Does living in one of the richest cities in the United States make you a happier person?
Maybe not – the cost of living rises quickly with income.
Happiness isn’t the metric we’re measuring today, however. We’re looking to see which cities have the highest median income.
Where do you go to see the richest cities in the nation?
The suburbs of major cities where people live in big homes, away from the grimy, packed downtown areas, that’s where.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Richest Cities In The US For 2025
Is everyone in these places loaded? No. But are most of their bank accounts pretty fat? Yeah, they are.
So, what’s the richest big city in America, according to the data? Per the most recent ACS data, the richest city in America is Fremont, CA.
To see exactly how we calculated these rankings, read on.
Related Research:
- Richest States in The United States
- Richest States In America
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The 10 Richest Cities In The United States For 2025
/10
Population: 228,518
Median Income: $176,350 (best)
Average Home Price: $1,289,400 (2nd best)
More on Fremont: Data | Real Estate
Our next stop, Fremont, California, probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone who lives in the state. When you think of wealthy areas in California, some people may think Beverly Hills or Sunnyvale. But in fact, it’s the jam-packed east bay city of Fremont that’s the wealthiest in all of the Golden State. Households here make earn the highest incomes. The residents here aren’t necessarily famous, but they’re definitely rich.
While you may see people in this city driving around in fancy cars, odds are people you meet there are really comfortable. In fact, people here are more likely to downplay their money than show it off. One reason people are ‘rich’ in Fremont is the fact that salaries are so inflated because the cost of living is so high. So, you’re not as ‘rich’ in Fremont as you would be in, say, Cary, NC.
And while it might be easy to scoff at the success of folks here, you have to remember, just about everyone here worked their butts off to get to where they are.
/10
Population: 836,321
Median Income: $141,446 (3rd best)
Average Home Price: $1,380,500 (best)
More on San Francisco: Data | Real Estate
I believe that San Francisco, CA is an awesome place to live! There is never a shortage of things to do, from shopping in China Town to taking a ride down the crookest street in America on the Trolley, it truly is a fun place to be. There are so many different people and cultures in the city that you truly get to learn and appreciate this divers city.
What stands out are the people and the care free attitude of the city. You learn to appreciate all types of people and the cuisines that they offer. I love China town and the food is like no other.
/10
Population: 990,054
Median Income: $141,565 (2nd best)
Average Home Price: $1,187,800 (3rd best)
More on San Jose: Data | Real Estate
I love the library of san jose, there are a lot of book in different language juste like the people in this city.
santana row is my favorite place, a lot of store, restaurants, large place, easy to park beautiful place to hang out with friends or family.
/10
Population: 308,160
Median Income: $129,647 (4th best)
Average Home Price: $1,115,400 (4th best)
More on Irvine: Data | Real Estate
Irvine is an extremely safe city with regular, active, and diligent police patrols on all major roads. It has a reputation for being one of, if not the safest city in America, and is also a beautiful city due to the planned nature of its housing communities and nature. While this does make Irvine feel like a bubble, it also ensures that it is a safe and secure environment for those living in it and especially for children, as they are guaranteed an education that is held to a higher standard than other cities. Schools are consistently excellent, and there are very few schools that are riddled with disciplinary or financial problems due to Irvine Company’s excellent management of the city’s allocated funding.
Irvine’s food is mostly chains, and there are few private businesses due to the high cost of retail spaces. As a result, your experiences in Irvine when it comes to food and shopping will always be consistently safe, but also expensive and somewhat vanilla in terms of variety. The city also begins to feel quite sterile after living there for a few years because of how safe and well-maintained it is. Transportation without a vehicle can also be difficult due to the long intervals between buses, as well as the distance from houses to retail plazas.
/10
Population: 741,440
Median Income: $121,984 (5th best)
Average Home Price: $912,100 (6th best)
More on Seattle: Data | Real Estate
Seattle is definitely an expensive city and one that you need a good job to live in adequately. The school system was good according to my friends who were parents. The biggest problem is the lack of affordable housing. The city does have a vibrant liberal culture that makes it stand apart from the Trumpian hellscape to the East in flyover country.
