Using a list of the 10 most affluent communities based on ZIP codes and data from around 1,000 federal tax returns for 2011, automotive data company Truecar.com looked at vehicle registrations in those areas to determine the cars that the wealthiest people in the U.S. drive. Interspersed with the usual suspects were some real surprises.

The $24,000 (base) Toyota Prius, for example, is high on the the list of wheeled status symbols for the well-heeled, jockeying for position with luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW -- at least among the most moneyed Americans on the left coast. Although Mercedes and BMW likewise maintain the top spots in many of the nation’s toniest East Coast ZIP codes, the Honda Accord and CR-V occupy spots in the top five in Manhattan, while the Prius is conspicuously absent among the right coast conspicuous-consumer​ crowd.

"For affluent buyers who live in places where environmental concerns reign supreme, the Toyota Prius is the ultimate status symbol in eco-luxury," Kristen Andersson, an analyst at TrueCar.com, said in a statement released by the company.

The 10724 ZIP code of Manhattan -- home to the likes of TV journalist Anderson Cooper and physician/author Deepak Chopra -- was the top spot, with an average annual income of $5.7 million. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the most popular car in that high-rent area of New York, followed by the BMW X5 SUV. The Honda Accord ranks third and the Honda CR-V is fifth, with the BMW 328 in between in the fourth spot.

Fisher Island, Fla., where Oprah Winfrey and tennis star Andre Agassi reside, is No. 2 on the list of the wealthiest U.S. cities, with a median income of about $1.5 million. There the list of popular cars is more typical, with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and E-Class occupying spots one and two, respectively, followed by the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, BMW X5 and Porsche Panamera. 

Downtown Chicago, which singer R. Kelly and actress Tina Fey call home, is No. 3, with an average income of $782,000. But the Windy City has a fondness for more mainstream cars. Spots one through five, in order, are occupied by the Volkswagen Jetta, Honda CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Camry and Honda Civic.

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the most popular vehicle in fourth-ranked Atherton, Calif., where Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Standberg and former San Francisco 49er Joe Montana live and the average income is $768,000. The Toyota Prius follows the E-Class, with the Porsche Panamera, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and S-Class bringing up the rear.

The Prius took the top spot in No. 5 Century City, Calif., where the average annual income is $751,000. Truecar couldn’t name any rich and famous people who actually live in Century City, although several studios and talent agencies have offices in the ZIP code, and cars are likely to be registered there as part of a tax write-off. The Prius was followed by the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and C-Class, BMW 328 and Volkswagen Jetta.

In the only other California city to make the list -- Ross, just north of San Francisco, with an average income of  $497,000 and residents who include singer Huey Lewis -- the Prius also was the top ride, followed by the Mercedes-Benz E- Class and GL-Class vehicles and BMW 335 and X5.

[Source: Los Angeles Times]