | 93111 – Santa Barbara, CA | 18,274 | 56.9% | 3.3% | $144,353 | $1,296,700 | 15.3 |
| 69 | 10578 – Purdys, NY | 1,780 | 69.3% | 0.0% | $250,000 | $615,600 | 22.6 |
| 70 | 87547 – White Rock, NM | 5,837 | 71.0% | 0.2% | $156,444 | $505,900 | 20.7 |
| 71 | 80111 – Englewood, CO | 31,561 | 75.5% | 2.5% | $135,995 | $916,500 | 21.7 |
| 72 | 98121 – Seattle, WA | 21,166 | 78.9% | 4.1% | $152,019 | $848,400 | 20.3 |
| 73 | 94957 – Ross, CA | 2,321 | 82.6% | 0.8% | $250,000 | $2,000,000 | 25.0 |
| 74 | 32461 – Rosemary Beach, FL | 3,757 | 61.1% | 1.8% | $145,706 | $1,095,100 | 14.2 |
| 75 | 92663 – Newport Beach, CA | 21,368 | 64.9% | 3.5% | $141,541 | $2,000,000 | 21.2 |
| 76 | 84332 – Providence, UT | 8,954 | 51.7% | 1.1% | $117,987 | $515,900 | 17.8 |
| 77 | 66220 – Lenexa, KS | 8,535 | 73.4% | 1.6% | $177,206 | $590,500 | 21.3 |
| 78 | 66207 – Overland Park, KS | 15,739 | 72.7% | 2.2% | $125,153 | $440,500 | 18.9 |
| 79 | 02113 – Boston, MA | 6,385 | 82.6% | 2.0% | $113,314 | $662,000 | 24.0 |
| 80 | 60654 – Chicago, IL | 25,755 | 91.5% | 2.5% | $147,357 | $500,400 | 23.4 |
| 81 | 94043 – Mountain View, CA | 33,176 | 71.1% | 3.4% | $203,298 | $1,641,100 | 22.1 |
| 82 | 16868 – Pine Grove Mills, PA | 1,050 | 56.3% | 0.0% | $180,412 | $372,900 | 15.2 |
| 83 | 80547 – Timnath, CO | 8,821 | 75.4% | 0.6% | $180,492 | $742,300 | 24.2 |
| 84 | 33767 – Clearwater Beach, FL | 8,081 | 55.8% | 2.0% | $117,425 | $757,800 | 21.5 |
| 85 | 45243 – Cincinnati, OH | 16,103 | 72.7% | 1.4% | $171,172 | $627,000 | 21.4 |
| 86 | 98040 – Mercer Island, WA | 25,307 | 81.4% | 3.0% | $219,069 | $2,000,000 | 23.6 |
| 87 | 63141 – Saint Louis, MO | 20,932 | 72.1% | 2.5% | $133,851 | $620,900 | 18.9 |
| 88 | 92606 – Irvine, CA | 23,990 | 66.2% | 3.9% | $135,598 | $1,141,100 | 20.3 |
| 89 | 83712 – Boise, ID | 9,071 | 64.6% | 1.0% | $105,574 | $859,000 | 16.7 |
| 90 | 98004 – Bellevue, WA | 39,897 | 78.7% | 4.1% | $182,545 | $2,000,000 | 21.3 |
| 91 | 84105 – Salt Lake City, UT | 23,491 | 66.0% | 3.0% | $99,562 | $686,100 | 18.7 |
| 92 | 23221 – Richmond, VA | 14,402 | 78.6% | 2.8% | $99,816 | $582,000 | 17.6 |
| 93 | 77005 – Houston, TX | 28,874 | 87.9% | 4.9% | $229,267 | $1,395,100 | 19.4 |
| 94 | 02462 – Newton Lower Falls, MA | 1,470 | 64.9% | 1.1% | $216,339 | $1,210,700 | 24.9 |
| 95 | 72207 – Little Rock, AR | 10,631 | 71.5% | 1.2% | $96,343 | $406,600 | 15.2 |
| 96 | 22027 – Dunn Loring, VA | 1,939 | 79.7% | 1.1% | $250,000 | $1,097,500 | 26.4 |
| 97 | 22043 – Falls Church, VA | 25,750 | 69.1% | 2.0% | $145,881 | $881,600 | 25.0 |
| 98 | 23507 – Norfolk, VA | 6,645 | 73.2% | 3.1% | $104,295 | $555,200 | 18.3 |
| 99 | 19009 – Bryn Athyn, PA | 1,124 | 68.9% | 2.7% | $137,188 | $671,200 | 17.1 |
| 100 | 02114 – Boston, MA | 14,418 | 85.3% | 4.1% | $132,210 | $924,400 | 21.2 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2020-2024 (ZCTA level) and the 2024 Census Gazetteer. Zip codes with 1,000+ residents. The Census top-codes median incomes at $250,000 and home values at $2,000,000.
Summary
Summary: The Best Zip Codes In The United States
If you’re looking at the best zip codes in America — where people are educated, employed, well paid, and not stuck in traffic — this is an accurate list.
The best zip codes in the United States for 2026 are 37219 – Nashville, TN, 64113 – Kansas City, MO, 78701 – Austin, TX, 37350 – Lookout Mountain, TN, 35213 – Birmingham, AL, 28207 – Charlotte, NC, 92625 – Corona Del Mar, CA, 29482 – Sullivans Island, SC, 28480 – Wrightsville Beach, NC, and 66206 – Leawood, KS.
Notice what’s missing: the famous rich-person zip codes. The last time we ran this, 10282 in Lower Manhattan was No. 1. This year it ranks 719th, mostly because its commutes average 25 minutes, compared to 16 to 21 minutes for this year’s top ten. Beverly Hills’ 90210 ranks 1,936th. Big paychecks help, but short drives to work matter just as much.
Questions and answers
Best Zip Codes In America FAQs
What is the best zip code in America?
37219 – Nashville, TN is the best zip code in America for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. 64113 – Kansas City and 78701 – Austin are next.
What are the 10 best zip codes in the US?
The ten best zip codes in the United States for 2026 are 37219 – Nashville, TN, 64113 – Kansas City, MO, 78701 – Austin, TX, 37350 – Lookout Mountain, TN, 35213 – Birmingham, AL, 28207 – Charlotte, NC, 92625 – Corona Del Mar, CA, 29482 – Sullivans Island, SC, 28480 – Wrightsville Beach, NC, and 66206 – Leawood, KS.
How did you rank zip codes?
We ranked 22,318 zip codes with at least 1,000 residents on population density, college degrees, unemployment, median household income, commute time, and median home value from the Census’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey, then averaged the six rankings.
What is the worst zip code in America?
86535 – Dennehotso, AZ sits at the bottom of the ranking. See our worst zip codes in America article for the full breakdown.
