CHANGE MY LOCATION
Fairfax County’s median income breaks six-figure mark, tops nation
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: Fairfax County
Fairfax County (Map, News) - Fairfax County has the highest median income in the country, breaking the six-figure income level mark for the first time in history, according to estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on Tuesday.
The median income in Fairfax was $100,318 in 2006, edging out neighboring Loudoun County, which ranked second with a median income of $99,371. Fairfax — which added $5,708 to its median income from 2005 — overtook Loudoun in what is becoming a seesaw battle to claim the title as richest county in the country.
Incomes in Fairfax and Loudoun more than doubled the national median income of $48,451. In addition, poverty levels in each of the area’s four counties were well below the national average of 12.3 percent.
Jerry Gordon, president and chief executive officer of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, said economic growth in Fairfax has driven incomes higher.
“Fairfax has been consistently aggressive” about attracting new businesses, he said. “We’ve used our natural conditions like proximity to Dulles Airport and the government as well as done things to be supportive of economic development, like grow a school system that’s important to this development.”
Incomes in Arlington and Prince William counties also crushed the national median. Median incomes were $87,350 in Arlington and $80,783 in Prince William.
High incomes in Northern Virginia reflected a wider regional trend. Median incomes in Montgomery County reached $87,624 in 2006, the seventh-highest in the country. Only 4 percent of county residents live below the poverty line, the Census Bureau found.
In Prince George’s County, the median income was $65,851, while 7 percent of residents live in poverty.
For the District, median income was $51,847. Its poverty rate, however, far outpaced the national average at 20 percent.
William Frey, a demographer at The Brookings Institute, said the Washington region’s median income ranks second only to Silicon Valley’s.
“It’s only a matter of time until Washington is No. 1,” he said.
ALSO READ: Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K
dcexamiNation and poll: What do you think of the widening income gap between blacks and whites?
Comments from Examiner Readers
2:51 PM MST on Thu., Aug. 7, 2008 re: "City losing its younger residents"
Report as inappropriate
10:44 PM MST on Tue., Feb. 5, 2008
re: "Area spending on hair, parking, blood tops nation"
Report as inappropriate
2:26 PM MST on Wed., Jan. 16, 2008
re: "Poverty declines in Maryland"
Report as inappropriate
9:43 PM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008
re: "Poverty declines in Maryland"
Report as inappropriate
5:11 AM MST on Tue., Oct. 2, 2007
re: "Baltimore City is growing in population"
Report as inappropriate
8:07 PM MST on Thu., Sep. 13, 2007
re: "Fairfax County’s median income breaks six-figure mark, tops nation"
Report as inappropriate
6:17 AM MST on Thu., Aug. 30, 2007
re: "'Nation's wealthiest' status gives area boost"
Report as inappropriate
6:45 PM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007
re: "Fairfax County’s median income breaks six-figure mark, tops nation"
Report as inappropriate
11:40 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007
re: "Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K"
Report as inappropriate
11:29 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007
re: "Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K"
Report as inappropriate
8:57 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007
re: "Wealth gap widens as whites hit $89K, blacks take in $34K"
Report as inappropriate
4:44 AM MST on Wed., Aug. 29, 2007
re: "Fairfax County’s median income breaks six-figure mark, tops nation"
Report as inappropriate
8:31 PM MST on Sun., Jul. 1, 2007
re: "Baltimore City continues to lose population"
Report as inappropriate
6:04 AM MST on Sun., Jul. 1, 2007
re: "Baltimore City continues to lose population"
Report as inappropriate
9:13 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 29, 2007
re: "Report: Baltimore population decreased"
Report as inappropriate
7:58 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 29, 2007
re: "Report: Baltimore population decreased"
Report as inappropriate
7:34 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 29, 2007
re: "Report: Baltimore population decreased"
Report as inappropriate
6:03 AM MST on Fri., Jun. 29, 2007
re: "Report: Baltimore population decreased"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
it's a pipe dream of every young person or city resident to make it big financially. the dot.com era became a zero.dot.com. if anyone was there at schwab, they were worshipping the CEO as stocks skyrocketted. office guys were literally dancing in their skirts. welcome the younger people to the real world. get a real, steady job. forget about dreams that will only last a second. once very young, now they're getting older and hopefully wiser for it.
