Inside America's wealthiest ZIP code: It's not where you think
When Americans picture the country’s richest neighborhoods, they tend to think of Manhattan penthouses, Silicon Valley mansions or Beverly Hills estates.
But the most affluent ZIP code in the nation isn’t in a glittering city at all.
Instead, it belongs to a quiet, tree-lined suburb just outside New York City - where average household incomes top $600,000 and million-dollar homes are the norm.
Scarsdale, Westchester County, which is home to roughly 18,000 residents, has claimed the title of wealthiest ZIP code in analysis of federal data by GOBankingRates.
The firm examined more than 50 suburbs with at least 5,000 households, ranking them by inflation-adjusted mean household income.
Scarsdale's average household income reached $601,193 in 2023, the most recent year data is available - about $180,000 more than its nearest competitor, Rye, just a 15-minute drive away.
Nadia Evangelou, principal economist and director of real estate research at the National Association of Realtors, told the Daily Mail she is not surprised by the findings.
She notes that the suburb draws extreme wealth thanks to a 30-minute rail commute to Manhattan, top-tier public schools, and a prestigious yet low-key atmosphere filled with grand Tudor-style homes.
Scarsdale, home to roughly 18,000 residents, took first place in an analysis of federal data by GOBankingRates looking for the nation's wealthiest zip code
Nadia Evangelou, principal economist and director of real estate research at the National Association of Realtors, said Scarsdale’s mix of top schools and easy Manhattan commute continues to attract ultra-wealthy buyers
Booming property values reflect the affluence, she adds.
In January, Redfin reported that Scarsdale home prices were up 11.4 percent compared to the previous year, with a median price of $1.9 million.
Inventory is tight - there are currently only seven three-bedroom homes available on the property site - and highly desirable properties can sell for roughly 13 percent above list price, often going pending in around 12 days.
Scarsdale's allure is even pulling people from the West Coast, despite the lack of sunshine.
Redfin found that homebuyers from Los Angeles searched for properties in Scarsdale more than any other metro, followed by Honolulu and San Diego.
Some of Scarsdale's most notable residents highlight the suburb's mix of wealth and influence.
Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, calls the town home, as does Mark Bezos, former advertising executive and half-brother of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Investment heavyweights like David Siegel and Daniel Och, founders of Two Sigma and Och-Ziff respectively, also live in the area, alongside entrepreneurs George Zimmer and Jon Oringer, the minds behind Men's Wearhouse and Shutterstock.
Tech and cultural pioneer Brewster Kahle, founder of the Internet Archive, adds to the list, showing that Scarsdale attracts not just money, but high-profile talent across industries.
Some of Scarsdale's most notable residents highlight the suburb's mix of wealth and influence. Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon, calls the town home
Long‑time residents say that, stereotype or not, the town feels welcoming rather than exclusive
One of the biggest lures for families, as pointed out by real estate expert Evangelou, is that Scarsdale is consistently ranked among the top public school districts in the US, boasting A-plus‑rated schools, strong test scores and graduation rates that hover around 99 percent.
The Scarsdale Union Free School District ranks in the top 1 percent of New York State districts and features standout schools from kindergarten through high school, with an overall student‑teacher ratio near 11 to 1 and proficiency levels far above state averages.
Scarsdale High School itself sits in the top 1 percent nationally, consistently earning A-plus grades and sending around 98 percent of graduates to four‑year colleges.
Meanwhile its elementary schools - including Greenacres, Heathcote, Fox Meadow, Quaker Ridge and Edgewood - are repeatedly ranked among the state's best and maintain markedly high academic achievement.
And long‑time residents say that, stereotype or not, the town feels welcoming rather than exclusive.
On Reddit, posters unpacked what daily life is really like for families living there and wrestled with questions of 'keeping up with the Joneses.'
A user wrote that they moved to Scarsdale from New York City two years ago and have 'really enjoyed the people we have met.'
They emphasized that 'sure, many of [the residents] are wealthy, but that doesn't automatically make them bad people. I drive an eight‑year‑old Camry to the train station and never feel out of place.'
One of the biggest lures for families, as pointed out by real estate expert Evangelou, is that Scarsdale is consistently ranked among the top public school districts in the US
They added that one of the nicest things about living there is how accessible neighboring towns like Larchmont and Mamaroneck are, giving their family more options for dining, parks and community life.
Another Redditor echoed similar sentiments, saying they moved to the area a couple of years ago and found 'great neighbors, great schools, feels very safe.'
They appreciated that residents were not judgmental about lifestyle choices, noting they 'drive Asian‑made cars - nothing expensive.'
On schooling, they said they favored Edgemont over Scarsdale for 'getting a little more bang for our buck,' even though taxes were higher.
However, not everyone is sold on the suburb's polished charm.
Some commenters online say the very qualities that make Scarsdale attractive to affluent buyers can also make it feel insular.
One Reddit use wrote that while they work in Scarsdale and have family living there, the atmosphere can feel 'like a bubble.'
They argued that the level of wealth and privilege sometimes creates a community that appears overly curated.
This four bedroom home in Scarsdale is set to be listed with Redfin for $2,499,999
'There's just so much privilege and wealth that it feels like the community bends over backward to pretend that there's nothing bad in the world,' they wrote.
Others echoed similar criticisms, pointing to a perceived lack of diversity and the absence of any rougher edges that typically give towns a more varied character.
Still, for many residents the pluses outweigh these concerns.
Lauren Hurwitz, a licensed real estate agent and founder of the Keslow Hurwitz Team at Compass in Scarsdale, told the Daily Mail: 'Beyond the numbers, it’s the combination of location, schools, beautiful homes, and a highly engaged community proud of their small businesses that helps Scarsdale maintain its reputation as one of America's most sought-after suburbs.'
