T
he American Dream is alive and well in the country's most prosperous places. A new list of the 50 richest and safest cities in the US has been released, with some surprising omissions. New York didn't make the cut, despite being one of the country's largest and most populous states.
However, neighboring New Jersey fared much better, taking seven spots on the list. The research was conducted by GOBankingRates, which defined a "city" as a residential area with a substantial population. Some of these cities are commuter towns or suburban areas within larger metropolises.
Western Springs, Illinois, a suburb just outside Chicago, took the top spot as America's Richest and Safest City for 2025. With a mean household income of $294,896 and an average home value of $837,328, it's no wonder this affluent enclave is so desirable. The area is also extremely safe, with low property crime rates and virtually no violent crime.
Lexington, Massachusetts, came in second place, with similar characteristics to Western Springs. However, the cost of living was significantly higher, as was the average home value, which stands at a staggering $1.69 million. Winchester, Massachusetts, rounded out the top three.
New Jersey's highest-ranked city on the list was Ridgewood, coming in at number 11. This Bergen County commuter town is incredibly wealthy, with a mean household income of $288,861 and an average home value of $1.18 million. It also fares well for safety, with low property crime rates.
The other New Jersey cities that made the list were Westfield (#13), Madison (#21), Haddonfield (#22), Glen Ridge (#23), Summit (#31), and Metuchen (#50).
