Business & Tech

NYC’s Richest Person Is Worth $$94.9B

A new Forbes ranking reveals the wealthiest residents in every state, including the billionaire who calls Manhattan's Upper East Side home.

NEW YORK CITY— The richest person in New York City is Michael Bloomberg, with an estimated $94.9 billion fortune, according to a new Forbes ranking of the richest person in every state.

Bloomberg, whose primary residence is on the Upper East Side, made his fortune by founding and retaining majority ownership of Bloomberg L.P., a financial information, data analytics, software, and media company best known for its Bloomberg Terminal, which provides financial market data and news to investment professionals.

He served as Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013, completing three consecutive terms.

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Worth an estimated $1 trillion, Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk topped the rankings for the fourth consecutive year. They are based on Forbes' estimates of individual fortunes, with net worths calculated as of Oct. 9.

This year’s ranking includes eight states with new names at the top, reflecting changes in wealth and, in some cases, where billionaires have chosen to live.

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Across the country, Forbes identified billionaires in 46 states, down from 47 last year. The fortunes of America’s richest residents vary enormously, and some state leaders aren't billionaires at all.

Billionaires On The Move

Some of the biggest changes have less to do with making or losing money than with moving across state lines.

Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, formerly California residents, are now counted among the wealthiest people in Florida and Nevada, respectively. Forbes estimated their fortunes at $288 billion and $265 billion. Brin is Nevada's richest resident, while Page ranks second in Florida behind Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose estimated $381 billion fortune makes him the state's wealthiest resident.

Their moves come amid a proposed billionaire wealth tax facing California voters in November. Forbes reported that representatives for both men confirmed their new states of residence, although the publication could not independently verify the changes through residency documents.

Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, whose fortune is estimated at $4.4 billion, also moved from California to New Mexico, making her that state's richest resident.

The departures helped reshuffle the rankings, although California still has more billionaires than any other state, with 255. New York follows with 153, Florida has 138 and Texas has 88. New York has 54 billionaires, according to Forbes.

America’s Biggest Fortunes

Several of the country's best-known billionaires hold the top spots in their states:

  • Texas: Elon Musk, whose fortune Forbes valued at approximately $1 trillion for the ranking.
  • Florida: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, worth an estimated $381 billion.
  • California: Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, worth an estimated $246 billion.
  • Nebraska: Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett, worth an estimated $147 billion.
  • West Virginia: Former Intuit CEO and Marshall University President Brad Smith, worth an estimated $700 million.

Those fortunes are estimates, not cash sitting in bank accounts. Much of billionaires' wealth is tied to ownership stakes in companies and other investments whose values can fluctuate significantly.

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