
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.
25. Montgomery County, Maryland
Total income tax liability: $10,157,908,000
Percentage of total: 0.67%
24. Oakland County, Michigan
Total income tax liability: $10,295,603,000
Percentage of total: 0.68%
23. Contra Costa County, California
Total income tax liability: $10,339,953,000
Percentage of total: 0.68%
22. Kings County, New York
Total income tax liability: $10,749,305,000
Percentage of total: 0.71%
21. Suffolk County, NY
Total income tax liability: $11,115,950,000
Percentage of total: 0.73%
20. Miami-Dade County, Florida
Total income tax liability: $11,190,810,000
Percentage of total: 0.74%
19. Fairfax County, Virginia
Total income tax liability: $11,623,937,000
Percentage of total: 0.77%
18. Palm Beach County, Florida
Total income tax liability: $12,042,396,000
Percentage of total: 0.79%
17. Alameda County, California
Total income tax liability: $12,204,862,000
Percentage of total: 0.80%
16. San Mateo County, California
Total income tax liability: $12,376,364,000
Percentage of total: 0.82%
15. San Francisco County, California
Total income tax liability: $13,805,574,000
Percentage of total: 0.91%
14. Dallas County, TX
Total income tax liability: $14,667,751,000
Percentage of total: 0.97%
13. Westchester County, NY
Total income tax liability: $15,061,953,000
Percentage of total: 0.99%
12. Fairfield County, Connecticut
Total income tax liability: $15,227,839,000
Percentage of total: 1.00%
11. Nassau County, New York
Total income tax liability: $15,375,144,000
Percentage of total: 1.01%
10. Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Total income tax liability: $16,704,904,000
Percentage of total: 1.10%
9. San Diego County, California
Total income tax liability: $17,274,830,000
Percentage of total: 1.14%
8. Maricopa County, Arizona
Total income tax liability: $17,987,889,000
Percentage of total: 1.18%
7. Harris County, Texas
Total income tax liability: $20,663,622,000
Percentage of total: 1.36%
6. Orange County, California
Total income tax liability: $21,931,444,000
Percentage of total: 1.44%
5. King County, Washington
Total income tax liability: $22,879,220,000
Percentage of total: 1.51%
4. Santa Clara County, California
Total income tax liability: $27,180,499,000
Percentage of total: 1.79%
3. Cook County, Illinois
Total income tax liability: $31,008,352,000
Percentage of total: 2.04%
2. New York County, New York
Total income tax liability: $40,960,806,000
Percentage of total: 2.70%
1. Los Angeles County, California
Total income tax liability: $55,677,867,000
Percentage of total: 3.67%