These 25 US counties are paying most of the federal income taxes

Midtown Manhattan top of the rock view skyline touristJohn Moore/Getty Images

    There are a total of 3,141 counties in the United States, according to USGS. The top 25 of those counties - less than 1% - paid 28.85% of all income taxes in 2016.

    To some extent, the data show the concentration of population in large cities. Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago (Cook County), the three most populous cities in the US, are in the three counties that contributed the most.

    But the numbers also illustrate the concentration of wealth in America. A review of census data shows that these 25 counties represent only 9% of the total US population of 328 million.

    New York County, which covers just the borough of Manhattan, is home to 0.5% of the US population but it pays 2.7% of US income taxes. The five Bay Area counties pay a combined 5% of US taxes but are home to less than 2% of the population, due in no small part to the millionaires (and billionaires) paying income taxes in Silicon Valley.

    Here are the 25 counties that had the highest income tax liabilities in 2016.

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    25. Montgomery County, Maryland

    25. Montgomery County, Maryland

    Total income tax liability: $10,157,908,000

    Percentage of total: 0.67%

    24. Oakland County, Michigan

    24. Oakland County, Michigan

    Total income tax liability: $10,295,603,000

    Percentage of total: 0.68%

    23. Contra Costa County, California

    23. Contra Costa County, California

    Total income tax liability: $10,339,953,000

    Percentage of total: 0.68%

    22. Kings County, New York

    22. Kings County, New York

    Total income tax liability: $10,749,305,000

    Percentage of total: 0.71%

    21. Suffolk County, NY

    21. Suffolk County, NY

    Total income tax liability: $11,115,950,000

    Percentage of total: 0.73%

    20. Miami-Dade County, Florida

    20. Miami-Dade County, Florida

    Total income tax liability: $11,190,810,000

    Percentage of total: 0.74%

    19. Fairfax County, Virginia

    19. Fairfax County, Virginia

    Total income tax liability: $11,623,937,000

    Percentage of total: 0.77%

    18. Palm Beach County, Florida

    18. Palm Beach County, Florida

    Total income tax liability: $12,042,396,000

    Percentage of total: 0.79%

    17. Alameda County, California

    17. Alameda County, California

    Total income tax liability: $12,204,862,000

    Percentage of total: 0.80%

    16. San Mateo County, California

    16. San Mateo County, California

    Total income tax liability: $12,376,364,000

    Percentage of total: 0.82%

    15. San Francisco County, California

    15. San Francisco County, California

    Total income tax liability: $13,805,574,000

    Percentage of total: 0.91%

    14. Dallas County, TX

    14. Dallas County, TX

    Total income tax liability: $14,667,751,000

    Percentage of total: 0.97%

    13. Westchester County, NY

    13. Westchester County, NY

    Total income tax liability: $15,061,953,000

    Percentage of total: 0.99%

    12. Fairfield County, Connecticut

    12. Fairfield County, Connecticut

    Total income tax liability: $15,227,839,000

    Percentage of total: 1.00%

    11. Nassau County, New York

    11. Nassau County, New York

    Total income tax liability: $15,375,144,000

    Percentage of total: 1.01%

    10. Middlesex County, Massachusetts

    10. Middlesex County, Massachusetts

    Total income tax liability: $16,704,904,000

    Percentage of total: 1.10%

    9. San Diego County, California

    9. San Diego County, California

    Total income tax liability: $17,274,830,000

    Percentage of total: 1.14%

    8. Maricopa County, Arizona

    8. Maricopa County, Arizona

    Total income tax liability: $17,987,889,000

    Percentage of total: 1.18%

    7. Harris County, Texas

    7. Harris County, Texas

    Total income tax liability: $20,663,622,000

    Percentage of total: 1.36%

    6. Orange County, California

    6. Orange County, California

    Total income tax liability: $21,931,444,000

    Percentage of total: 1.44%

    5. King County, Washington

    5. King County, Washington

    Total income tax liability: $22,879,220,000

    Percentage of total: 1.51%

    4. Santa Clara County, California

    4. Santa Clara County, California

    Total income tax liability: $27,180,499,000

    Percentage of total: 1.79%

    3. Cook County, Illinois

    3. Cook County, Illinois

    Total income tax liability: $31,008,352,000

    Percentage of total: 2.04%

    2. New York County, New York

    2. New York County, New York

    Total income tax liability: $40,960,806,000

    Percentage of total: 2.70%

    1. Los Angeles County, California

    1. Los Angeles County, California

    Total income tax liability: $55,677,867,000

    Percentage of total: 3.67%