Based on Census and other data sources:
Top places in Contra Costa County by median household income:
Shell Ridge CDP
Reliez Valley CDP
Orinda
Diablo
—all showing median household incomes around $250,001 Data Commonsdatacommons.iitm.ac.in.
Alamo (Census-designated place):
The U.S. Census and related sources report a median household income of $250,000+ Census.govCensus Data.
Other estimates place it between $250,001 (exact) Data USAWorld Population ReviewIncome by Zip Code, and higher figures like $269,500 properties.zoomprospector.comLivability.com.
In contrast, Wikipedia lists a median household income of $149,601, likely based on older ACS estimates Wikipedia this appears outdated.
So, it's clear that Alamo is among the wealthiest, but:
Shell Ridge, Reliez Valley, Orinda, and Diablo each show median household incomes hitting or capping at $250,001, putting them at the very top on par with or even slightly ahead of Alamo depending on the source Data Commonsdatacommons.iitm.ac.in.
Orinda is part of the affluent “Lamorinda” region and known for high income levels, painting a consistent picture Wikipedia+1.
Summary: Who’s the Wealthiest?
| Place | Median Household Income |
|---|---|
| Shell Ridge, Reliez Valley, Orinda, Diablo | ~$250,001 (highest reported cap) |
| Alamo (latest reliable estimates) | ~$250,000 to $269,500 |
| Wikipedia’s older figure for Alamo | $149,601 (likely outdated) |
Conclusion:
Your guess that Alamo might be the wealthiest was a good one! But according to the most recent available data, Alamo is among the top wealthiest areas but not the sole highest places like Shell Ridge, Reliez Valley, Orinda, and Diablo show equally high (and possibly slightly higher) reported median household incomes.
Below are compact but data-backed profiles (mainly from the U.S. Census ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates and Census-derived profiles). I pulled the most reliable, directly comparable statistics available for each place and noted where values are suppressed or estimated.
Alamo (CDP)
Population: ~14,400 (2023 estimate). Data USA
Median household income: reported as $250,000+ (ACS 2019–2023 top-coded value). Census.govData USA
Per-capita income: $144,575 (2019–2023). Census.gov
Education: Very high share of college graduates (Alamo is among Contra Costa’s most highly educated communities, see Census profile linked above). Data USACensus.gov,Notes: Alamo is a relatively large, affluent CDP in east Contra Costa County; many income figures are top-coded at the Census maximum (that’s why you often see “$250,000+”). Census.govData USA
Shell Ridge (CDP)
Population: ~1,014. Census Data
Median household income: reported as $250,000+ (ACS top-coded). Census Data
Racial / ethnic notes: Predominantly White (Non-Hispanic) with relatively small Hispanic and other groups (data summaries show ~88% White non-Hispanic in some profiles). Data USACensus Data
Notes: Very small population area with very high educational attainment and incomes often appears at the top of county income rankings (but small population makes percentages more volatile). Census DataData USA
Reliez Valley (CDP)
Population: ~3,000 (Census/Census-derived profiles). Census Reporter
Median household income: $250,001 (Census/CensusReporter top estimate). Census Reporter
Per-capita income: ~$110,827 (CensusReporter/Data profiles). Census Reporter
Racial mix: Majority White with a notable Asian minority (various profile pages show ~67% White, ~21% Asian in recent summaries). World Population ReviewCensus Reporter
Orinda (city)
Population: ~19,000 (city). World Population Review
Median household income: $250,000+ (ACS top-coded in QuickFacts). Census.gov
Per-capita income: $139,503 (2019–2023 ACS). Census.gov
Racial / age / education: Predominantly White, significant Asian minority; median age in the high 40s; high share with bachelor’s degrees or higher. World Population ReviewCensus.gov
Diablo (CDP)
Population: 1,255 (Census profile). Census Data
Education: Extremely high ~84% with bachelor’s degree or higher (ACS profile). Census Data
Median household income: not reported / suppressed in the public table (small sample sizes sometimes cause suppression); many small affluent CDPs are top-coded or suppressed. Census Data
Racial mix: Predominantly White non-Hispanic (DataUSA/Census summaries). Data USACensus Data
Short comparative takeaways
All five places are wealthy and highly educated. The Census ACS often top-codes very high median household incomes at $250k+ (or reports $250,001), so multiple places show identical top-coded values even when one might be slightly wealthier if more granular data were available. Census.govCensus DataCensus Reporter
Alamo and Orinda are the largest of the bunch (Alamo ~14k, Orinda ~19k) and combine high incomes with higher population; Shell Ridge, Diablo, and Reliez Valley are smaller CDPs with very high incomes but smaller populations, which can skew ranking depending on the metric (median income vs. mean income vs. home values). Data USAWorld Population ReviewCensus Data+1
If you want a single “wealthiest” label, the Census answers are ambiguous because of top-coding, the safest claim is that Alamo, Orinda, Diablo, Shell Ridge, and Reliez Valley are among the very wealthiest communities in east Contra Costa County (all show the ACS top income category).
