America's Most Affluent Suburbs: Where Wealth and Property Values Peak in 2025

The Wealthiest Town in the US Retains Its Crown for Another Year

Scarsdale, New York, continues its reign as the nation’s most prosperous suburban enclave, maintaining its top position for the second consecutive year. With an inflation-adjusted mean household income reaching $601,193 in 2023—up 2.2% from the previous year—this New York City suburb demonstrates the enduring strength of wealth concentration in established northeastern markets. Property valuations have similarly strengthened, with homes averaging $1,207,528 in May 2025, representing a 3.2% appreciation from May 2024.

A Shifting Landscape: New Winners Emerge in Affluent Suburbs

This year’s rankings reveal significant repositioning within America’s wealthiest towns. Two particularly notable arrivals to the top ten include Alamo, California, making its entrance at position five with a household income of $403,334, and Southlake, Texas, climbing from thirteenth place to seventh. These shifts signal evolving patterns in where high-income families are establishing themselves across the country.

Alamo’s inclusion marks a particularly dramatic entry—the suburb failed to appear in the top fifty in 2024 but now ranks among the nation’s wealthiest. Meanwhile, Southlake has demonstrated momentum, with household income growing 2.8% year-over-year to $382,520, complementing its 2.6% home appreciation rate.

State-by-State Dominance: California’s Continued Ascendancy

The geographic distribution of affluent suburbs continues to reflect particular regional concentrations. California solidifies its position as the epicenter of suburban wealth, now hosting 17 of the 50 wealthiest suburbs—an increase from 16 in 2024. The state’s five most expensive communities showcase remarkable valuations: Los Altos ($403,512 household income), Alamo ($403,334), Orinda ($369,073), Palos Verdes Estates ($367,178), and Saratoga ($344,319).

Texas presents a compelling alternative wealth center, with five suburbs ranking in the top fifty. Notably, three of these reach the elite top-ten tier: West University Place (position three with $409,677 income), University Park (position six, $389,868 income), and Southlake (position seven). Houston’s West University Place and Dallas’s University Park both demonstrate the concentration of affluence in major metropolitan areas, while Bellaire and Colleyville round out the state’s representation.

The East Coast’s Persistent Stronghold

Northeastern wealth remains concentrated in suburbs surrounding New York City and Boston. Rye, New York claims the second position nationally with household income of $421,259 and exceptional home values exceeding $1.8 million. Boston’s affluent rings include Wellesley, Lexington, Winchester, Needham, and Newton, collectively representing significant wealth nodes despite individual variability in year-over-year income changes.

New Jersey’s proximity to New York City continues positioning it advantageously, with Tenafly, Summit, Westfield, and Ridgewood all maintaining positions within the top fifty. Ridgewood particularly stands out, with home values surging 7.7% annually to $1,174,405.

Florida’s Luxury Enclaves and Southern Growth Corridors

Florida presents three primary wealth centers: Palm Beach ($356,467 household income), Pinecrest ($312,591), and the emerging Lake Butler ($289,593), which enters the rankings this year. Palm Beach maintains its distinction as the nation’s most expensive suburb, with median home values approaching $10.3 million, though declining 2.3% year-over-year.

Southern suburbs beyond Texas are gaining recognition. Brentwood, Tennessee enters the fifty at position fifty with household income of $261,248, reflecting Nashville’s economic expansion. Mountain Brook, Alabama demonstrates impressive income growth of 9.5%, reaching $302,510, while remaining relatively affordable on a national scale with homes averaging just over $1 million.

Income Trajectories and Valuation Dynamics

Year-over-year income analysis reveals nuanced patterns within wealthiest towns in the US. While many suburbs experienced income contractions—reflecting national economic headwinds—specific pockets demonstrated resilience. San Carlos, California led the nation in household income growth at 8.7%, while Mountain Brook, Alabama followed at 9.5%. Conversely, McLean, Virginia, Palm Beach, and Wellesley each experienced income declines exceeding 3% when adjusted for inflation.

Home valuations painted a more optimistic picture across the majority of rankings. Dix Hills, New York recorded the most dramatic annual home value appreciation at 13.3%, while Los Altos, California achieved 6.1% gains despite household income declining 2.6%. This divergence suggests strong housing demand outpacing income growth in certain markets.

Emerging Patterns and Geographic Redistribution

The inclusion of six newly-ranked suburbs—Alamo, California; Coto de Caza, California; Lake Butler, Florida; Colleyville, Texas; Newton, Massachusetts; and Brentwood, Tennessee—indicates ongoing wealth redistribution within metropolitan areas. These entries typically represent suburbs experiencing population influx from major urban centers or benefiting from regional economic development.

Notably, several California suburbs demonstrate vulnerability, with properties in Orinda, Lafayette, Danville, and Moraga all declining in value year-over-year, despite maintaining positions within the wealthiest town ranking nationally. This pattern suggests potential market normalization or neighborhood-specific pressures.

Metropolitan Leaders in Affluent Suburban Development

San Jose’s suburban ecosystem remains the most economically robust, claiming Los Altos, Alamo, Saratoga, Menlo Park, and Los Gatos—five communities each exceeding $300,000 mean household income. The San Francisco Bay Area’s dominance reflects continued concentration of technology sector wealth, though some appreciation has moderated from pandemic-era peaks.

Chicago’s northern suburbs, including Hinsdale, Lake Forest, and Wilmette, maintain steady positions within the rankings, each approaching or exceeding $290,000 in household income. These established communities offer both wealth concentration and relative valuation stability compared to California’s more volatile markets.

Washington, D.C.'s suburban rings—McLean, Wolf Trap, Potomac, Vienna, and Bethesda—collectively represent government-sector wealth accumulation and high-income professional clustering, though most experienced recent income headwinds.

Methodology and Data Integrity

This analysis examined cities meeting specific criteria: minimum 5,000 households, metropolitan statistical area inclusion (excluding principal cities), and complete data availability through July 2025. The U.S. Census 2023 American Community Survey provided baseline demographic and income figures, while Zillow Home Value Index data captured May 2025 property valuations. Inflation adjustments employed the BLS CPI calculator, enabling precise year-over-year comparison of purchasing power-adjusted household income across both periods.

The wealthiest town positions in America reflect centuries of accumulated capital, modern professional employment centers, and demographic patterns of high-income household concentration within specific geographic corridors.