No economy has generated as much wealth for as many people as that of the United States. According to the 2023 Global Wealth Report from the Swiss investment bank UBS, most adults worldwide have less than $10,000 in total wealth. Meanwhile, the typical American adult is worth nearly $108,000. The same report found that the U.S. is home to 38% of the world’s millionaires, many times more than any other country — and incomes in the U.S. are currently rising at a historic pace.
The latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey shows that the typical American household earned nearly $75,000 in 2022, up from about $69,700 in 2021. The 7.2% increase was the largest recorded year-over-year since at least the mid-1990s.
In Virginia, a state home to 24 Fortune 500 companies, the typical household earns $87,249 annually. And in some parts of the state, household incomes exceed that amount by tens of thousands of dollars.
Using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 33 richest counties and county equivalents in Virginia. Counties and independent cities in the state are ranked on median household income. Supplemental data on population, unemployment, and median home values are also five-year estimates from the 2022 ACS.
Among the places on this list, median household incomes are as high as $83,200 above what the typical Virginia household earns. In many of these counties and independent cities, high incomes are underpinned by a strong job market. According to the ACS, the five-year average jobless rate in all but nine of Virginia’ richest counties and county equivalents is below the 4.3% statewide average.
Home values are often a reflection of what residents can afford, and high incomes in these places are often evidenced by the local real estate markets. In most counties and independent cities on this list, the typical home is worth more than the $339,800 median home value across the state.
These are the richest counties in Virginia.
33. Orange County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $87,309
- Median home value: $316,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Population: 36,593
32. Virginia Beach (independent city)
- Median household income: $87,544
- Median home value: $343,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Population: 457,900
31. Suffolk (independent city)
Source: tmersh / Getty Images
- Median household income: $87,758
- Median home value: $314,400
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.0%
- Population: 94,856
30. Fluvanna County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $90,766
- Median home value: $270,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.0%
- Population: 27,442
29. Manassas Park (independent city)
Source: By Billy Hathorn - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16000300
- Median household income: $91,673
- Median home value: $370,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.2%
- Population: 17,123
28. Isle of Wight County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $91,680
- Median home value: $327,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.3%
- Population: 38,898
27. Culpeper County
Source: Doug Kerr / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $92,359
- Median home value: $369,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
- Population: 52,822
26. Frederick County
- Median household income: $92,443
- Median home value: $333,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
- Population: 92,007
25. Chesapeake (independent city)
- Median household income: $92,703
- Median home value: $339,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 249,377
24. Lexington (independent city)
Source: traveler1116 / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Median household income: $93,651
- Median home value: $224,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.5%
- Population: 7,346
23. Chesterfield County
- Median household income: $95,757
- Median home value: $306,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 366,019
22. Albemarle County
Source: krblokhin / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $97,708
- Median home value: $450,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.1%
- Population: 112,513
21. Rappahannock County
Source: krblokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $98,663
- Median home value: $509,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.5%
- Population: 7,422
20. James City County
Source: visionsofmaine / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $100,711
- Median home value: $396,800
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.6%
- Population: 78,818
19. King George County
- Median household income: $103,264
- Median home value: $372,300
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.5%
- Population: 26,985
18. Hanover County
Source: JillLang / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $104,678
- Median home value: $347,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.9%
- Population: 110,513
17. Spotsylvania County
Source: CynthiaAnnF / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $105,068
