For America’s most affluent families, the past half-decade has been exceptionally prosperous. Fueled by booming markets, the collective net worth of the 50 families featured in Forbes’ latest ranking of America’s Richest Families has surged to a staggering $1.2 trillion. This represents an impressive 30% increase from the $916 billion they held in 2015. The entry threshold to this exclusive list has also risen, with each family now possessing a minimum net worth of $7.3 billion, up from $6 billion five years prior when the list last expanded to include this many families.
The Walton family continues to reign supreme as the wealthiest in the nation. Descendants of Walmart founders Sam Walton (d. 1992) and Bud Walton (d. 1995) retain approximately half of the retail behemoth’s stock. This ownership translates into over $700 million in annual dividend income for the family. Following closely behind are the Kochs, who command 84% of Koch Industries. This industrial giant generates $115 billion in revenue across diverse sectors, including pipelines, chemicals, Dixie cups, and Stainmaster carpet. However, not all families experienced gains. The Sackler family, linked to opioid producer Purdue Pharma, witnessed a decline in their fortune. Purdue Pharma faces widespread litigation from attorneys general across nearly every U.S. state concerning the company’s alleged role in the opioid crisis. (Further details can be found here.)
Many iconic American products owe their existence to these ultra-wealthy families. The Mars family, for instance, is behind the beloved M&M’s candies and Pedigree pet food. Whiskey enthusiasts can thank the Brown family for Jack Daniel’s. Campbell’s Soup is a product of the Dorrance family fortune, while the Fisher family built their wealth with Gap clothing. Crucially, both the Simplot and Reyes families are significant food suppliers to the McDonald’s empire, highlighting the pervasive reach of these families in everyday American life. While historical giants like the Du Ponts and Rockefellers remain on the list, some of America’s most storied dynasties, such as the Astor, Vanderbilt, and Ford families, no longer qualify. Their once immense fortunes have largely dissipated across generations. More information on historical wealth rankings can be found here.
The list also includes families who amassed their wealth in more recent times, within the last five decades. The Hughes family, controlling self-storage giant Public Storage, the Cathys, owners of Chick-fil-A, and the Chaos, of Westlake Chemical, exemplify this modern wealth creation. Westlake Chemical is a leading producer of low-density polyethylene, a key component in milk cartons and food packaging. Notably, the Chao family are the only Asian-Americans and nonwhites on this ranking, underscoring the persistent racial wealth gap in the United States. Their American fortune began in the 1980s when T.T. Chao (d. 2008) relocated his family from Taiwan and established Westlake Chemical.
However, immense wealth does not guarantee familial harmony. A significant number of families on this year’s list, six in total, have experienced bitter and very public family disputes. These conflicts include legal battles over trust funds, alleged fraudulent adoptions, and even accusations of murder, demonstrating the complexities and challenges that can accompany extreme wealth. Further insights into these family feuds can be found here.
Below is Forbes’ definitive ranking of the 50 wealthiest families in America, with comparisons to their net worth in 2015. (The full methodology is detailed at the end of this article.)
Top Wealthiest American Families: Forbes Ranking
1. Walton Family
- Worth: $247 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Walmart
2. Koch Family
- Worth: $100 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Diversified
3. Mars Family
- Worth: $94 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Candy
The Mars family legacy originates from Frank Mars, who founded the candy company in 1911. Siblings Jacqueline Mars and John Mars, along with the estate of their late brother Forrest Jr. (d. 2016), inherited significant stakes in Mars Inc. This family-owned conglomerate, renowned for M&M’s and Snickers, also has a substantial presence in pet food and pet care, generating annual revenues of $35 billion.
4. Cargill-MacMillan Family
- Worth: $47 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Cargill Inc.
5. Lauder Family
- Worth: $40 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Estee Lauder
6. S.C. Johnson Family
- Worth: $37 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Cleaning Products
7. (Edward) Johnson Family
- Worth: $36 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Money Management
8. Cox Family
- Worth: $34.5 billion
- Change: EVEN
- Origin of Wealth: Media
9. Pritzker Family
- Worth: $32.5 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Hotels, Investments
The Pritzker family, hailing from Chicago, represents a powerful third-generation dynasty. Notable members include Tom Pritzker (Chairman of Hyatt Hotels), John Pritzker (founder of Geolo Capital), Penny Pritzker (former U.S. Commerce Secretary), Tony Pritzker (Managing Partner, Pritzker Group), and J.B. Pritzker (Governor of Illinois).
10. Newhouse Family
- Worth: $30 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Magazines, Newspapers
11. Duncan Family
- Worth: $22 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: Pipelines
12. Hearst Family
- Worth: $21 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: Hearst Corp.
13. Brown Family
- Worth: $20.4 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Liquor
14. Marshall Family
- Worth: $18.5 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Diversified
15. Butt Family
- Worth: $17.8 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Supermarkets
16. Busch Family
- Worth: $17.6 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Anheuser-Busch
The Busch family’s legacy is synonymous with beer. The image depicts August Busch Sr. alongside his great-grandson August Busch IV, who led the beer giant Anheuser-Busch from 2006 until its acquisition by InBev of Belgium in 2008.
17. Du Pont Family
- Worth: $16 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: DuPont
18. Hunt Family
- Worth: $15.5 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Oil
19. Dorrance Family
- Worth: $15 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Campbell Soup Co.
The Dorrance family’s fortune is rooted in Campbell’s Soup. Bennett Dorrance is currently a board member, while Charlotte Colket Weber served on the board until 2014, highlighting the family’s sustained involvement with the company.
