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Visualizing County Incomes

The dot plot below shows the median household incomes for the three highest income counties in each state:

Counties with Stories

It's fascinating to see what is considered a "high income county" from state to state. For example, the median household income in Loudoun County, Virginia is $125,672, which is more than double that of Maricopa County, the county with the highest median household income ($55,676) in Arizona.

It's also interesting to see how the location of these counties on the map indicate the type of economy that exists in that area.

For example, Los Alamos County, New Mexico has a median household income of $105,902 likely because it's the home of the U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory, which employs many scientists and engineers.

Another interesting spot on the map is Williams County, North Dakota, which has a median household income of $90,080 due the booming oil industry in that region.

Along the west coast the counties with the highest median household incomes are all located near major cities like Seattle, Oregon, and San Francisco.

Similarly, along the east coast the counties with the highest median household incomes are all located near major cities like Washington D.C., Boston, and New York City.

And among the states not located along the coasts we see that the highest income counties are near major cities like Minneapolis, Minnesota, Denver, Colorado, Chicago, Illinois, and St. Louis, Missouri.

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Technical Notes: I downloaded data for these visuals directly from the U.S. Census American FactFinder. I used D3.js, a JavaScript visualization library, to create the map and the dot plot.

state,id,Geography,county,population,medianHouseholdIncome
 Virginia,51107,"Loudoun County, Virginia",Loudoun County,362435,125672
 Virginia,51610,"Falls Church city, Virginia",Falls Church city,13597,115244
 Virginia,51059,"Fairfax County, Virginia",Fairfax County,1132887,114329
 Maryland,24027,"Howard County, Maryland",Howard County,308447,113800
 Maryland,24031,"Montgomery County, Maryland",Montgomery County,1026371,100352
 Maryland,24009,"Calvert County, Maryland",Calvert County,90527,96808
 New Jersey,34019,"Hunterdon County, New Jersey",Hunterdon County,125708,108177
 New Jersey,34027,"Morris County, New Jersey",Morris County,498215,102798
 New Jersey,34035,"Somerset County, New Jersey",Somerset County,331686,102405
 New Mexico,35028,"Los Alamos County, New Mexico",Los Alamos County,17895,105902
 New Mexico,35043,"Sandoval County, New Mexico",Sandoval County,138117,60158
 New Mexico,35015,"Eddy County, New Mexico",Eddy County,56369,59625
 Colorado,8035,"Douglas County, Colorado",Douglas County,314238,105759
 Colorado,8039,"Elbert County, Colorado",Elbert County,24225,87288
 Colorado,8014,"Broomfield County, Colorado",Broomfield County,62449,83334
 New York,36059,"Nassau County, New York",Nassau County,1356801,102044
 New York,36079,"Putnam County, New York",Putnam County,99408,97606
 New York,36103,"Suffolk County, New York",Suffolk County,1498130,90128
 California,6085,"Santa Clara County, California",Santa Clara County,1885056,101173
 California,6041,"Marin County, California",Marin County,259358,100310
 California,6081,"San Mateo County, California",San Mateo County,754748,98546
 Tennessee,47187,"Williamson County, Tennessee",Williamson County,205645,100140
 Tennessee,47189,"Wilson County, Tennessee",Wilson County,125616,63426
 Tennessee,47165,"Sumner County, Tennessee",Sumner County,172786,58972
 Ohio,39041,"Delaware County, Ohio",Delaware County,188996,94234
 Ohio,39165,"Warren County, Ohio",Warren County,222184,76200
 Ohio,39055,"Geauga County, Ohio",Geauga County,94020,74165
 Georgia,13117,"Forsyth County, Georgia",Forsyth County,203841,91842
 Georgia,13113,"Fayette County, Georgia",Fayette County,109495,81689
 Georgia,13219,"Oconee County, Georgia",Oconee County,35071,75946
 Utah,49043,"Summit County, Utah",Summit County,39009,91470
 Utah,49029,"Morgan County, Utah",Morgan County,10645,80865
 Utah,49009,"Daggett County, Utah",Daggett County,751,75938
 Texas,48157,"Fort Bend County, Texas",Fort Bend County,683756,91152