Here’s a refined comparison of Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and Danville, focusing on key demographic and socioeconomic indicators using the most up-to-date sources:
Demographic & Economic Snapshot
Walnut Creek (City)
Population (2023-2025): ~69,800 (2023) to ~68,500 (2025) Data USAWorld Population Review
Median Household Income: ~$135,665 (2023 ACS estimate) Data USAWikipedia
Per Capita Income: ~$83,164 Wikipedia
Median Home Value: ~$1.03M Data USA
Race/Ethnicity (2020): ~66.3% White; ~16.7% Asian; ~10.9% two or more races; ~3.5% other; ~2.2% Black; ~0.3% Native American Wikipedia
Housing Tenure: ~64% owner-occupied; ~36% rented Wikipedia
Median Age: ~47.5 years Wikipedia
Community insight: Locals commonly observe a strong presence of White and Asian households. One commenter summed it up:
“It's mostly white with a good amount of East Asian/South Asians … not a ton of other types of diversity.” Reddit
Lafayette (City)
Population: ~25,048 (2023 estimate) Census.gov+1
Median Household Income: ~$222,393 (2023 ACS) Census.govWikipedia
Per Capita Income: ~$116,206 Census.govWikipedia
Poverty Rate: ~3.9% Census.gov+1
Median Home Value: ~$2.0M+ Census.gov+1
Race/Ethnicity: ~77.3% White; ~10.3% Asian; ~10.3% Two or More Races; ~7.5% Hispanic or Latino; smaller shares of Black, Native American, Pacific Islander Census.govWikipedia
Housing: ~73–77% owner-occupied Census.govWikipedia
Median Age: ~45.2 years Wikipedia
Danville (Town)
Population: ~43,000 (2023 estimate); ~43,582 (2020 Census) Census.govWikipedia
Median Household Income: ~$209,518 (2018–2022 ACS) rising to ~$223,206 (2023 estimate) Census.govData USAWikipedia
Per Capita Income: ~$96,855 (2022) to ~$102,584 (2023) Census.govWikipedia
Poverty Rate: ~3.6–3.7% Census.govWikipedia
Median Home Value: ~$1.48M (2018–2022) Census.gov
Race/Ethnicity: ~70.8–72.8% White; ~15.2–18.1% Asian; ~11% two or more races; ~9–9.1% Hispanic or Latino; <1% Black, Native American, Pacific Islander Census.govWikipedia
Housing: ~85–87% owner-occupied Census.govWikipedia
Median Age: ~46.0 years Wikipedia
Community insight: Danville is commonly praised for its excellent public schools. One remark observed:
“Danville … schools go from good to excellent starting from Livermore, Dublin, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Danville in that order.” Reddit
Side-by-Side Comparison
Metric Walnut Creek Lafayette Danville Median HH Income ~$135K ~$222K ~$223K Per Capita Income ~$83K ~$116K ~$103K Poverty Rate ~5.9% ~3.9% ~3.6% Median Home Value ~$1.03M ~$2.0M+ ~$1.48M Owners vs Renters ~64% / 36% ~75% / ~25% ~85–87% / ~13–15% Racial Composition Majority White → Asian (~17%) Majority White → Asian (~10%) Majority White → Asian (~15–18%) Median Age ~47.5 years ~45.2 years ~46 years Population Size ~69K–70K ~25K ~43K Highlights & Context
Lafayette stands out with its highest median household income and home values, paired with very low poverty and strong owner occupancy rates.
Danville closely matches Lafayette in income levels but has a slightly lower cost of housing and even higher home ownership rates.
Walnut Creek, while still affluent and well-off, displays more moderate income figures but offers greater income diversity, more rental options, and a larger population.
Each place shares an educated and relatively older populace (~45–47 median age), and all have predominantly White populations with growing Asian communities.
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