The Golden State, or California as it is governmentally known, prides itself on nearly endless miles of beautiful shoreline, sunny weather almost all year long, and cityscapes so diverse you can’t help but love it.
California also has a thriving economy powered by tech giants like Apple and Uber.
Additionally, She boasts a thriving film and entertainment industry and a raft of globally-acclaimed entertainment attractions like Universal Studios and Hollywood’s famous Walk of Fame.
As a result, the state attracts thousands of new residents annually, and, unsurprisingly, it’s one of the most expensive and home to some of the country’s most affluent cities.
We evaluated the median household income of different areas in the Golden State and compiled a list of the wealthiest cities in California below.
17. Oxnard
Median household income: $77,050
Oxnard is a rich city in California with an estimated population of 201,879. It sits on the western end of the Oxnard Plain, an incredibly fertile-soiled plain popular with agricultural activities. Subsequently, Oxnard has a successful agricultural industry, and it’s possible to source strawberries and other vegetables fresh off the field. Oxnard is also a major transportation hub with significant links to several oil fields, including its very own Oxnard Oil Field.
Oxnard, like most wealthy cities in California, is adorned with beautiful beaches and a Mediterranean climate. The area also features wetlands, dunes, and creeks and has the Santa Clara river sitting between it and Ventura city. The result? Oxnard also thrives on tourism.
These industries combined make for a lucrative city where the average household reports about $77,050 in annual household income. Homes go for an average of $711,035 and the gross domestic product typically averages $53,218.
16. Vallejo
Median household income: $79,927
Vallejo, named after Mariano Vallejo, a famous Californio statesman, is a beautiful city set by the shores of San Pablo Bay. The city began as the capital of California. It served the role for a while before administration was transferred to a neighbouring city in honor of the city’s founder wife, Benicia Carillo De Vallejo.
It then went through many transitions over the years that turned it into one of the richest zip codes in California. Vallejo reports an annual gross metro product of $22.2billion and had about 126,090 residents per the last census.
Today, the city’s wealth continues to grow. This is to be expected because, as the largest city in the North Bay, Vallejo is an important economic hub for area residents and is where you’ll find the region’s top employers.
Vallejo is home to notable attractions such as the acclaimed Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Theme Park and the Mare Island Naval Shipyard– the first-ever naval shipbuilding facility on the West Coast.
15. Napa
Median household income: $85,953
Whether a new resident or a first-time visitor checking California out, there’s no doubt you’ve heard of Napa.
Not only is it the largest city in Napa County, but it’s also a globally-acclaimed wine-making destination. Tourists flock to its wineries without fail annually, and her wine-making regions are almost always dotted by hot air balloons filled with curious wine connoisseurs out to explore.
Napa also boasts Michelin-starred restaurants, historic architecture, boutique restaurants, and luxury resorts which similarly attract throngs of tourists.
Wine and tourism, coupled with thriving agriculture, and her role as the county seat of Napa, are a great boon to Napa’s city economy, and it’s one of the richest cities in California. Residential properties go for an average of $857,447, while the median household income for area residents is $85,953. Similar to other wealthy cities in California, Napa has a small population of about 78,818 residents.
14. Santa Cruz
Median household income: $89,986
If you’d someday love to live in a wealthy Central California city, Santa Cruz is a perfect choice. Perched on the northern end of the Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a large city (the largest in Santa Cruz County) with a population of $62,956.
It’s characterized by great surf beaches, redwood mountains, a ton of historic landmarks, and several organic farming towns perfect if you like your residence with a side of nature. It has an incredible surf culture, something that draws hundreds of tourists to its beaches annually. The city’s economy is also driven by agriculture, education, and high-tech
13. Hayward
Median household income: $91,490
From Hayward Highland to Glen Eden, anyone who resides in these rich neighborhoods of Hayward had to part with an average of $830k to acquire a home in this rich Californian city. The city, located in the East Bay region of San Francisco Bay, has a population of approximately 162,954, of which 8.3% are millionaires.
The wealth and its relatively high population are a result of a large number of manufacturing companies and plants based in the area. These include manufacturing plants for notable companies like PepsiCo and several high-tech manufacturers like Pentagon Technologies and Du Pont Technology Inc.
Hayward also had a thriving canned industry led by companies like the Hunt Brothers Cannery, which was among the first-ever businesses in the area. The average household income as of writing is $91,490 with the extremely low-earning household reporting $49,750.
