In brief
- Elon Musk leads the richest people in America at $936 billion, according to Forbes data as of 1 October 2026.
- Jeff Bezos is second at $370 billion and Larry Page third at $286 billion.
- The ten richest Americans are worth a combined $3.1 trillion, up from $2.8 trillion a month earlier.
- Nine of the ten made their fortunes in technology, and California, with four, is the most common home state.
The richest people in America are led by Elon Musk, worth $936 billion, followed by Jeff Bezos at $370 billion and Larry Page at $286 billion, according to Forbes data as of 1 October 2026. All ten of the world’s richest people on that Forbes ranking are American, and nine of them made their fortunes in technology.
The list below uses Forbes’ monthly ranking as of 1 October 2026, with Forbes’ real-time figures from mid-October added for comparison.
| Rank | Name | Net worth (Forbes, 1 October 2026) | Company | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $936 billion | SpaceX, Tesla | Texas |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $370 billion | Amazon | Florida |
| 3 | Larry Page | $286 billion | Alphabet (Google) | California |
| 4 | Michael Dell | $268 billion | Dell Technologies | Texas |
| 5 | Sergey Brin | $263 billion | Alphabet (Google) | California |
| 6 | Mark Zuckerberg | $251 billion | Meta | California |
| 7 | Jensen Huang | $200 billion | Nvidia | California |
| 8 | Larry Ellison | $179 billion | Oracle | Florida |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $161 billion | Microsoft | Washington |
| 10 | Warren Buffett | $142 billion | Berkshire Hathaway | Nebraska |
States are the places of residence Forbes lists for each person. Larry Page and Sergey Brin have both bought homes in the Miami area since late 2025, but Forbes still lists them in California.
Also readLarry Page Net Worth 2026: $232.3 Billion After Alphabet DropWho are the richest people in America in 2026?
The ten richest people in America are worth a combined $3.1 trillion as of 1 October 2026, up from $2.8 trillion a month earlier, according to Forbes. Here is how each one made their money.
1. Elon Musk: $936 billion
Musk owns about 38% of SpaceX, including options, and nearly 11% of Tesla, according to Forbes. Forbes says he became the world’s first trillionaire on 12 June 2026, when SpaceX went public on Nasdaq. His fortune has since slipped below that level, and Forbes’ real-time figure was $945.2 billion on 14 October 2026. He lives in Austin, Texas. Read our full Elon Musk net worth profile for the breakdown.
2. Jeff Bezos: $370 billion
Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and owns about 8% of it. His fortune rose $102 billion in September 2026, driven by private valuations of two other companies. Blue Origin, his space company, is raising its first outside money at a $130 billion valuation before the new investment. Prometheus, a start-up where he is co-chief executive and owns an estimated 20%, was valued at $41 billion. He lives in Miami, Florida. See our Jeff Bezos net worth profile for his assets in detail.
3. Larry Page: $286 billion
Page co-founded Google with Sergey Brin. He is a board member and controlling shareholder of Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Forbes lists him in Palo Alto, California, although Fortune reported in April 2026 that he had built up more than $180 million of Florida property, mostly in Miami’s Coconut Grove.
4. Michael Dell: $268 billion
Dell is chairman and chief executive of Dell Technologies and lives in Austin, Texas. Dell shares rose 18% in September 2026 and have climbed sharply on the AI boom, according to Forbes. He also received 39% of the $69 billion that Broadcom paid for VMware in 2023.
5. Sergey Brin: $263 billion
Brin is Google’s other co-founder and, like Page, a board member and controlling shareholder of Alphabet. Forbes lists him in Los Altos, California. Fortune reported that he bought a $51 million home near Miami Beach in early 2026.
6. Mark Zuckerberg: $251 billion
Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook and runs Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. He owns about 13% of the company. His fortune rose $55 billion in September 2026 as Meta shares climbed 27%, the second-largest monthly gain in the top ten after Bezos.
7. Jensen Huang: $200 billion
Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and is its chief executive and president. Forbes estimates he owns about 3% to 4% of the chip maker. He lives in Los Altos, California.
8. Larry Ellison: $179 billion
Ellison co-founded Oracle and is its chairman. He fell one place in September 2026 after Oracle shares dropped 8%. He lives in Manalapan, Florida, and owns the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
9. Steve Ballmer: $161 billion
Ballmer is a former Microsoft chief executive who held about 4% of the company when he retired in 2014. He says he is still its largest individual shareholder. He bought the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team in 2014 for $2 billion, and Forbes now values the team at about $7.5 billion. He lives in Hunts Point, Washington.
10. Warren Buffett: $142 billion
Buffett built Berkshire Hathaway into a holding company that owns insurers, railways and large stakes in listed companies. He retired as chief executive at the end of December 2025, and his son Howard replaced him as chairman in September 2026. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska.
Which state has the most of America’s richest people?
California has the most, with four of the top ten: Page, Brin, Zuckerberg and Huang. Texas and Florida have two each, and Washington and Nebraska have one each.
