Forbes Releases Its 400 Richest People in America List. Bill Gates Still #1
Posted on September 22, 2010
Forbes has released its Forbes 400 richest people in America list. Bill Gates (#1) retains his top spot on the list with $54 billion, followed by Warren Buffett (#2) with $45 billion. This year's Forbes 400 reflects an uptick in wealth among America's 400 Richest, with a total combined wealth of $1.37 trillion. In contrast to 2009, wealth was up for some 217 members of this year's list while only 85 members saw a decline. Gainers include Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (#35), whose wealth increased 245%, the largest percentage increase of anyone on the list and Diane Hendricks (#170), one of the 42 women on this year's list.
There were 34 drop-offs this year, including former taxi-driver-turned real-estate mogul Tamir Sapir, who is now facing a slew of creditors in various lawsuits and Raj Rajaratnam, the ex-hedge fund manager facing 185 years in prison.
Here are some highlights from this year's Forbes 400 list.
- Cost of admission: back up to $1 billion; had fallen below $1 billion in 2009 for first time since 2006; the price of admission in 2009 was $950 million; the price of admission in 2008: $1.3 billion
- Total worth: up 8% to $1.37 trillion up from $1.27 trillion in 2009 but still below the total in 2008 ($1.57 trillion) and 2007 ($1.54 trillion)
- Stock prices were measured from Sept 10, 2009 to August 25, 2010.
- There are 16 new members to the list in 2010
- There are 18 returnees to the list
- Net worth increased for 217 members, more than half of the list; net worth decreased for 85 members
- Drop-offs in 2010: 34, including 9 deceased
- The oldest member of the list is David Rockefeller Sr. (#153), age 95
- The youngest member is Dustin Moskovitz (# 290), age 26 (Moskovitz, who is 8 days younger than his former roommate, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg)
- 55 members represent the Finance industry
- 54 members represent the Investment industry
- 35 members represent the Media industry
- 31 members represent the Real Estate industry
- California boasts the most Forbes 400 members, with 83, followed by New York (64), Texas (45) and Florida (26)
- There are 42 women on the Forbes 400 this year, with a combined net wealth of $154,350 billion
- 272 members are self-made, with an average net worth of $3.38 billion
- The top five most popular pursuits (a new feature of the 2010 list) of the Forbes 400 members are: Education (73), Art (64), Sports (56), Science (31) and the Giving Pledge (28). Others include the Environment, Religion, Planes, Horses, Yachts (19), Music, Animals, Wine, Cars and Space
- 231 people donated to the Democratic party from 2006-2010 totaling $6,169,360
- 247 people donated to the Republican party from 2006-2010 totaling $7,284,882