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DC Suburbs Make Up 7 of the 10 Richest Counties in America
A 2011 survey finds Washington-area counties are rolling in dough. By Mallory Yu
Loudoun County is the richest county in America. Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
Comments () | Published September 21, 2012

According to the results of the 2011 American Community Survey, DC suburbs now make up seven of the ten richest counties in America. Loudoun, Fairfax, and Arlington are first, second, and third respectively, and Maryland’s Howard and Montgomery counties also made the list.

Interpreting these statistics might not be so simple, however. County-level median income simply reveals a lack of lower-income families, possibly due to exclusionary zoning. And figuring out the “why” behind the area’s affluence is even more complicated. An ever-changing economy attracting more college graduates to move to and settle here for work is one possible explanation, according to New York Times writer David Leonhardt. What this means for the economy on a larger scale is probably best left to the experts.

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  • glenn

    Unbelievable Interpreting statistics is best left to the experts? The same ones that lie about every other statistic they can manipulate to play mind games on the populous with?
    In every other instance counties that are wealthy are due to some sort of commerce or production, the only thing that actually creates revenue by the way. What is the reason for the wealth in D.C.?
    Isnt it interesting that the wealth in D.C. has increased since Obama and all his socialist policies, increased taxes, and cronyism printing money out of thin air and spending on what ever he saw fit, have come into play these counties are now the 7 richest having made nothing. Why is common sense isnt common anymore? Why is it so easy for this elitist class to lie and cheat.
    Every single statement the writer of this article noted has an underlying question that people today including the writer just seem to ignore, nothing is produced or made there, where is the wealth coming from? Why are more educated people moving to D,C,, why are the zoning laws exclusionary?
    Common sense people, just think!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Posted at 11:15 AM/ET, 09/21/2012 RSS | Print | Permalink | Comments () | Washingtonian.com Blogs