TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The average household incomes for both Hsinchu City and Hsinchu County passed the NT$1.6 million (US$55,172) mark in 2020, trailing only Taipei, which stood at NT$1.72 million, CNA reported, citing a survey recently released by the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics (DGBAS).

According to the survey on family income and expenditure, the country’s average annual household income was NT$1.29 million in 2020.

Taipei’s average household income of NT$1.72 million last year was much more well-to-do than those of the other special five municipalities under the direct jurisdiction of the central government. However, it’s not much better than the numbers for Hsinchu City and County, where there is a convergence of top semiconductor manufacturers like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., MediaTek Inc., and United Microelectronics Corp.

The DGBAS survey showed that the average household incomes for Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City were NT$1.62 million and NT$1.619 million, respectively, the second and third-highest in the nation.

Household property incomes, including from investments and rents, for the three municipalities were also admirable last year, with families in Taipei raking in an average of NT$127,000, double the country’s average, and the average Hsinchu City family bringing in NT$107,000.

Officials said that because housing prices in Taipei are exceptionally high, real estate owners in the city can make a small fortune from leasing out their properties, CNA reported.

As for household expenditures, the survey showed that Taipei families spent an average of NT$67,000 on “recreation and culture,” topping the rest of the country. Families in Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City were the top two spenders on children’s education, paying NT$41,000 and NT$38,000 a year, respectively, and surpassing Taipei’s average of NT$37,000.