The richest people in America, continue to showcase the remarkable fortunes of the nation’s wealthiest individuals. Leading the pack for the 23rd consecutive year is Bill Gates, with a net worth of $81 billion. Notably, Warren Buffett, a long-time contender, has slipped to third place with a net worth of $65.5 billion.
The surge in stock prices for tech giants has accelerated the wealth accumulation of CEOs at the helm of these companies. Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon.com, gained an astounding $20 billion, propelling him to the second spot on the list with a net worth of $67 billion.
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg also saw a significant rise, securing his highest rank ever at fourth place, with a net worth of $55.5 billion. Meanwhile, Oracle founder Larry Ellison reclaims the fifth position after 14 years, with a net worth of $49.3 billion.
The sixth spot belongs to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, CEO of Bloomberg L.P., with a net worth of $45 billion. Collectively, these six billionaires boast a staggering $363.3 billion in wealth, primarily tied up in the companies they founded, although some of it is invested in real estate.
Let’s take a closer look at the residences these wealthy individuals call home:
1. Bill Gates
- Net Worth: $81 billion
- Home: Medina, Washington
- Bill Gates, aged 60, primarily resides in his 66,000-square-foot mansion in Medina, Washington, known as “Xanadu 2.0.” Overlooking Lake Washington, this technological marvel took seven years and $63.2 million to build, with the lot’s current estimated value at $170 million.
2. Jeff Bezos
- Net Worth: $67 billion
- Home: Medina, Washington
- Jeff Bezos, aged 52, owns various properties, including a 165,000-acre ranch in West Texas, a waterfront house in Washington state, three connected apartments in Manhattan’s Century Tower, and a 12,000-square-foot estate in Beverly Hills. His Medina, Washington home, close to Amazon’s headquarters, occupies 5.35 acres and boasts approximately 29,000 square feet of living space.
3. Warren Buffett
- Net Worth: $65.5 billion
- Home: Omaha, Nebraska
- Despite his vast real estate investments, 86-year-old Warren Buffett is known for his modest lifestyle. He still resides in the Omaha, Nebraska home he purchased for $31,500 in 1958, which has been expanded to a comfortable 6,500 square feet.
4. Mark Zuckerberg
- Net Worth: $55.5 billion
- Home: Palo Alto, California
- Mark Zuckerberg, at the age of 32, invested a significant portion of his wealth in philanthropic endeavors. His real estate holdings include a 5,000-square-foot Craftsman-style home in Palo Alto, California, and several neighboring properties totaling $43.8 million, intended to enhance his privacy.
5. Larry Ellison
- Net Worth: $49.3 billion
- Home: Woodside, California
- Larry Ellison, aged 72, has an extensive real estate portfolio, including properties in Malibu, Lake Tahoe, Newport, Rhode Island, Kyoto, Japan, and 98% of Lanai, Hawaii’s sixth-largest island. His Woodside, California estate, valued at $110 million, is designed after 16th-century Japanese architecture and features a man-made 2.3-acre lake.
6. Michael Bloomberg
- Net Worth: $45 billion
- Home: Manhattan, New York
- Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, aged 74, owns over a dozen properties worldwide. His primary residence is an Upper East Side townhouse in Manhattan. Bloomberg has gradually acquired units in the adjacent townhouse co-op, signaling plans for expansion into a mega-mansion.
These impressive residences reflect the diverse lifestyles and tastes of America’s wealthiest individuals, from the tech-focused extravagance of Gates and Bezos to the understated elegance of Buffett and the philanthropic initiatives of Zuckerberg.