Large counties with the highest average annual pay levels, 1996 County Average annual pay New York, N.Y. $55,312 Fairfield, Conn. $45,607 Santa Clara, Calif. $44,824 District of Columbia, D.C. $44,458 Morris, N.J. $42,763 Somerset, N.J. $42,755 Suffolk, Mass. $42,205 San Francisco, Calif. $41,512 Arlington, Va. $40,899 San Mateo, Calif. $39,570