 Texas,48397,"Rockwall County, Texas",Rockwall County,88010,89161
 Texas,48085,"Collin County, Texas",Collin County,886633,86188
 Massachusetts,25021,"Norfolk County, Massachusetts",Norfolk County,691218,90226
 Massachusetts,25019,"Nantucket County, Massachusetts",Nantucket County,10694,89428
 Massachusetts,25017,"Middlesex County, Massachusetts",Middlesex County,1567610,89019
 Minnesota,27139,"Scott County, Minnesota",Scott County,139490,90198
 Minnesota,27019,"Carver County, Minnesota",Carver County,97143,88638
 Minnesota,27163,"Washington County, Minnesota",Washington County,248745,86689
 North Dakota,38105,"Williams County, North Dakota",Williams County,31643,90080
 North Dakota,38053,"McKenzie County, North Dakota",McKenzie County,10718,78179
 North Dakota,38089,"Stark County, North Dakota",Stark County,29837,76817
 Pennsylvania,42029,"Chester County, Pennsylvania",Chester County,512028,88995
 Pennsylvania,42091,"Montgomery County, Pennsylvania",Montgomery County,815876,81902
 Pennsylvania,42017,"Bucks County, Pennsylvania",Bucks County,626220,79559
 Alaska,2060,"Bristol Bay Borough, Alaska",Bristol Bay Borough,942,88000
 Alaska,2110,"Juneau City and Borough, Alaska",Juneau City and Borough,32524,87436
 Alaska,2016,"Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska",Aleutians West Census Area,5714,86964
 Indiana,18057,"Hamilton County, Indiana",Hamilton County,303042,87782
 Indiana,18063,"Hendricks County, Indiana",Hendricks County,155817,73042
 Indiana,18011,"Boone County, Indiana",Boone County,61884,72774
 Connecticut,9001,"Fairfield County, Connecticut",Fairfield County,941618,86670
 Connecticut,9013,"Tolland County, Connecticut",Tolland County,151689,80129
 Connecticut,9007,"Middlesex County, Connecticut",Middlesex County,164438,79837
 Kentucky,21185,"Oldham County, Kentucky",Oldham County,63876,86324
 Kentucky,21015,"Boone County, Kentucky",Boone County,125656,69165
 Kentucky,21215,"Spencer County, Kentucky",Spencer County,17798,65700
 Illinois,17093,"Kendall County, Illinois",Kendall County,121452,85736
 Illinois,17043,"DuPage County, Illinois",DuPage County,930514,81521
 Illinois,17097,"Lake County, Illinois",Lake County,702890,79886
 New Hampshire,33015,"Rockingham County, New Hampshire",Rockingham County,300365,82398
 New Hampshire,33011,"Hillsborough County, New Hampshire",Hillsborough County,404948,73189
 New Hampshire,33013,"Merrimack County, New Hampshire",Merrimack County,147715,67181
 Wyoming,56005,"Campbell County, Wyoming",Campbell County,48473,80822
 Wyoming,56035,"Sublette County, Wyoming",Sublette County,10032,76004
 Wyoming,56039,"Teton County, Wyoming",Teton County,22623,75594
 Iowa,19049,"Dallas County, Iowa",Dallas County,78074,78918
 Iowa,19181,"Warren County, Iowa",Warren County,48170,67090
 Iowa,19129,"Mills County, Iowa",Mills County,14841,66203
 Washington,53033,"King County, Washington",King County,2079550,78800
 Washington,53061,"Snohomish County, Washington",Snohomish County,758649,73528
 Washington,53035,"Kitsap County, Washington",Kitsap County,257488,65017
 Wisconsin,55089,"Ozaukee County, Wisconsin",Ozaukee County,87625,78415
 Wisconsin,55133,"Waukesha County, Wisconsin",Waukesha County,395377,78268
 Wisconsin,55109,"St. Croix County, Wisconsin",St. Croix County,86726,73743
 Kansas,20091,"Johnson County, Kansas",Johnson County,572428,78186
 Kansas,20103,"Leavenworth County, Kansas",Leavenworth County,78785,66046
 Kansas,20121,"Miami County, Kansas",Miami County,32787,63353
 Nevada,32015,"Lander County, Nevada",Lander County,5907,78077
 Nevada,32007,"Elko County, Nevada",Elko County,52029,74672
 Nevada,32011,"Eureka County, Nevada",Eureka County,1730,70000
 South Dakota,46083,"Lincoln County, South Dakota",Lincoln County,51396,77455
 South Dakota,46127,"Union County, South Dakota",Union County,14842,63890
 South Dakota,46045,"Edmunds County, South Dakota",Edmunds County,4000,62467
 Hawaii,15003,"Honolulu County, Hawaii",Honolulu County,986999,77161
 Hawaii,15009,"Maui County, Hawaii",Maui County,162456,68777
 Hawaii,15007,"Kauai County, Hawaii",Kauai County,70447,68224
 Michigan,26093,"Livingston County, Michigan",Livingston County,185841,76764
 Michigan,26125,"Oakland County, Michigan",Oakland County,1235215,69850
 Michigan,26037,"Clinton County, Michigan",Clinton County,77245,62646
 Missouri,29183,"St. Charles County, Missouri",St. Charles County,379856,75603
 Missouri,29165,"Platte County, Missouri",Platte County,94970,70879
 Missouri,29047,"Clay County, Missouri",Clay County,233135,63702
 Rhode Island,44009,"Washington County, Rhode Island",Washington County,126319,74302
 Rhode Island,44001,"Bristol County, Rhode Island",Bristol County,49228,73096
 Rhode Island,44005,"Newport County, Rhode Island",Newport County,82714,71347
 Alabama,1117,"Shelby County, Alabama",Shelby County,205951,72310
 Alabama,1089,"Madison County, Alabama",Madison County,349973,60150
 Alabama,1115,"St. Clair County, Alabama",St. Clair County,86576,54042
 Nebraska,31153,"Sarpy County, Nebraska",Sarpy County,172460,72269
 Nebraska,31177,"Washington County, Nebraska",Washington County,20338,65565
 Nebraska,31025,"Cass County, Nebraska",Cass County,25463,65385
 Louisiana,22005,"Ascension Parish, Louisiana",Ascension Parish,117009,71752
 Louisiana,22023,"Cameron Parish, Louisiana",Cameron Parish,6739,65679
 Louisiana,22103,"St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana",St. Tammany Parish,246269,63686
 North Carolina,37183,"Wake County, North Carolina",Wake County,998576,70620
 North Carolina,37179,"Union County, North Carolina",Union County,217614,67194
 North Carolina,37135,"Orange County, North Carolina",Orange County,139807,61130
 West Virginia,54037,"Jefferson County, West Virginia",Jefferson County,55531,69753
 West Virginia,54003,"Berkeley County, West Virginia",Berkeley County,110173,57148
 West Virginia,54079,"Putnam County, West Virginia",Putnam County,56743,56640
 Oregon,41067,"Washington County, Oregon",Washington County,564088,69743
 Oregon,41005,"Clackamas County, Oregon",Clackamas County,394967,68915
 Oregon,41051,"Multnomah County, Oregon",Multnomah County,778193,57449
 Florida,12109,"St. Johns County, Florida",St. Johns County,218362,69523
 Florida,12113,"Santa Rosa County, Florida",Santa Rosa County,163903,60652
 Florida,12087,"Monroe County, Florida",Monroe County,77150,60303
 Oklahoma,40017,"Canadian County, Oklahoma",Canadian County,129571,66664
 Oklahoma,40073,"Kingfisher County, Oklahoma",Kingfisher County,15392,62912
 Oklahoma,40131,"Rogers County, Oklahoma",Rogers County,89970,59828
 Vermont,50007,"Chittenden County, Vermont",Chittenden County,160510,66414
 Vermont,50013,"Grand Isle County, Vermont",Grand Isle County,6945,64295
 Vermont,50001,"Addison County, Vermont",Addison County,36926,61020
 Delaware,10003,"New Castle County, Delaware",New Castle County,551997,66283
 Delaware,10001,"Kent County, Delaware",Kent County,171474,55184
 Delaware,10005,"Sussex County, Delaware",Sussex County,211224,54218
 Mississippi,28089,"Madison County, Mississippi",Madison County,101791,65924
 Mississippi,28033,"DeSoto County, Mississippi",DeSoto County,170890,60111
 Mississippi,28121,"Rankin County, Mississippi",Rankin County,147930,59370
 Montana,30083,"Richland County, Montana",Richland County,11392,65638
 Montana,30043,"Jefferson County, Montana",Jefferson County,11601,62939
 Montana,30095,"Stillwater County, Montana",Stillwater County,9342,59603
 Maine,23005,"Cumberland County, Maine",Cumberland County,288204,61902
 Maine,23031,"York County, Maine",York County,200536,59132
 Maine,23023,"Sagadahoc County, Maine",Sagadahoc County,35134,55766
 South Carolina,45013,"Beaufort County, South Carolina",Beaufort County,175316,59227
 South Carolina,45091,"York County, South Carolina",York County,245606,56482
 South Carolina,45035,"Dorchester County, South Carolina",Dorchester County,148517,56345
 Arkansas,5007,"Benton County, Arkansas",Benton County,245231,59016
 Arkansas,5125,"Saline County, Arkansas",Saline County,115577,57632
 Arkansas,5085,"Lonoke County, Arkansas",Lonoke County,71279,56156
 Idaho,16081,"Teton County, Idaho",Teton County,10437,58173
 Idaho,16001,"Ada County, Idaho",Ada County,425798,58099
 Idaho,16013,"Blaine County, Idaho",Blaine County,21427,58086
 Arizona,4013,"Maricopa County, Arizona",Maricopa County,4088549,55676
 Arizona,4011,"Greenlee County, Arizona",Greenlee County,9224,51813
 Arizona,4021,"Pinal County, Arizona",Pinal County,397604,51190