12. Beverly Hills
Median household income: $101,241
For most people, Beverly Hills needs no introduction as it is synonymous with the rich and the extraordinarily famous, like Rihanna and Ellen DeGeneres. It has also been featured in endless films, reality shows and music videos. But even with its long-running popularity as one of the richest zip codes in California, Beverly Hills remains an exclusive-residential city with only 31 896 residents. Households here report a median income of $101,241, and shell an average of $5.2M to acquire properties.
11. Carlsbad
Median household income: $112,933
Carlsbad is a quaint little city south of LA and a few miles north of San Diego, with an estimated population of 115,302.
For a city tucked between two major metropolises, one would expect Carlsbad to have emerged as a commuting town. It, however, has its own unique history and vibe.
While LA and San Diego are bustling metropolitans, Carlsbad is a laid back beach town with incredibly friendly residents and pleasant Mediterranean weather. This quaint city has wide white-sand beaches with waterfront restaurants set on cliffs. It also prides itself on multiple lush green expansive courses like the 400-acre public golf course- Crossings at Carlsbad.
10. Hermosa Beach
Median household income: $142,500
Hermosa Beach is one of the three beach cities of Los Angeles. It’s a small city with a total area of 1.4 miles and is comprised of 15 blocks to the west and only 40 blocks to the north and south.
But don’t let her size fool you.
Nestled directly on the vast, open bay of Santa Monica, Hermosa boasts a beautiful beach stretch and up to 325 days of sunshine. As a result, She is popular with tourists who come in search of sun, sand and beach volleyball when the rest of the country is under snow.
Properties cost a pretty penny- the average home value is $2.2 million. The high price tag is no surprise as all properties are either beachfront or within a walking distance from the beach. Hermosa’s Beach’s current household income stands at $142,500.
9. Malibu
Median household income: $162,710
Malibu is among places that immediately spring to mind whenever the wealthiest cities in California are being discussed.
This is thanks to the large population of Hollywood A-listers who call Malibu Colony (an area inside Malibu) home, like Leonard DiCaprio and Jennifer and Charlize Theron, to mention a few.
Malibu’s celeb and rich residents move here thanks to the city’s proximity to LA-it’s only 30 miles from Downtown LA, convenient access to other cities– Malibu’s only a few yards of State Route 1, and multiple beaches stretches that offer sun, sand, and more importantly, privacy.
Malibu had a population of 10,249 residents in 2021, and the average home value is $4.1 million. To live comfortably in this city, your household must report a median income of $162,710 annually.
8. Palo Alto
Median household income: $232,529
Our list of wealthy cities in California would undoubtedly be biased if this city wasn’t included. Established by 18th-century American Industrialist Leland Stanford, Palo Alto is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley and is home to multiple tech giants, including HP, Skype, Houzz, and Space Systems.
Apple, Tesla, Google, Facebook, and several other high-tech companies also had headquarters here before they moved places. Top movers like Mark Zuckerberg, Laurene Powell Jobs, and Larry Page still live here.
Properties sell at a median price of $3.3million in Palo Alto, while the median household income is $232,529, with only a small population of 69,406.
7. Los Altos
Median household income: $235,278
Los Altos feels more like a small town than a city, thanks to its exclusive nature. It’s mainly residential, with commercial setups restricted to its six-block downtown area. Here you’ll find grocery and hardware stores, bank branches, unique cafes, and boutiques.
For aspiring Los Altos residents, the minimum lot size for residential homes is a quarter of an acre, and the median home price is $4 million. And note that Los Altos has always been residential. It began as Banks and Breas, an area of unused land that was later acquired by the Altos Land Company in 1906 and developed mainly as a bedroom town. Steam train services began running through the area two years later, fueling the area’s growth and wealth.
Today, Los Altos is home to affluent Silicon Valley professionals and is among the wealthiest cities in California, with a median household income of $235,278 and a population of 30,700.
6. Piedmont
Median household income: $250,000
Piedmont in Alameda County is a small city with a small population of only 11, 270. Named after Italy’s Piedmont, the original Piedmont was larger, but residents sought incorporation in 1907 after which they voted to have it as a separate city over just a neighborhood in Oakland city. Conversely, Piedmont sits right in the heart of Oakland, and is pretty small with a total area of 1.7 miles.
The city’s small size clearly doesn’t get in the way of its wealth, as it has always been affluent. In the early 1900s, for instance, Piedmont was famously nicknamed the City of Millionaires because it had more millionaires per square mile than any other American city.