2 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Reminds me of the three greatest lies; Lies, Damned Lies and statistics. hey, I live in Midtown and I find this really difficult to beleive.
101 agree | 95 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Union Man said:
Pretty cool. I'm sure the reason things are getting better for Maryland is because of the excellent Democrat leadership in Annapolis in 2003 through 2006. Thank God for Mike Miller and Mike Busch. And things will just improve with Martin O'Malley as Governor.
114 agree | 111 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Stephen Janis writes stories people read. Every time.
114 agree | 127 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The increase makes the city eligible for $2 million more in federal aid, Dixon said. Sounds like Dixon is cooking the books to get more money from the Feds. Sound familar? I want more proof. After all, I pay Federal Taxes.
176 agree | 176 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Re: "I wonder how the rest of America feels knowing Fairfax's fantastic incomes are the result of their Federal tax dollars flowing to all of the government workers and contractors who live here?" The real issue is that the Gov't and Contractors who are making higher than average wages are doing so because they are more highly educated...the lesson to be learned is get thee a good education and you too can be rewarded...
204 agree | 179 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Let's see, we are the wealthiest state and pay one of the highest rates of taxes in the country. Can someone please explain to me why state governement cannot manage a budget on that level of revenue but must cointinue to increase taxes and spend uncontrolably?
187 agree | 199 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I wonder how the rest of America feels knowing Fairfax's fantastic incomes are the result of their Federal tax dollars flowing to all of the government workers and contractors who live here?
204 agree | 195 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Mike Licht said:
More detail, please. Low-income residents tend to be younger.
200 agree | 205 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Matt K. said:
The poor socio-economic plight of Black Americans is a by-product of slavery and Jim Crowism there are many sound reasons and explanations to support this arguement; Wealth is a measure of cumulative advantage or disadvantage. The fact that Black and Hispanic wealth is a fraction of white wealth also reflects a history of discrimination. (Joint Center/Oped News Citation)
217 agree | 213 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Wealth gap widens?? The Government needs to spend less time looking at the revenue of people, and more time looking at the expenses of people---as well as the competition for these scarce items! The housing market has been filled with insanely greedy people, who are flippers, dippers, and coupon clippers! Playing Las Vegas night with the housing supply, is NOT the way to go, folks! When you stop thinking how much your "investment" is worth in an insane housing market, and start thinking more about how valuable it will be, to have a nice place to raise a family, you'll be on the right track! The competition for these places is also fueled by hordes of foreigners, looking for a safe place to stash their ill-gotten cash! As well as millions of illegal aliens, who combine the cash of a couple of dozen of their fellow illegals, to buy houses next to your own. All those homes they are living in, are no longer available to true Americans, who want these places to raise families!
210 agree | 213 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Fairfax County's wealth should not be celebrated, it is fueled by misallocated resources flowing into the military industrial complex. Might as well just burn those tax dollars.
191 agree | 188 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Kaufman has devoted his life to a losing cause but, unlike successful seekers of public office, his cause was genuine.
204 agree | 204 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
William Cooke said:
Ending the war on drugs would free up lots of money and would allow for tax relief as well. We could lay off at least half the cops and prosecutors (sorry guys) - most of whom don't live in the city anyway, cut crime, invest more in schools and parks, and give some money back to the taxpayers. Vote for Kaufman!
197 agree | 204 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Violence,open air drug markets, poor if any snow removal, a shakey and clueless city government, the lost of community pride in many areas of the city so when it's possible to leave folk are leaving when they can. Who in their right mind would stay and keep suffering the blight of this when they can leave.
208 agree | 219 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Happy days are here again because Robert Ehrlich is moving in. The people of Baltimore City should throw a party knowing at least one honest person will live amidst them. Hey, the way I see it, it's a start in the right direction.
208 agree | 193 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
King said:
Summed up in two words.... Property Taxes!
195 agree | 210 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Fenwick said:
Lets see now; people can't be moving out because of high taxes, high crime, potholes or bad government so it must be GLOBAL WARMING!
230 agree | 215 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree