I was a bit disappointed when I read geographer Stephen Higley’s ranking of the top wealthiest 1,000 neighborhoods in America last week. I was sure, certain almost, that Highland Park and Old Preston Hollow would be among the top wealthiest neighborhoods in the nation.
Well they were, but not at the tip top. The wealthy suburbs of New York City, Washington, D.C., Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco comprise the top ten richest in the USA. Greenwich, Ct. outstrips them all with a “Golden Triangle” mean annual household income of $614,242.
I mean, wow. More than half a million a year. Of course, they need that to pay taxes.
When it comes to the wealthiest metro areas, we came in at number 7, right behind Boston. First of course is the New York City metro, followed by L.A., D.C., San Fran, Chicago and Boston. We beat Houston, which came in at #9.
I was not surprised that Westlake, home to Vaquero and a host of mega-mansion developments, has the highest average annual household income ($526,590) among all North Texas neighborhoods. Westlake landed as 12th richest neighborhood in the nation based on Higley’s analysis. Many celebs live there — Jason Witten, Glenn Beck, and Sean Payton’s ex to name a paltry few. Higley’s work is all based on Census Bureau data and the American Community Survey of 2006 to 2010.
By the way, Westlake’s mean annual is way higher than Highland Park’s ($330,032). That’s why folks can afford 2254 King Fisher Drive, 10,800 square feet listed with Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s Jeff Watson Group. Cannot find that pup in MLS, so until I hear from Jeff,
I am going to assume it’s a hip pocket in excess of $12 million.
2102 Cedar Elm Terrace (pictured here) is available for the nominal price of $6,900,000, giving you a Hill Country contemporary style home designed by Austin-based Lake Flato, on 1 acre, adjacent to the golf course and a community lake. There is ample indoor and outdoor entertaining space with private pool, fire pit, fishing dock and putting and chipping green! Master suite features secluded patio with hot tub and seating area. Oregon cedar wood is used throughout the open-home floorplan with scads of natural light. The game room features turfed flooring and large doors that open to the patio, so you kind of don’t know where the outside ends.
This, my dear readers, is how the tip top of the 1 percent lives.
Why is Westlake so darn tootin’ wealthy? My calls are out there, stay tuned.
Here are the Dallas-Fort Worth neighborhoods that made it to the “Higley 1,000”. Like I said, it may surprise you to see where the money REALLY is:
1: Westlake (Westlake)
Mean Household Income: $526,590, Higley 1000 #12
2: Greenway Parks (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $511,549, Higley 1000 #15
3: Westover Hills (Westover Hills)
Mean Household Income: $385,047, Higley 1000 #69
4: Old Preston Hollow (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $338,351, Higley 1000 #158
5: Bluffview West (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $335,935, Higley 1000 #168
6: Highland Park (Highland Park)
Mean Household Income: $330,032, Higley 1000 #188
7: Oak Tree (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $327,123, Higley 1000 #204
8: Volk Estates-Windsor Place (University Park)
Mean Household Income: $323,486, Higley 1000 #218
9: Stratford Manor-Armstrong Fairway (University Park)
Mean Household Income: $322,282, Higley 1000 #224
10: Northaven Park (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $313,955, Higley 1000 #251
11: Preston Hollow (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $310,471, Higley 1000 #269
12: LakeSide on Preston (Plano)
Mean Household Income: $306,168, Higley 1000 #286
13: Willow Bend (Plano)
Mean Household Income: $304,801, Higley 1000 #296
14: Preston Royal (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $304,679, Higley 1000 #299
15: Lakewood (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $301,825, Higley 1000 #320
16: Bent Tree-Oakdale (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $298,930, Higley 1000 #333
17: Timarron (Southlake)
Mean Household Income: $298,068, Higley 1000 #336
18: Timberlake-Princeton Park (Southlake)
Mean Household Income: $286,828, Higley 1000 #418
19: Bella Lago-River Hills (Flower Mound)
Mean Household Income: $281,696, Higley 1000 #456
20: Brook Meadows-Brighton Oaks (Colleyville)
Mean Household Income: $278,204, Higley 1000 #488
21: Cheyenne Village-Starwood West (Frisco)
Mean Household Income: $277,646, Higley 1000 #495
22: Russwood Acres (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $275,175, Higley 1000 #523
23: Versailles-Cambridge Place (Southlake)
Mean Household Income: $271,015, Higley 1000 #566
24: University Heights-University Hills (University Park)
Mean Household Income: $266,284, Higley 1000 #620
25: Rivercrest Country Club (Fort Worth)
Mean Household Income: $265,238, Higley 1000 #632
26: Starwood East-Sterling Ranch (Frisco)
Mean Household Income: $265,076, Higley 1000 #635
27: Kings Ridge-Schoal Creek West (Plano)
Mean Household Income: $262,018, Higley 1000 #667
28: Stonebriar North (Frisco)
Mean Household Income: $261,486, Higley 1000 #676
29: Preston Trail Golf Club-Bent Tree Country Club (Dallas)
Mean Household Income: $260,066, Higley 1000 #700
30: Gentle Creek Country Club-Whitley Place (Prosper)
Mean Household Income: $255,529, Higley 1000 #766
31: The Dominion-Highland Oaks (Southlake)
Mean Household Income: $247,070, Higley 1000 #878
32: Denham Village-Whiffletree (Plano)
Mean Household Income: $245,842, Higley 1000 #896
33: Mansfield South (Mansfield)
Mean Household Income: $242,732, Higley 1000 #960
34: Bedford (Bedford)
Mean Household Income: $241,303, Higley 1000 #987
35: Loma Linda-Preston Place (University Park)
Mean Household Income: $240,133, Higley 1000 #998
Thanks to Arleen Kain, for sending this news my way!