- Median home value: $349,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
- Population: 141,097
16. York County
Source: zrfphoto / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $105,154
- Median home value: $387,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
- Population: 70,238
15. Goochland County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $105,600
- Median home value: $433,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.4%
- Population: 24,906
14. Clarke County
Source: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D. / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $107,475
- Median home value: $496,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.5%
- Population: 14,882
13. Powhatan County
Source: Jmabran / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $108,089
- Median home value: $356,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.6%
- Population: 30,503
12. Manassas (independent city)
Source: Justin Smith / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $110,559
- Median home value: $393,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.3%
- Population: 42,620
11. New Kent County
- Median household income: $113,120
- Median home value: $354,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.0%
- Population: 23,296
10. Alexandria (independent city)
- Median household income: $113,179
- Median home value: $655,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.1%
- Population: 157,594
9. Poquoson County
- Median household income: $114,503
- Median home value: $406,700
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 1.4%
- Population: 12,479
8. Fauquier County
Source: cindygoff / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $122,785
- Median home value: $501,200
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.3%
- Population: 73,290
7. Prince William County
Source: DavidByronKeener / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $123,193
- Median home value: $472,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
- Population: 481,114
6. Stafford County
- Median household income: $128,036
- Median home value: $431,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
- Population: 157,606
5. Fairfax (independent city)
- Median household income: $128,708
- Median home value: $649,600
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
- Population: 24,242
4. Arlington County
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $137,387
- Median home value: $833,300
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
- Population: 235,845
3. Fairfax County
Source: hroe / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $145,165
- Median home value: $666,900
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.0%
- Population: 1,145,354
2. Falls Church (independent city)
Source: krblokhin / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $164,536
- Median home value: $938,500
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
- Population: 14,576
1. Loudoun County
Source: cindygoff / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $170,463
- Median home value: $657,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.2%
- Population: 420,773
| Rank | County or independent city | Median household income ($) | Median home value ($) | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Loudoun, Virginia | 170,463 | 657,000 | 3.2 |
| 2 | Falls Church, Virginia | 164,536 | 938,500 | 5.9 |
| 3 | Fairfax, Virginia | 145,165 | 666,900 | 4.0 |
| 4 | Arlington, Virginia | 137,387 | 833,300 | 2.7 |
| 5 | Fairfax, Virginia | 128,708 | 649,600 | 3.7 |
| 6 | Stafford, Virginia | 128,036 | 431,900 | 3.7 |
| 7 | Prince William, Virginia | 123,193 | 472,000 | 4.6 |
| 8 | Fauquier, Virginia | 122,785 | 501,200 | 2.3 |
| 9 | Poquoson, Virginia | 114,503 | 406,700 | 1.4 |
| 10 | Alexandria, Virginia | 113,179 | 655,700 | 3.1 |
| 11 | New Kent, Virginia | 113,120 | 354,200 | 3.0 |
| 12 | Manassas, Virginia | 110,559 | 393,900 | 3.3 |
| 13 | Powhatan, Virginia | 108,089 | 356,500 | 2.6 |
| 14 | Clarke, Virginia | 107,475 | 496,600 | 3.5 |
| 15 | Goochland, Virginia | 105,600 | 433,600 | 2.4 |
| 16 | York, Virginia | 105,154 | 387,200 | 3.7 |
| 17 | Spotsylvania, Virginia | 105,068 | 349,900 | 5.6 |
| 18 | Hanover, Virginia | 104,678 | 347,900 | 2.9 |
| 19 | King George, Virginia | 103,264 | 372,300 | 2.5 |
| 20 | James City, Virginia | 100,711 | 396,800 | 3.6 |
| 21 | Rappahannock, Virginia | 98,663 | 509,500 | 6.5 |
| 22 | Albemarle, Virginia | 97,708 | 450,200 | 3.1 |
| 23 | Chesterfield, Virginia | 95,757 | 306,500 | 4.7 |
| 24 | Lexington, Virginia | 93,651 | 224,700 | 2.5 |
| 25 | Chesapeake, Virginia | 92,703 | 339,500 | 4.7 |
| 26 | Frederick, Virginia | 92,443 | 333,600 | 4.1 |
| 27 | Culpeper, Virginia | 92,359 | 369,600 | 3.9 |
| 28 | Isle of Wight, Virginia | 91,680 | 327,600 | 5.3 |
| 29 | Manassas Park, Virginia | 91,673 | 370,700 | 3.2 |
| 30 | Fluvanna, Virginia | 90,766 | 270,900 | 3.0 |
| 31 | Suffolk, Virginia | 87,758 | 314,400 | 6.0 |
| 32 | Virginia Beach, Virginia | 87,544 | 343,700 | 3.9 |
| 33 | Orange, Virginia | 87,309 | 316,000 | 4.4 |
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