Extremely rich people love to settle on hills.

Height gives the wealthy fortification in case of a plebian uprising. Altitude also serves as a constant reminder that the rich are, indeed, "above" the rest of us.

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The word "palace" comes from the Palatine Hill in Rome, where in ancient times only the wealthiest Romans lived.

In Montreal, we have Westmount, the town that, as its name suggests, covers the westernmost peak of Mount Royal.

While the municipality is completely surrounded by the city of Montreal, residents in Westmount have even decided to keep it distinct from the poorer urban centre.

A simple journey across the town border is a shocking excursion. Almost immediately Westmount wealth becomes apparent. Homes are larger and more ostentatious, gardens are better manicured, and sidewalks are in better condition.

The town is certainy the wealthiest locale on Montreal island. But a new study makes clear Westmount's position in a much larger context.

According to MoneySense, Westmount is the second-richest place in Canada. The town comes in only behind West Vancouver, of course.

With a whopping "average household net worth" of $3,953,205, Westmount far outranks other districts in the Montreal area, which has one of the lowest median salaries in the country. 

Though, real estate prices across the greater Montreal metro area are slowly rising. Maybe one day they will catch up.

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