America’s 0.1 percent live vastly different lives from the rest of the population. Those at the top have incomes that are orders of magnitude higher than the average person. While some states are home to more of the richest people in the country than others, each state has its fair share of residents in the top 1 percent.
We take a look at how they made their money, the state of America’s wealth gap, and learn just who is the richest person in each state.
How They Got Rich
According to data from Forbes, the wealthiest members of each state did not achieve their fortunes in the same way, but there are obvious themes. The wealthiest people are often:
- Entrepreneurs
- Businesspeople
- Inheritors
Earning vs. Inheriting Wealth
Of the wealthiest in each state, roughly half are businesspeople. Another major path to wealth is inheritance, with the Walton and Mars families being the most striking examples.
Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton’s success trickled down to his family, making his heirs—Jim, Alice, and Christy—the wealthiest person in their states at some point. Meanwhile, the Mars fortune has made its way down to a second generation. John Franklyn Mars’s grandchildren are still enjoying the benefits of his immense success in the 1920s when he created the food company. Three of his grandchildren, Victoria, Jacqueline, and John, who recently unseated Christy Walton as the richest in Wyoming, are the richest residents in their states.
Academics May Not Be as Important as We Think
From undergraduate to doctoral degrees, most members of the list have some sort of college education. But the wealthiest have shown us that years of studying aren’t necessarily a prerequisite to striking it rich. Bill Gates is the wealthiest example of a college dropout who became a billionaire, but he isn’t the richest person in his home state of Washington. Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, has that designation.
On the other side of the academic spectrum, Delaware’s Robert Gore holds a Ph.D. but ranks second to last amongst the people on this list in terms of his net worth.
The Wealth Gap
No matter the source of wealth or where the wealthiest Americans call home, there’s no denying the extreme gap between the mega wealthy and the average American. A Pew Research Center report from early 2020 found that this wealth gap has been getting wider as time goes on. “In 1989, the richest 5 percent of families had 114 times as much wealth as families in the second quintile, $2.3 million compared with $20,300. By 2016, this ratio had increased to 248, a much sharper rise than the widening gap in income.”
This division exists state-by-state as well with the majority of billionaires residing in California and New York. Meanwhile, there are no billionaires in six states: Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Vermont.
The Wealthiest People in Each State
| State | Richest Resident | Net Worth | Source of Wealth |
| Alabama | Jimmy Rane | $900 million | Entrepreneur |
| Alaska | Jonathan Rubini and Leonard Hyde | $340 million | Real Estate Developers |
| Arizona | Arturo Moreno | $3.3 billion | Businessperson |
| Arkansas | Rob Walton | $69.8 billion | Inheritor |
| California | Elon Musk | $132.1 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Colorado | Philip Anschutz | $11.7 billion | Businessperson |
| Connecticut | Ray Dalio | $16.9 billion | Hedge Fund Manager |
| Delaware | Elizabeth Snyder and Robert Gore | $750 million | Inheritors |
| Florida | Thomas Peterffy | $18.6 billion | Businessperson |
| Georgia | Jim Kennedy | $8.2 billion | Businessperson |
| Hawaii | Pierre Omidyar | $19.3 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Idaho | Frank VanderSloot | $2.7 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Illinois | Ken Griffin | $15 billion | Hedge Fund Manager |
| Indiana | Carl Cook | $10.5 billion | Businessperson |
| Iowa | Harry Stine | $5.4 billion | Businessperson |
| Kansas | Charles Koch | $44.9 billion | Inheritor/Businessperson |
| Kentucky | Tamara Gustavson | $5.2 billion | Inheritor |
| Louisiana | Gayle Benson | $3.3 billion | Businessperson |
| Maine | Susan Alfond | $1.9 billion | Inheritor |
| Maryland | Ted Lerner | $4.8 billion | Real Estate Developer |
| Massachusetts | Abigail Johnson | $15 billion | Inheritor/Businessperson |
| Michigan | Dan Gilbert | $42.8 billion | Businessperson |
| Minnesota | Glen Taylor | $2.5 billion | Businessperson |
| Mississippi | Leslie Lampton | $2.4 billion | Businessperson |
| Missouri | James and Thomas Duff | $1.2 billion | Inheritor/Businessperson |
| Montana | Dennis Washington | $6.3 billion | Businessperson |
| Nebraska | Warren Buffett | $87.4 billion | Businessperson |
| Nevada | Sheldon Adelson | $35 billion | Businessperson |
| New Hampshire | Andrea Reimann-Ciardelli | $720 million | Inheritor |
| New Jersey | John Overdeck | $6.5 billion | Hedge Fund Manager |
| New Mexico | Mack C. Chase | $910 million | Businessperson |
| New York | Michael Bloomberg | $54.9 billion | Businessperson |
| North Carolina | James Goodnight | $6.5 billion | Entrepreneur |
| North Dakota | Gary Tharaldson | $1 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Ohio | Les Wexner | $5.4 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Oklahoma | David Green | $7.6 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Oregon | Phil Knight | $50.6 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Pennsylvania | Victoria Mars | $7.2 billion | Inheritor |
