Wealth-X Reveals: The Richest Individual in Each US State

Wealth-X has released a list showing the richest person in each of the US states, and 35 of the 50 individuals on the list are entrepreneurs who made their own fortunes, demonstrating the importance of hard work and entrepreneurship in attaining the “American Dream”.

One such self-made entrepreneur is Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates who leads the list, maintaining his status as the wealthiest person in America with a fortune of US$81.5 billion, up from US$70.8 billion last year.

Other self-made entrepreneurs on the list include legendary investor Warren Buffett of Nebraska, the country’s second richest person; and media tycoon Michael Bloomberg from New York.

Others have inherited their wealth and subsequently grown it themselves, such as Forest Mars Jr. of Virginia, whose grandfather founded food processing company Mars Incorporated, and Micky Arison of Florida, who is the son of Ted Arison, co-founder of the world’s largest cruise operator, Carnival Corporation.

Only six women made it on the list. With a net worth of US$37.9 billion, Christy Walton of Arkansas has the distinction of being the richest woman in America – and the world. She is the widow of John T. Walton, one of the sons of Sam Walton, founder of Walmart. Anita Zucker, of South Carolina, has a net worth of US$2.7 billion. She is chairwoman and chief executive of the InterTech Group, assuming both positions in 2008 after the death of her husband, Jerry Zucker, the Group’s founder.

Below are the top 5 richest individuals on the list:

Of the 50 individuals, 41 are billionaires and their combined wealth of US$594.1 billion accounts for 26% of the total billionaire wealth in America.​​

Utah, New Mexico, Mississippi, Maine, Delaware, Hawaii, South Dakota, Alaska and Wyoming are the only states whose wealthiest residents are not billionaires.

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