20. Ziff Family
- Worth: $15 billion
- Change: EVEN
- Origin of Wealth: Publishing
21. Cathy Family
- Worth: $14.2 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Chick-fil-A
S. Truett Cathy established the fast-food chain Chick-fil-A in Atlanta in 1967. Today, his sons Dan and Bubba Cathy are at the helm, continuing the family’s leadership of this iconic brand.
22. Stryker Family
- Worth: $14 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Medical Equipment
23. Goldman Family
- Worth: $13.2 billion
- Change: NEW
- Origin of Wealth: Real Estate
24. Rollins Family
- Worth: $13.1 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Orkin Pest Control
25. Gallo Family
- Worth: $12.4 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Wine, Liquor
26. Reyes Family
- Worth: $12 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Food & Beer Distribution
27. Kohler Family
- Worth: $11.7 billion
- Change: NEW
- Origin of Wealth: Plumbing Products, Sinks
28. Mellon Family
- Worth: $11.5 billion
- Change: EVEN
- Origin of Wealth: Banking
29. Smith Family
- Worth: $11.3 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Tools, Banking
30. Sackler Family
- Worth: $10.8 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: Pain Medicines
The Sackler family’s wealth is linked to Purdue Pharma. Raymond (d. 2017) and his brothers Mortimer (d. 2010) and Arthur (d. 1987) developed Purdue Pharma, creator of the blockbuster opioid pain medication OxyContin. Facing numerous lawsuits, Purdue Pharma declared bankruptcy in 2019.
30. Bass Family
- Worth: $10.8 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Oil, Investments
32. Johnson Family
- Worth: $10.7 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Johnson & Johnson
33. Marriott Family
- Worth: $10.4 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Hotels
Brothers Bill and Richard Marriott are prominent figures in the hotel industry. Their father established his first hotel in 1957. Bill currently chairs Marriott International, while Richard chairs Host Hotels & Resorts, demonstrating continued family leadership.
34. Crown Family
- Worth: $10.2 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Investments
34. Hughes Family
- Worth: $10.2 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Public Storage Inc.
36. Pigott Family
- Worth: $10.1 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Trucks
37. Shoen Family
- Worth: $9 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: U-Haul
38. (Don & Doris) Fisher Family
- Worth: $8.9 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: The Gap
39. Jenkins Family
- Worth: $8.8 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Publix Super Markets
40. Chao Family
- Worth: $8.6 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Chemicals
40. (Charles & Rupert) Johnson Family
- Worth: $8.6 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: Mutual Funds
40. Phipps Family
- Worth: $8.6 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Carnegie Steel, Bessemer Trust
43. Rockefeller Family
- Worth: $8.4 billion
- Change: DOWN
- Origin of Wealth: Oil
The Rockefeller family’s legacy began with John D. Rockefeller, America’s first billionaire, who founded Standard Oil in 1870. The image shows him with his son, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., highlighting the continuation of the dynasty.
43. E.W. Scripps Family
- Worth: $8.4 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Newspapers
45. Bechtel Family
- Worth: $8.3 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Construction, Engineering
Three generations of the Bechtel family—Stephen Jr., Riley, and Brendan Bechtel—have guided Bechtel, the construction engineering powerhouse established in 1889. Bechtel is renowned for iconic projects like the Hoover Dam and the Channel Tunnel.
46. Gore Family
- Worth: $8.2 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Gore-Tex
47. Durst Family
- Worth: $8.1 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Real Estate
48. Taylor Family
- Worth: $7.8 billion
- Change: NEW
- Origin of Wealth: Enterprise Rent-A-Car
49. Simplot Family
- Worth: $7.7 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Agribusiness
50. Barbey Family
- Worth: $7.3 billion
- Change: UP
- Origin of Wealth: Textiles, Apparel
Methodology
Unlike Forbes’ renowned Forbes 400 list of America’s wealthiest individuals and the World’s Billionaires rankings, which concentrate on individual or nuclear-family wealth, America’s Richest Families encompasses multigenerational families of varying sizes. These range from just two brothers to the extensive 4,000 members of the Du Pont clan. It’s important to note that self-made entrepreneurs who founded their companies and are already featured with their nuclear families on the Billionaires list are excluded. This includes figures like Rupert Murdoch and J. Joe Ricketts. Married couples such as Tom and Judy Love are also not included.
To assess family fortunes, Forbes aggregated assets including stakes in both public and private companies, real estate holdings, art collections, and cash reserves. Debt estimates were also factored into the valuations. For families with publicly traded holdings, stock prices from the market close on December 4, 2020, were utilized. Assets irrevocably pledged to charitable foundations were excluded from the calculations. Forbes diligently sought to verify these figures with the families themselves or their representatives. While some cooperated, others did not. If you believe a family has been overlooked, please contact [email protected] for investigation.
Edited by Kerry A. Dolan, Chase Peterson-Withorn, and Jennifer Wang
Reporters: Angel Au-Yeung, Deniz Cam, Hayley Cuccinello, Sergei Klebnikov, Andrea Murphy, Ariel Shapiro, Giacomo Tognini, Lisette Voytko
Research: Susan Radlauer
Database manager: Dmitri Slavinsky
Additional reporting by: Elisabeth Brier, Kenrick Cai, Lauren Debter, Abigail Freeman, Sarah Hansen, Eliza Haverstock, Katherine Love, Chloe Sorvino
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