My favorite place in Seattle is Club Sapphire. This is a s*x-positive club with membership dues for individuals and couples to “play” in a private setting. Sapphire’s membership dues kept out some of the scammers and other disreputable types that sometimes infiltrate the scene. This s*x club really does stand out compared to other major metropolitan s*x clubs such as NYC’s. Sapphire managed to imbibe the city’s liberal atmosphere and apply it to sexuality making it a distinctive Seattle experience that was far more memorable than the Space Needle.
/10
Population: 229,021
Median Income: $119,926 (7th best)
Average Home Price: $721,000 (13th best)
More on Santa Clarita: Data | Real Estate
/10
Population: 1,385,061
Median Income: $104,321 (12th best)
Average Home Price: $848,500 (8th best)
More on San Diego: Data | Real Estate
The weather here is beautiful, the downtown area is very cool. There are lots of bars, clubs and high end restuaurants. With the Chargers having moved in recent years, there is a lack of professional sports but there are beaches, the zoo and many other attractions.
Balboa Park and the Zoo are a couple of my favorite places. Balboa Park features many different exhibits which sometimes seasonally change and is a very scenic area of downtown. The Zoo is historic, the best that I have been to and is easily an all day venture, which even then you probably won’t get to see all the features.
/10
Population: 438,072
Median Income: $97,369 (15th best)
Average Home Price: $924,700 (5th best)
More on Oakland: Data | Real Estate
To everybody thinking about moving to Oakland : It’s dreadful, horrible chaos. Please just stay where you are.
Actually, Oakland s a wonderful place to live. We just don’t need any more people here. Really.
Bad: weather. Bad: diverse, fun population. You’ve been warned. Lol
/10
Population: 672,079
Median Income: $106,287 (10th best)
Average Home Price: $724,600 (12th best)
More on Washington: Data | Real Estate
nice building and historical moment.i love this building structure.
white house is one of the beautiful building in washington DC.
/10
Population: 242,169
Median Income: $107,372 (9th best)
Average Home Price: $709,900 (15th best)
More on Scottsdale: Data | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Determined The Wealthiest Cities in The US For 2025
When HomeSnacks looks at a place to live, we study the most important data you can find anywhere with Saturday Night Science. The data you would use at a bar to argue with friends over what city is richer.
For this analysis we used the U.S. Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey and Zillow. We considered the following categories:
- Median Incomes
- Median Home Prices
The census just updated their data at the end of they ear, so we can take a fresh look at it.
And, to be clear, we measured the 100 largest cities in America. So, while your little small town might be rolling in the dough, we’re only looking at the most populated areas.
To score the cities, we ranked each one from 1 to 100 where 1 is the “richest” for that category. We then averaged the two rankings into a rich score with the lowest overall score being crowned richest in the United States.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the richest cities in America.
Summary: The Wealthiest Cities in The United States For 2025
After the analysis was over, we crowned Fremont as the richest city in America for 2025.
The richest cities in the United States are Fremont, CA, San Francisco, CA, San Jose, CA, Irvine, CA, Seattle, WA, Santa Clarita, CA, San Diego, CA, Oakland, CA, Washington, DC, and Scottsdale, AZ.
In most of these cities, people have it made financially. They have new homes, drive new cars, and have bright futures. But this comes at a cost. Long work hours mean more stress and less family time. Keeping up with friends and neighbors means private school, after-school activities, and two substantial car payments.
For some, it’s the only way to live.
For the rest of America, we can feel better about ourselves when we define rich as love, friends, health, or the little things in life.
While it’s good news for the cities we mentioned, we have to mention the poorest cities in America.
