Swamp: 5 richest U.S. counties located in D.C. suburbs

Corruption Central: Politicians complaint all the time about the “influence of money in politics,” but given the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data identifying the wealthiest counties in the United States, their complaints tend to ring somewhat hollow.

The five richest counties in the U.S. when measured by median household income are all still suburbs of Washington, D.C., according to American Community Survey data released today by the Census Bureau.

In fact, 10 of the top 20 most well-to-do counties in the U.S. are all situated around the nation’s capital.

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The more things change the more they stay the same: The five richest counties last year remain the same ones this year, though their rankings have changed slightly in the new data release: Fairfax County, Va., and Howard County, Md., moved ahead of Falls Church City, Va.

The American Community Survey’s new five-year estimates (2013-2017) lists the five richest counties in the U.S. when measured by median household income as: Loudoun County ($129,588), Fairfax County, Va. ($117,515), Howard County, Md. ($115,576), Falls Church City, Va. ($114,795), and Arlington County, Va. ($112,138).

The five additional capital-area counties ranked among the nation’s 20 wealthiest were: Fairfax City, Va., which ranked No. 10 ($106,870); Montgomery County, Md., which ranked No. 17 ($103,178); Stafford County, Va., which ranked No. 18 ($103,105); Prince William County,Va., which ranked No. 19 ($101,059); and Calvert County, Md., which ranked No. 20 ($100,350).

Those who say America has the best government money can buy are correct.

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