Around the globe, there are an estimated 2,640 billionaires. Nearly 30% of these live across the United States and represent the tech world, family dynasties, and many more industries. Forty-four states are home to at least one extravagantly wealthy individual. Others, like New York, California, and Florida, have anywhere from 94 to 178 each. Similar to New York City — the world’s financial capital — cities often attract billionaires for distinct reasons. San Francisco is close to Silicon Valley — where countless tech companies began — making it a popular location with 37 billionaires. Family dynasties also play a role in some cities. Bentonville, AR, is the home of two Walton billionaires (Walmart), and Boston, MA, is the home of two Johnson billionaires (Fidelity Investments).
Although California has the most billionaires overall, the U.S. city with the most billionaires is New York City, which is home to 99. It’s unsurprising that their combined net worth is also the highest of any other U.S. city, reaching an impressive $611 billion.
To find the city in every state with the most billionaires, 24/7 Wall St. referencedForbes World’s Billionaire List — The Richest in 2023. The list, Forbes explains, “is a snapshot of wealth using stock prices and exchange rates from March 10, 2023,” adding that some people have become richer or poorer within days of publication. In some states, two or more cities have the same number of billionaires. In such cases, we broke ties by the combined wealth of billionaires in each city. All data is from Forbes.
There is often a correlation between the wealthiest person in the state and the city with the most billionaires. New York City, for example, is home to Michael Bloomberg, a businessman and the city’s former mayor. Bloomberg is the richest person in New York City and New York State, ranking seventh nationwide with a net worth estimated at $94 billion (as of March).
However, this trend isn’t universal. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, lives in Austin, TX, and is the richest person in the U.S. Though Austin is the third-highest number of billionaires in the state (with 12 billionaires), it still falls behind Dallas (20 billionaires) and Houston (14 billionaires).
Why Does This Matter?
Billionaires don’t just settle down anywhere. They choose their homes according to a complex web of various factors, from business opportunities and tax regulation to political influence and lifestyle. This article explores the geographic distribution of America’s billionaires and which cities have the most in each state. Understanding these trends sheds light on the financial ecosystems of these areas; the potential political clout billionaires may have in certain regions, and the overall health of industries that may cater to immense wealth.
Here is the city in every state with the most billionaires.
Alabama: Abbeville
Billionaire count: 1
The wealthiest person in Abbeville: Jimmy Rane ($1.2 billion)
Total Abbeville billionaire net worth: $1.2 billion
Runner-up city: N/A
Alaska: No billionaires in the state
There are no billionaires in Alaska.
Arizona: Phoenix
Billionaire count: 5 (of 12 billionaires in Arizona)
The wealthiest person in Phoenix: Mark Shoen ($4.9 billion)
Total Phoenix billionaire net worth: $17.4 billion
Runner-up city: Paradise Valley (4 billionaires, combined net worth: $7.4 billion)
Billionaire count: 4 (of 7 billionaires in Wyoming)
The wealthiest person in Jackson: John Mars ($38.3 billion)
Total Jackson billionaire net worth: $51.5 billion
Runner-up city: Wilson (2 billionaires, combined net worth: $6.9 billion)
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