Here’s a look at the poorest cities in America:
- Cleveland
- Detroit
- Toledo
For more reading, check out:
Richest Cities In The United States For 2025
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fremont, CA | 228,518 | $176,350 | $1,289,400 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 836,321 | $141,446 | $1,380,500 |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | 990,054 | $141,565 | $1,187,800 |
| 4 | Irvine, CA | 308,160 | $129,647 | $1,115,400 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | 741,440 | $121,984 | $912,100 |
| 6 | Santa Clarita, CA | 229,021 | $119,926 | $721,000 |
| 7 | San Diego, CA | 1,385,061 | $104,321 | $848,500 |
| 8 | Oakland, CA | 438,072 | $97,369 | $924,700 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | 672,079 | $106,287 | $724,600 |
| 10 | Scottsdale, AZ | 242,169 | $107,372 | $709,900 |
| 11 | Chula Vista, CA | 275,030 | $105,173 | $697,400 |
| 12 | Gilbert, AZ | 271,118 | $121,351 | $518,600 |
| 13 | Boston, MA | 663,972 | $94,755 | $710,400 |
| 14 | Anaheim, CA | 344,553 | $90,583 | $771,700 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | 713,734 | $91,681 | $586,700 |
| 16 | Jersey City, NJ | 289,691 | $94,813 | $534,500 |
| 17 | Long Beach, CA | 458,491 | $83,969 | $762,200 |
| 18 | Plano, TX | 287,339 | $108,649 | $440,600 |
| 19 | Chandler, AZ | 278,123 | $103,691 | $469,800 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,857,897 | $80,366 | $879,500 |
| 21 | Portland, OR | 642,715 | $88,792 | $557,600 |
| 22 | Austin, TX | 967,862 | $91,461 | $512,700 |
| 23 | Santa Ana, CA | 311,639 | $88,354 | $657,800 |
| 24 | Riverside, CA | 316,241 | $88,575 | $542,100 |
| 25 | New York, NY | 8,516,202 | $79,713 | $751,700 |
| 26 | Henderson, NV | 324,523 | $88,654 | $465,000 |
| 27 | Anchorage, AK | 289,069 | $98,152 | $375,900 |
| 28 | Sacramento, CA | 524,802 | $83,753 | $484,600 |
| 29 | Aurora, CO | 390,201 | $84,320 | $444,500 |
| 30 | Boise City, ID | 235,701 | $81,308 | $456,000 |
| 31 | Colorado Springs, CO | 483,099 | $83,198 | $420,700 |
| 32 | Virginia Beach, VA | 457,066 | $90,685 | $366,300 |
| 33 | Chesapeake, VA | 251,153 | $94,189 | $359,100 |
| 34 | Reno, NV | 268,959 | $78,448 | $498,600 |
| 35 | Atlanta, GA | 499,287 | $81,938 | $420,600 |
| 36 | Raleigh, NC | 470,763 | $82,424 | $377,800 |
| 37 | Stockton, CA | 320,470 | $76,851 | $412,900 |
| 38 | Phoenix, AZ | 1,624,832 | $77,041 | $381,900 |
| 39 | Mesa, AZ | 507,478 | $78,779 | $364,300 |
| 40 | Durham, NC | 288,465 | $79,234 | $355,300 |
| 41 | North Las Vegas, NV | 270,773 | $76,772 | $372,300 |
| 42 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,845 | $80,269 | $345,600 |
| 43 | Charlotte, NC | 886,283 | $78,438 | $351,500 |
| 44 | Las Vegas, NV | 650,873 | $70,723 | $395,300 |
| 45 | Bakersfield, CA | 408,366 | $77,397 | $347,300 |
| 46 | Tampa, FL | 393,389 | $71,302 | $375,300 |
| 47 | Madison, WI | 275,568 | $76,983 | $346,900 |
| 48 | Irving, TX | 255,036 | $79,641 | $287,300 |