| Rhode Island | Jonathan Nelson | $2 billion | Businessperson |
| South Carolina | Anita Zucker | $1.9 billion | Businessperson |
| South Dakota | T. Denny Sanford | $1.6 billion | Businessperson |
| Tennessee | Tommy Frist Jr. | $12.8 billion | Businessperson/Physician |
| Texas | Alice Walton | $70.4 billion | Inheritor |
| Utah | Gail Miller | $1.9 billion | Inheritor/Businessperson |
| Vermont | John Abele | $640 million | Entrepreneur |
| Virginia | Jacqueline Mars | $28.9 billion | Inheritor |
| Washington | Jeff Bezos | $186.5 billion | Entrepreneur |
| West Virginia | Jim Justice II | $1.2 billion | Inheritor/Businessperson |
| Wisconsin | John Menard, Jr. | $14.2 billion | Entrepreneur |
| Wyoming | John Mars | $28.9 billion | Inheritor |
Homes for Sale
- Sacramento Real Estate
- Homes for sale in Tucson AZ
- Sarasota Florida Real Estate
- Homes for sale in San Diego
- Homes for sale in Scottsdale AZ
- Tampa Real Estate
- Homes for sale in Houston TX
- Dallas homes for sale
- Raleigh NC Real Estate
- Charlotte Real Estate
School Information
- Duluth Middle School
- Everglades High School
- Landmark Christian School
- Westview High School San Diego
- Riversprings Charter School
- Collegium Charter School
- Rolling Hills Middle School
- Central Unified School District Fresno CA
- Bishop Moore
- Maryville City Schools
What is your source for this data?
Forbes and Celebrity Net Worth
What is going on with the panhandle of West Virginia? It is the same color as the Chesapeake Bay. Is it now a body of water?
The color of Hawaii doesn’t seem to agree to the key. It appears to be much darker than it should be for where it is on the scale. In general, the red gradient is not easy to interpret as it is not a smooth consistent transition.
Who is the richest in MD? Not very clear. Is it Lerner? I thought he was from DC>
Where is Michael Bloomberg?
Surely you realize that Celebrity Net Worth is inflated at best and totally unreliable at worst.
Either the color or the number is wrong for Missouri. It says 12.8 billion but had the color closer to millions.
America will never be the same as when it first started because back then everyone worked for a living and very little they could save. Today we are much smarter and manage more efficient than then but they gave us that chance to succeed. Fraud and learning how to steal legally which exempts many people from breaking the law on their way to become wealthy. All the extreme wealthy will soon begin to die off and then their wealth will be divided into many share holders. It will find its own level but here is the one thing that may destroy all this wealth and that is nuclear war or a world wide catastrophic event. We must find a great awakening with the civilized world and return back to the God who gave us this chance to become his people.
Some of this data is woefully out of date. Dr. Thomas Frist is shown as the wealthiest in TN, but he passed away in 1998.
Wow!! Can Each MILLIONAIRE give JUST “1 MILLION” TO HELP HE MOST “POVERISH AREA” IN THEIR STATE AND BUILD IT UP?
IMAGINE THE GREAT GOOD IT WOULD DO FOR THE PEOPLE!!
Why is the richest person in Texas from Arkansas?
Your data needs to be vetted more carefully. According to your map. Thomas Frist is the richest person in Tennessee. That’s pretty impressive for someone who’s been dead since 1998.
8/2/2014 I think the wealthy usa chart is interesting,why these people end up rich,i’ll never know.i’m skeptical about businesses making us wealthy and famous[ex wal mart,kmart,others]hard work and sensible spending habits,business savy[education,business degree’s] are probably part of the answer.i,personally am happy with welfare,governmet help,although a lot of people are happy without the government and only have to contend with taxes and local laws and ordinances[ex.constructing a business,building kmart or zoneing laws for new businesses,other costs.i only have a hs degree[st.francis desales Geneva ny a roman catholice convent school and went to a state college for nurseing,finished one year of a 2 year program…]but some peonle have degree’s in business and know what they are doing.kathleen McHale Geneva ny
I would like to know their political affiliation.
I’m Canadian..your country is a joke.
The colours employed on this map should reflect the ethnicity of the person…haha. White out..haha..yessss…
Adam – Bloomberg is worth c $20bn. David Koch is worth more, $40bn.
It appears that that either you or your sources are using some very old data. For the state of Tennessee you have listed Thomas Frist, with the picture and link for the wikipedia profile of Thomas Frist Senior who has been deceased since 1998.
my story: 73 yo. 2nd generation Slovenian-American, father, a machinist in a shop. mother just a mother. I lived in a project til age 14. Gov. schools until collage, Sold ice cream on a truck the summer for 6 yrs to pay for collage, worked at campus jobs for 35 cents/hr. went to med school. NO scholarships, 5 yrs. surgical training working ON 36 hrs, OFF 12 hrs for 5 yrs. Got divorced during this time (I wonder why), Army surgeon for 2 yrs. private practice for 35 yrs. and now I’m a millionare X 4. Multiple Sclerosis since 1967. 7 cardiac stents, one heart attack. that’s how I did it,
Wanna know how to be wealthy ? , choose your parents very carefully.