That balance is shifting. California’s proposed Billionaire Tax Act would apply a one-time 5% tax to billionaires who lived in the state after 1 January 2026, and several billionaires bought homes in Florida around that date. Ellison made his Manalapan estate his primary residence in 2026. Page and Brin have bought homes in the Miami area, and Zuckerberg reportedly secured a $170 million mansion on Indian Creek Island, though Forbes still lists all three as California residents.
| State | Number in top 10 | Names |
|---|---|---|
| California | 4 | Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang |
| Texas | 2 | Elon Musk, Michael Dell |
| Florida | 2 | Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison |
| Washington | 1 | Steve Ballmer |
| Nebraska | 1 | Warren Buffett |
How has the list of richest Americans changed since 2025?
The top of the list is far richer than a year ago, and its order has changed. Musk’s fortune more than doubled, while Michael Dell and Jensen Huang moved into the top ten.
| Name | Forbes 400, September 2025 | Forbes, 1 October 2026 | Change in rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elon Musk | No. 1, $428 billion | No. 1, $936 billion | No change |
| Jeff Bezos | No. 4, $241 billion | No. 2, $370 billion | Up 2 |
| Larry Page | No. 5, $179 billion | No. 3, $286 billion | Up 2 |
| Mark Zuckerberg | No. 3, $253 billion | No. 6, $251 billion | Down 3 |
| Larry Ellison | No. 2, $276 billion | No. 8, $179 billion | Down 6 |
Two names from the 2025 Forbes 400 top ten, Michael Bloomberg and Jim Walton, are not in the October 2026 top ten, replaced by Dell and Huang.
Forbes 400 by year
| Year | Minimum net worth to qualify | Combined wealth | No. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3.8 billion | $6.6 trillion | Elon Musk ($428 billion) |
| 2026 | $4.4 billion | $8 trillion | Elon Musk ($908 billion) |
Forbes 400 vs real-time figures: why the numbers keep moving
Forbes publishes several snapshots of the same people, and they rarely match because share prices change every trading day.
The 2026 Forbes 400 used share prices from 4 September 2026 and put Musk at $908 billion, Page at $278 billion and Brin at $256 billion. The monthly ranking a month later, on 1 October, had all three higher. Forbes’ real-time list moved again by 14 October 2026, when Brin had overtaken Dell for fourth place.
| Name | Forbes 400 (4 September 2026) | Forbes monthly (1 October 2026) | Forbes real-time (14 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elon Musk | $908 billion | $936 billion | $948.5 billion |
| Jeff Bezos | Not published in the summary | $370 billion | $377 billion |
| Larry Page | $278 billion | $286 billion | $291.8 billion |
| Sergey Brin | $256 billion | $263 billion | $268.5 billion |
| Michael Dell | Not published in the summary | $268 billion | $264.7 billion |
Other trackers, such as the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, value private companies, family trusts and debts differently, so their figures for the same person can differ by tens of billions of dollars. For the global picture, including non-Americans such as Amancio Ortega and Bernard Arnault, see our ranking of the richest people in the world.
Who is the richest woman in America?
Alice Walton, daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, is the richest woman in America, according to the 2026 Forbes 400. Forbes’ real-time figure for her was $124.5 billion on 14 October 2026. Julia Koch is the second-richest woman on the Forbes 400, at $84.6 billion. Diane Hendricks, co-founder of ABC Supply, is the richest self-made woman at $23.6 billion. Women make up 62 of the 400 people on the list.
Sources
Forbes Australia: The top 10 richest people in the world (October 2026) · Forbes Australia: The Forbes 400 list of wealthiest Americans, facts and figures · Forbes: Real-time billionaires · Forbes: Elon Musk profile · Forbes: Jeff Bezos profile · Forbes: Michael Dell profile · Forbes: Jensen Huang profile · Forbes: Steve Ballmer profile · LaPresse: Forbes 400 2025 · Fortune: California wealth tax and billionaires’ Florida homes
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest person in America right now?
Elon Musk is the richest person in America, worth $936 billion according to Forbes as of 1 October 2026. Forbes' real-time figure was $948.5 billion on 14 October 2026.
Who are the top 5 richest people in America?
As of 1 October 2026, Forbes ranks Elon Musk first, then Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Michael Dell and Sergey Brin.
How much money do you need to be on the Forbes 400?
You needed at least $4.4 billion to make the 2026 Forbes 400, a record and $600 million more than in 2025.
Which state has the most billionaires in the top 10?
California, with four: Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg and Jensen Huang. Texas and Florida have two each.
Who is the richest woman in America?
Alice Walton, the Walmart heiress, is the richest woman in America on the 2026 Forbes 400. Diane Hendricks is the richest self-made woman, at $23.6 billion.
Is Jeff Bezos richer than Mark Zuckerberg?
Yes. As of 1 October 2026, Forbes values Jeff Bezos at $370 billion and Mark Zuckerberg at $251 billion.
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