Highest Income Counties in U.S. Did Loudoun Overtake Fairfax? (Arlington: low income, condos)

[normie]

Recently we've had some claims that low income people are moving to the suburbs and wealthier people moving back into cities. At the same time, Loudoun overtook Fairfax this year as the county with the highest income in the U.S. This didn't quite add up to me, so I thought it'd make an interesting topic.

What I see happening is right now a lot of people with money are moving to the suburbs (especially right now, when you can find McMansions for under a $1 million). Don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, just what I happen to be observing. Especially people from California... which makes me wonder if Loudoun will develop a bit of the "California vibe" over the years. Or will the Californians develop the Nova vibe?

BTW, Fairfax may be #2 (right now) but there's plenty of big bucks there. If you're new to the area and wondering if this means Fairfax is going downhill the answer would be no. Fairfax has plenty of people moving there, too. IMO what this means is there's some serious money moving into Northern Virginia... and right now a higher percentage of them are moving into Loudoun. Maybe it's just because there's more new construction out there.

Anyway, this is just my interpretation. What do you guys think? Also, any thoughts on what all this means? Once you make #1 on the list, do things change in your community?

Highest-income counties in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[oneasterisk]

There goes the neighborhood

[Tone509]

If I recall, Loudoun and Fairfax have been "duking it out" in recent years to (re)take the title from each other. I think that helps Loudoun is the growth restrictions in the western half of the county. That may help to balance out the homes in the eastern half which tend to go for less than comparable places in Fairfax.

Then again, as two major job centers - Tysons Corner and Dulles are close to the Loudoun County border, perhaps those with relatively more means are deciding to stop fighting traffic and commute from that side of the road, so to speak.

I'm really just throwing out conjecture here.

[normie]

Originally Posted by Tone509

If I recall, Loudoun and Fairfax have been "duking it out" in recent years to (re)take the title from each other. I think that helps Loudoun is the growth restrictions in the western half of the county. That may help to balance out the homes in the eastern half which tend to go for less than comparable places in Fairfax.

Then again, as two major job centers - Tysons Corner and Dulles are close to the Loudoun County border, perhaps those with relatively more means are deciding to stop fighting traffic and commute from that side of the road, so to speak.

I'm really just throwing out conjecture here.

Yup, I think you've pegged it.

[ACWhite]

I suspect that Fairfax has a higher concentration of condos and townhouses than does Loudoun, and the generally lower income of the people in those places will offset that of the owners of the ritzier houses. There are also a lot of university students in Fairfax. This may mean also that Fairfax (like Arlington) has a higher proportion of households in the 20-30 age group, and with median age being associated with income, could account for some of the differences. I do not think that if Loudoun is "ahead" in median income that this necessarily means that people with money prefer to move farther out. Some do, some don't.

[normie]

Originally Posted by oneasterisk

there goes the neighborhood

lol!

[normie]

Originally Posted by ACWhite

This may mean also that Fairfax (like Arlington) has a higher proportion of households in the 20-30 age group, and with median age being associated with income, could account for some of the differences.

Excellent point.

[Stephen 81]

Also, I think that while the wealthiest neighborhoods and towns in Fairfax County have higher incomes than those in Loudoun, my hunch is that Fairfax's poorest neighborhoods are poorer, or at least take up a larger percentage of the county's population, than Loudoun's. For all that people denigrate Sterling Park, I think median incomes there are higher than Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and the Route 1 corridor.

[pcity]

Originally Posted by Stephen 81

Also, I think that while the wealthiest neighborhoods and towns in Fairfax County have higher incomes than those in Loudoun, my hunch is that Fairfax's poorest neighborhoods are poorer, or at least take up a larger percentage of the county's population, than Loudoun's. For all that people denigrate Sterling Park, I think median incomes there are higher than Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia, and the Route 1 corridor.

That's exactly it. Fairfax has more highs, but also more lows. Loudon doesn't have a significant lower-income population yet.

[imalert]

It seems to me that a lot of upper income families are moving back to the cities.

For example, I work in the Downtown DC area & I've seen a great shift in the environment & culture over the last couple of years.

I think middle / moderate income familes are moving back to the suburbs because of the decline in home prices.