| 49 | Orlando, FL | 311,732 | $69,268 | $359,000 |
| 50 | Chicago, IL | 2,707,648 | $75,134 | $315,200 |
| 51 | St. Petersburg, FL | 260,646 | $73,118 | $331,500 |
| 52 | Glendale, AZ | 250,193 | $70,139 | $347,000 |
| 53 | San Bernardino, CA | 221,774 | $63,988 | $384,900 |
| 54 | Miami, FL | 446,663 | $59,390 | $475,200 |
| 55 | Fort Worth, TX | 941,311 | $76,602 | $277,300 |
| 56 | Fresno, CA | 543,615 | $66,804 | $348,500 |
| 57 | Arlington, TX | 394,769 | $73,519 | $276,400 |
| 58 | St. Paul, MN | 307,762 | $73,055 | $280,300 |
| 59 | Dallas, TX | 1,299,553 | $67,760 | $295,300 |
| 60 | Garland, TX | 245,298 | $74,717 | $248,900 |
| 61 | Spokane, WA | 229,228 | $65,745 | $326,200 |
| 62 | Lexington-Fayette Urban County, KY | 321,122 | $67,631 | $272,100 |
| 63 | Lincoln, NE | 291,932 | $69,991 | $248,200 |
| 64 | Omaha, NE | 488,197 | $72,708 | $230,100 |
| 65 | Jacksonville, FL | 961,739 | $66,981 | $266,100 |
| 66 | Richmond, VA | 227,595 | $62,671 | $328,100 |
| 67 | Albuquerque, NM | 562,488 | $65,604 | $266,700 |
| 68 | Hialeah, FL | 221,901 | $53,079 | $359,200 |
| 69 | Kansas City, MO | 508,233 | $67,449 | $227,000 |
| 70 | Norfolk, VA | 235,037 | $64,017 | $271,900 |
| 71 | Columbus, OH | 906,480 | $65,327 | $234,500 |
| 72 | Houston, TX | 2,300,419 | $62,894 | $253,400 |
| 73 | Louisville/jefferson County Metro Government (Balance), KY | 627,210 | $64,731 | $221,500 |
| 74 | Oklahoma City, OK | 688,693 | $66,702 | $215,100 |
| 75 | New Orleans, LA | 376,035 | $55,339 | $296,400 |
| 76 | Newark, NJ | 307,188 | $48,416 | $337,800 |
| 77 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,383 | $66,325 | $197,100 |
| 78 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,582,432 | $60,698 | $232,400 |
| 79 | San Antonio, TX | 1,458,954 | $62,917 | $219,700 |
| 80 | Pittsburgh, PA | 303,620 | $64,137 | $193,200 |
| 81 | Indianapolis, IN | 882,043 | $62,995 | $207,000 |
| 82 | Tucson, AZ | 543,348 | $54,546 | $242,200 |
| 83 | Baltimore, MD | 577,193 | $59,623 | $219,300 |
| 84 | Greensboro, NC | 298,564 | $58,884 | $221,300 |
| 85 | Laredo, TX | 255,949 | $63,264 | $182,400 |
| 86 | Lubbock, TX | 261,078 | $60,487 | $197,900 |
| 87 | Wichita, KS | 396,488 | $63,072 | $179,500 |
| 88 | Winston-Salem, NC | 250,887 | $57,673 | $208,200 |
| 89 | Baton Rouge, LA | 223,699 | $49,944 | $224,500 |
| 90 | Tulsa, OK | 412,322 | $58,407 | $189,600 |
| 91 | Cincinnati, OH | 309,595 | $51,707 | $215,300 |
| 92 | Fort Wayne, IN | 266,235 | $60,293 | $169,700 |
| 93 | St. Louis, MO | 293,109 | $55,279 | $185,100 |
| 94 | El Paso, TX | 678,147 | $58,734 | $171,700 |
| 95 | Milwaukee, WI | 569,756 | $51,888 | $172,000 |
| 96 | Memphis, TN | 629,063 | $51,211 | $157,100 |
| 97 | Buffalo, NY | 276,397 | $48,050 | $152,300 |
| 98 | Toledo, OH | 268,461 | $47,532 | $107,000 |
| 99 | Detroit, MI | 636,644 | $39,575 | $76,800 |
| 100 | Cleveland, OH | 367,523 | $39,187 | $94,100 |
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