Posted on 03/10/2010 7:54:56 AM PST by RatherBiased.com
Loudoun ranks as the richest county in the United States, immediately followed by Fairfax and Howard counties, while Montgomery, traditionally one of the wealthiest, is now 10th.
Forbes magazine ranked eight other Washington-area counties in its list of the nation's 25 wealthiest counties, far more than any other area in the country. The rankings are based on 2008 median household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Loudoun's median household income was $110,643, while Fairfax's was $106,785 and Howard's came in at $101,710.
"This is obviously very good news," said David Robertson, executive director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. "While certainly unemployment is higher than we would like, it is well better than the national average."
Rivals Fairfax and Montgomery have competed for the top slots in recent decades. The counties, similar in population size and demographics, were ranked first and second in the 1970 census, with median incomes of $14,984 and $14,854, respectively.
In recent years, however, Loudoun has risen to the top and Fairfax has increased the gap. The two counties ranked first and second in median household income in 2007 and 2008, according to data from the American Community Survey.
Fairfax Supervisor John Cook, R-Braddock, said his county continues to outrank Montgomery because Fairfax's more flexible tax laws help to attract businesses.
"We're so much better off here than other places," he said. "It's not like we're talking about draconian cuts or anything."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
I see Montgomery Co’s politics have sunk it to 10th place. Next reading will put it out of the top ten. Go Fairfax.
Of course unemployment in the Washington DC metro area is better than average — the federal government is just about the only one hiring!
Yep—there’s your “stimulus” in action. Keep your powder dry, boys. You’ll be needing it soon.
I am glad I am out of Loudoun County and back in New Hampshire!
Did Montgomery Co. put in a new higher tax bracket for “millionaires”?
Proving Government work pays.
It should NOT. Government employees now make MORE than their private sector contemporaries.
THAT is utterly unsustainable.
| Rank | County | Population | Median household income |
| 1 | Loudoun County, Va. | 277,433 | $110,643 |
| 2 | Fairfax County, Va. | 1,005,980 | $106,785 |
| 3 | Howard County, Md. | 272,412 | $101,710 |
| 4 | Hunterdon County, N.J. | 129,000 | $100,947 |
| 5 | Somerset County, N.J. | 321,589 | $100,207 |
| 6 | Fairfax City, Va. | 23,281 | $98,133 |
| 7 | Morris County, N.J. | 486,459 | $97,565 |
| 8 | Douglas County, Colo. | 270,286 | $97,480 |
| 9 | Arlington County, Va. | 204,889 | $96,390 |
| 10 | Montgomery County, Md. | 942,747 | $93,999 |
| 11 | Nassau County, N.Y. | 1,352,817 | $93,579 |
| 12 | Stafford County, Va. | 120,219 | $89,536 |
| 13 | Calvert County, Md. | 88,126 | $89,049 |
| 14 | Prince William County | 358,719 | $88,675 |
| 15 | Putnam County, N.Y. | 99,195 | $88,580 |
| 16 | Goochland County, Va. | 20,494 | $88,552 |
| 17 | Williamson County, Tenn. | 165,336 | $88,316 |
| 18 | Marin County, Calif. | 246,985 | $88,101 |
| 19 | Santa Clara County, Calif. | 1,734,756 | $87,287 |
| 20 | Forsyth County, Ga. | 158,009 | $86,938 |
| 21 | Charles County, Md. | 140,032 | $86,586 |
| 22 | Summit County, Utah | 35,448 | $85,258 |
| 23 | Alexandria City, Va. | 140,657 | $85,135 |
| 24 | Chester County, Pa. | 485,083 | $84,844 |
| 25 | Suffolk County, N.Y. | 1,510,716 | $84,767 |
Not for taxpayers
My thoughts exactly.
Can anyone put 2 and 2 together?
I grew up in Howard County, Maryland, back in the 70s. Back then, it was cow country, with much lower incomes than the surrounding area. It was beautiful country, but poor.
Now, I go back there, and I hardly recognize the place. McMansions everywhere, and not a cow in sight. Mostly I don’t go back...
It used to be that you got better job security and pensions in exchange for lower pay. Now, seems like everything is better than the private sector: pay, benefits, and pensions. Not sustainable.
Mark Levin lives in Loudon County and was reporting that his property tax bill is sky high, and they even put a second tax on his property because he wrote “Liberty and Tyranny” there so he, in effect, ran a “home business.”
Californians had to pass Proposition 13 to keep themselves from losing their homes to oppressive property taxes, so I can appreciate how they feel.
Ground zero for massive bribery and criminal diversion of stolen tax revenues.
Drive around the DC suburbs: endless mansions and magnificent luxury at every turn.
DC Area Government employees are NOT overpaid parasites.
They are top-of-the-food-chain predators and don’t you forget it!
It is not only the federal government employment that makes this the richest area in the country. It is the federal honey pot that attracts lobbyists, lawyers, contractors, interest groups, think tanks, etc. to feed at the public trough. This is corruption writ large and it will only get worse.
¡ Loudoun Valley Bumpo !
Where did THAT name come from? I would hate to have to tell someone I lived there. Unless my name was Gooch.
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