I didn’t see the koch brothers listed. According to Forbes they each are more wealthy than Alice Walton. I assume they are in Texas, but I still don’t see them in any state.
Worked hard for 48yrs, from fields, factories and so on, all I want is 100 grand to retire, that will do it, just 100 grand.
Thomas F. Frist,was died in 1998, richest man in Tennessee?
Do these wealthy people donate to charity and if so can they donate to some of our charities ?
I know they are very busy but they still have a duty to educate the world about how to live a confirtible life.
Let them give us some concepts and we disemminate the concept to the world.
We request for their contacts
Moses
First I don’t know where some of you get your numbers. The tax rate for the working class is 20%. It’s really just that simple. I paid 20% of my hard earned income in Federal Tax. The tax rate of the wealthy is on average 17%. I don’t know what law allows it, I can’t go find it but the numbers don’t lie. Do the rich pay more money sure they do. But relative to income the poor and middle class pay a higher tax rate. Thats just not right or fair and go ahead and defend that if you choose but if you do you are part of the problem. Every individual American should have the same tax rate. I don’t support a flat tax for corporations but I certainly support an individual flat tax. I think a flat tax of 20% should be applied to all individual tax returns. Most corporations are taxed higher as they should be. But individual tax rates should be the same across the board. Good Day.
The Change in color comes after 1-15 Billion.
We can see the inequality and effects of slavery in the USA. There is not one black person, Asian, etc on this list. Half of the men and women on the list got wealthy through inheritance. This means it’s a myth that all you have to do is work hard and you can success in America. Most of the other half got rich through desegregation through receiving black dollars after the shut down of black businesses. If we were segregated blacks would not have spent their money at their businesses thus it would be black people on the list.
Wages are based on supply and demand, even the most evil owner/employer can not pay low wages if there is no one who will work for that wage. The primary reason workers in this country make less money today than 40 years ago is the illegal importation of Mexican and south American citizens by the American government. These people will work for minimum wage,or less under the table. If 30-40 million of these people were deported there would be no need for a minimum wage law ,supply and demand would take over and minimum wage would be what the market would bear possibly 15-20 dollars per hr. You are attacking the wrong people. Corrupt politicians are at the root of this problem.
Informative.
Looks like education really doesn’t matter. These people can’t get a color chart to match a defined key.
Bloomberg is out making commercials to work up the useful idiots emotions in his quest to take American’s right to self defense.
Why are you including dead people? Thomas Frist in Tennessee died over 15 years ago. Might as well put Howard Hughes or Andrew Carnegie on the map too.
Here’s the deal, name one wealthy person living freely?
Answer: “not one”
Reason: “due to the enormous wealth, they also become potential targets”. As the media lets out their secrets, they also maintain security guards wherever they travel.
Talk about envying imprisoned individuals, no thanks, I’ll live my poor life of a few $ million in retirement.
My suggestion, work hard like they did, and enjoy your retirement when you get there, but without Barack Obama and his Obots.
For Mississippi, you have the wrong photo. Leslie B. Lampton has four sons, all of whom run Ergon companies/divisions. That picture is of Leslie B. Lampton’s oldest son (and namesake) and his wife Deborah. Lampton senior is in his seventies or eighties.
Love all the facebook comments saying all you need is hard work and low taxes. I guess that may work… if you’re white. No people of color on the map at all, and only a handful of women.
Egg, when you focus on why you can’t succeed – then you do lose your opportunity.
On the flip side, most NBA players are black and very wealthy. 🙂
Tommy Frist Jr. Is alive, well, and one of the greatest philanthropists of this fine state. Shook his hand last month at a United Way event.
I’d be interested in seeing how many are republicans or democrats.
Joe, do,some research. The wealthy have the highest tax rates and it is 40%. The 17% you claim they pay is the avg tax rate after business losses, depreciation, all other losses. What that means is we have invested money into the economy without a return on investment. Therefore we have losses and are able to use them against our normal 40% tax rate. They are putting money into the economy that creates jobs, real estate construction, creating sales tax, income tax, etc etc. So they pay more % in just a different way! that is much better than giving it all to the govt.
I AGREE WITH Tom Smith! They all need to be deported back to their home country! There they can use their resources & lower the demand here for fuel they using here!
Maloof Brothers no longer live in NM. So why put them as New Mexico Residents?
Would be interesting to see a map of networth by zip code or perhaps total property value by zip code. Wealth concentration is much greater than state level mapping suggests.
Wouldn’t it be great if one or several of these people with the same views as the DONALD, joined him and cleaned up this country. Something needs to happen, maybe this is the answer. It sure wouldn’t be worse than it is.
they should invast money and develop the world