Today, Piedmont households report an annual income of $250,000, while property listings start at $2.8 million. Still a rich city in California!
5. Orinda
Median household income: $283,978
Are you a wealthy professional looking to relocate to a wealthy city with a population of equally wealthy professionals? Pack your bags for Orinda because it’s where the rich lawyers, doctors, and generally well-educated professionals of California like to call home.
Named one of America’s 50 best cities to live in, Orinda is a small city with a suburban vibe and a population of 19,514 residents. Once synonymous with ranching, the area is today defined by modern townhouses, condos, and other popular housing units. The housing market is super competitive, and the average listing costs $2.1 million.
Orinda has a high median household income, and its growth is largely fueled by its exceptional academic institutions and proximity to San Francisco.
4. Hidden Hills
Median household income: $390,000
Hidden Hills is a befitting moniker for a city tucked between the foot of a hill (Simi Hills Transverse) and the edge of a valley (the San Fernando Valley). Once a pastoral area, Hidden Hills is today where the rich and the famous, like Kim Kardashian, Travis Scott, Drake, and a long string of other tabloid mainstays call home.
California has an echelon of its own. While Hidden Hills is only the 4th wealthiest city in California, its median household income is nearly double that of Fisher Island, Florida, the wealthiest city in Florida. Even more impressive, its median household income is three times that of Flower Mound, the richest city in Texas!
As you can tell by the residents, the area is extremely exclusive and is essentially a gated community where cars are restricted, and horseback riding is the order of the day (it’s a prerequisite for residents to set aside some land for equestrian lots).
The median listing for a home in Hidden Hills is $7.5million, while the median household income is $390,000, a figure set to increase if the gilded continue to set up their paradisical hideouts here.
3. Woodside
Median household income: $437,353
Woodside might be small, but it’s undoubtedly rich! Median listings start as high as $4.9 million, while the average household reports a minimum of $437,353 in annual income. This is, however, not surprising, considering the area has been home to tech magnates like Steve Jobs and Nick Woodman.
Area residents enjoy an exclusive lifestyle, as the city (more like a small town) is largely residential, with only a few high-end restaurants, a grocery store, and a handful of other necessary businesses in its small business districts.
Residents own large lots and enjoy rich-people hobbies like horse keeping. They can also easily link up with nature thanks to the open space reserves and county parks within a walking distance of the city, such as Thornwood Preserve.
2. Hillsborough
Median household income: $438,734
Most cities and towns of our time began as either war outposts, commute centers, or administrative posts. But not Hillsborough.
Located 17 miles south of San Francisco, Hillsborough has always been wealthy and was nicknamed the perfumed city as early as the 18th century. The town began as a piece of land owned by William Davis Merry Howard, the son of a wealthy shipping magnate, and his family. It transitioned into a wealthy whites-only community and later evolved to include other ethnic communities.
Hillsborough remains a residential area with a small community to date. It had a population of about 11,608 as per the last census, and it’s still dotted by mansions and historic Tudor homes from the 18th century. As a result, it has a strong sense of community, and locals often mingle at the community’s annual events like the Concours d’Elegance car show and the memorial day carnival.
It’s also one of the best places to live if you prefer locales with a rural vibe because, despite relentless gentrification in other areas, businesses, apartments, condos and townhouses are restricted within her limits. The area is mainly residential, with the only non-residential property being its four public and three private schools.
The area’s school district consistently ranks among California’s best in academic excellence. But to enjoy the perks of living in this exclusive community, you must have a healthy bank account, as no one here can own a plot smaller than half an acre.
1. Atherton
Median Household Income: $526,856
Named after a 19th-century landowner and one of its founders, Atherton is an exclusive, incorporated town two miles from Redwood City. It’s the richest city in California, and one of the wealthiest towns in the country, with an average household income of a whopping $526,856!
The town’s immense affluence and enduring exclusive status are largely due to its strict land-ownership policies- you can’t build a home on less than an acre. As a result, home prices here are crazy high and typically start at about 7.5 million.
In addition to land policies, Atherton’s proximity to Silicon Valley contributes to its wealth. The Valley’s wealthy engineers and top professionals for companies like Google and Facebook often prefer Atherton’s laidback vibe, more acreage, and privacy. They add to its affluence by setting up mansion after mansion driving the demand and land prices further up. Consequently, Atherton has a small exclusive, wealthy population of about 7,014 residents. It’s considered the richest zip code in California.
