Real Estate

This Long Island Village Is The Richest Town In New York State

In other words, here's where all those Beamers, Benzes and Bentleys come from.

A Long Island village received the title of the richest town in New York State by financial news and opinion website 24/7 Wall St.

When we think of "filthy rich," most Long Islanders think of the Hamptons or the Gold Coast. And we wouldn't be wrong, either. This time the North Shore came out on top.

The affluent community of Sands Point in Nassau was named the richest town in New York with a median household income of $231,667.

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24/7 Wall St. reviewed median household incomes of communities in every state with a population between 1,000 and 25,000, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. In nearly every state, regardless of wealth, at least one town has people who earn significantly more than a typical resident in the state and the typical American, the authors wrote.

Sands Point, home to about 2,900 people, was the famed “East Egg” of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”

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Here are some of the richest towns in other states:

  • Los Altos Hills, California
    • Median household income: $243,701
  • Great Falls, Virginia
    • Median household income: $230,304
  • Travilah, Maryland
    • Median household income: $215,688
  • Darien, Connecticut
    • Median household income: $208,125
  • Winnetka, Illinois
    • Median household income: $207,857
  • The Village of Indian Hill, Ohio
    • Median household income: $205,221

Most of the richest towns have a relatively large number of college-educated people, the authors wrote. This is partly because at least a four-year college degree is required to qualify for many high-paying jobs. In all but four towns on the list, the share of adults with at least a bachelor's degree was greater than the statewide share and the nationwide share of 30.3 percent. The town with the highest median income was also often a pretty pricey place to live, the authors wrote.

"Not only can higher income individuals afford more expensive real estate, but high real estate costs also drive up median incomes as they attract higher income residents and are often often prohibitively expensive for most Americans," the authors wrote.

All but three towns on the list have higher median home values than the typical U.S., home, which is worth $184,700, the site said. Each "richest" town also had higher median home value than the state. Many of the wealthiest towns are located near large cities and are "well within" commuting distance of a major urban center.

"Major urban areas are more likely to offer a wide range of high-paying jobs as well as a high concentration of cultural amenities like museums, theatres, concert venues, and professional sports teams," the authors wrote.
Some small towns where the margin of error was too high weren't included, the authors wrote. Click here to read the full methodology.

Dan Hampton contributed to this report

Image via Realtor.com of 88 Old House Lane in Sands Point

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