Wealthy areas are the kind of places where you’ll find beautiful homes, well-manicured streets, and a sense of luxury in the air. Along with the stunning residences, these areas offer top-notch services like private schools, exclusive clubs, and upscale shopping centers. Safety is a priority too, with gated communities, private security, and advanced security systems ensuring peace of mind. Of course, you can’t forget about wealthy areas flooded with well-kept parks, golf courses, and country clubs. But what is the wealthiest county in Michigan?
A recent study by SmartAsset shows the wealthiest counties in the U.S. To figure out which counties are rolling in the dough, they looked at investment income, property value, and how much cash each person is raking in on average.
“We started the analysis by calculating the Investment Index for each county by evenly weighing the Ordinary Dividends, Qualified Dividends, and Net Capital Gains. From there, we calculated the Median Home Value and the Per Capita Income for each county, and ranked them on all three metrics,” SmartAsset wrote.
The study revealed that Leelanau County, nestled near Traverse City and known for its wineries along the Lake Michigan coast, takes the crown as Michigan’s wealthiest county. With its picturesque Leelanau Peninsula and a population of approximately 23,000, this small northern Michigan county has the highest per-capita wealth in the state. Nationally, Leelanau County had an overall rank of 266.
Wealthiest Counties in The U.S.
When it comes to the richest counties in the nation, California counties consistently find themselves at the top of the ranking. San Mateo County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, and Marin County all secured spots in the top five richest counties in the United States. However, breaking California’s streak, Nantucket County in Massachusetts claimed the fifth spot on the ranking.
Check out the full study here. And take a look below to see which counties in Michigan are the wealthiest.
5. Grand Traverse County
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Median Income: $69, 393
Investment Income: $47, 522
Median Home Value: $373, 836
National Rank: 4974. Oakland County
Median Income: $86, 275
Investment Income: $48, 897
Median Home Value: $334, 448
National Rank: 310
Thomas Pajot/ Getty Images
3. Livingston County
Median Income: $88, 908
Investment Income: $25, 044
Median Home Value: $362, 766
National Rank: 287
Pierre-Olivier Valiquette/ Getty Images
2. Washtenaw County
Median Income: $79, 198
Investment Income: $44, 796
Median Home Value: $373, 627
National Rank: 271
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1. Leelanau County
Median Income: $72, 709
Investment Income: $56, 192
Median Home Value: $509, 272
National Rank: 266
MGSmith/ Getty Images
