Half of top ten richest counties in Washington area

DCist - Half of the top 10 richest counties in the U.S. are in the D.C. region, according to a new ranking. Four of them—Loudoun, Falls Church, Fairfax, and Howard—top the list, respectively. Arlington comes in at number 8.

While their proximity to the District and federal government jobs are key to residents' wealth, the report also names other companies that contribute to the six-figure median household incomes in the four Virginia suburbs and Howard County, Maryland.

Loudoun places first with an average household income of $125,900. The Department of Homeland Security is its biggest federal employer, and Verizon and Dulles Airport are among the 11,700 businesses that keep residents afloat.