Median California Income, by County

The San Francisco Bay area includes four of the five most well-off counties in the state, according to new figures released by the Franchise Tax Board. Imperial, in the far south, and Colusa in the far north are at the bottom of the list. The figures, based on the roughly 12.6 million 1995 tax returns filed in the state, indicate that median income in California was about 3% higher in 1995 than in 1994. Returns continue to trickle in until October, so figures for 1996, reflecting the state’s improving economy, will not be available until sometime in 1998. Median income is the midpoint for all returns--half show higher income and half are lower.

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County Income Rank Alameda $28,329 8 Alpine $23,999 20 Amador $24,729 16 Butte $20,036 42 Calaveras $23,563 21 Colusa $15,960 57 Contra Costa $33,006 1 Del Norte $20,917 38 El Dorado $30,211 5 Fresno $18,987 51 Glenn $18,214 55 Humbolt $20,810 40 Imperial $14,567 58 Inyo $22,172 31 Kern $21,175 35 Kings $19,001 50 Lake $19,354 47 Lassen $25,749 12 Los Angeles $21,107 36 Madera $18,387 54 Marin $32,401 2 Mariposa $20,910 39 Mendocino $19,900 44 Merced $18,746 53 Modoc $19,401 46 Mono $19,281 49 Monterey $19,972 43 Napa $25,614 13 Nevada $24,478 17 Orange $25,530 14 Placer $28,385 7 Plumas $22,217 30 Riverside $22,380 29 Sacramento $26,523 9 San Benito $21,581 34 San Bernardino $24,217 18 San Diego $23,327 24 San Francisco $25,241 15 San Joaquin $23,398 22 San Luis Obispo $23,127 25 San Mateo $31,147 3 Santa Barbara $22,475 27 Santa Clara $30,893 4 Santa Cruz $22,800 26 Shasta $22,072 32 Sierra $24,069 19 Siskiyou $19,430 45 Solano $29,296 6 Sonoma $25,996 11 Stanislaus $21,725 33 Sutter $20,924 37 Tehama $18,894 52 Trinity $20,107 41 Tulare $16,423 56 Tuolumne $22,427 28 Ventura $26,210 10 Yolo $23,393 23 Yuba $19,313 48

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MEDIAN INCOME, ALL RETURNS

10 Highest

1. Contra Costa County

2. Marin

3. San Mateo

4. Santa Clara

5. El Dorado

6. Solano

7. Placer

8. Alameda

9. Sacramento

10. Ventura

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10 Lowest

49. Mono

50. Kings

51. Fresno

52. Tehama

53. Merced

54. Madera

55. Glenn

56. Tulare

57. Colusa

58. Imperial

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SOUTHLAND

County: Rank, All Returns

Los Angeles: 36

Orange: 14

Riverside: 29

San Bernardino: 18

San Diego: 24

Santa Barbara: 27

Ventura: 10