The Walton family
The Walton family, America’s richest family, has been the biggest beneficiary since Forbes began tracking family fortunes in 2014. The descendants of the late Walmart founder Sam Walton and his brother Bud have a combined net worth of $520 billion, with almost half of its added in the last two years.
Their wealth expanded as shares of their Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant have skyrocketed 117% in the same period.
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Doug McMillon, Walmart president and CEO, Rob Walton, Walmart retired chairman of board, and Walmart board member Steuart Walton listen at the Walmart annual formal business and shareholders meeting on May 30, 2018 in Rogers, Arkansas. Photo by Getty Images via AFP |
An estimated 41% of Walmart’s stock is held by the families of seven heirs. They include Sam’s three living children – Rob, Jim and Alice Walton, his daughter-in-law Christy Walton and her son Lukas, plus Bud’s two daughters, Ann Walton Kroenke and Nancy Walton Laurie.
Rob took over as chairman upon his father’s death and served in that role until 2015, when he was succeeded by his son-in-law, Greg Penner. Rob retired from Walmart’s board in 2024. Jim’s son Steuart replaced his father as a director in 2016.
Since its foundation in 1962, Walmart has grown from a single discount store in Arkansas into the world’s largest retailer by revenue. It operates more than 10,000 stores and clubs worldwide, including roughly 4,600 stores in the U.S.
The Kock family
In the second place is the Koch family with a total fortune of $157 billion. Their wealth has increased by $41 billion in the last two years, boosting them up from the third place in the ranking.
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Chase Koch, Liz Koch and CEO of Koch Industries Charles Koch attend the Fontainebleau Las Vegas Star-Studded Grand Opening Celebration on December 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Getty Images via AFP |
Led by 90-year-old chairman and co-CEO Charles Koch, the son of the late founder Fred Koch, Kock, Inc began as an oil-refining and engineering business and has since expanded into a highly diversified group of companies operating across manufacturing, energy, chemicals, agriculture and other industries.
Fred founded the company in 1940. His sons later became involved in the business, with Charles and his late brother David becoming its most prominent owners. The Koch family retains ownership of the privately held company, making the family’s wealth closely tied to the value of its business empire.
The Mars family
The Mars family came third with $129 billion in combined wealth, rounding up the list of three American families with more than $100 billion in net worth.
The Mars family own Mars Inc., one of the world’s largest candy, petcare and food companies, with sales of $65 billion.
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Jacqueline Mars, center, and her granddaughters, Graysen Airth, left, and Katherine Burgstahler, right, arrive for the formal Artist’s Dinner honoring the recipients of the 40th Annual Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, December 2, 2017. Photo by Getty Images via AFP |
Mars was founded in 1911, when Frank Mars began selling candy from his kitchen in Tacoma, Washington. The Mars family does not play a role in the company’s day-to-day operations, although family members serve on its board of directors.
Frank’s son, Forrest Sr., joined the company in 1929 and helped his father develop the malt-flavored nougat that became the foundation for Milky Way and Snickers.
The Edward Johnson family
The fourth position is occupied by the Edward Johnson family with a fortune of $69.5 billion. The family fortune comes from Fidelity Investments, the Boston-based financial services company founded by Edward C. Johnson II in 1946.
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Abigail Johnson, chief executive officer at Fidelity Investments, arrives at the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 9, 2019 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Photo by Getty Images via AFP |
Its businesses include asset management and investment funds, online brokerage and trading, and retirement services, among others.
As of December 2025, Fidelity had $7.1 trillion in discretionary assets under management. It also administers a much larger pool of assets for customers, making it one of the world’s largest financial-services companies.
The Cargill-MacMillan family
In the fifth place is the Cargill-MacMillan family with $67.9 billion in wealth. They own Cargill, America’s largest private company, with $154 billion in revenue.
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Whitney MacMillan, former chairman and CEO of Cargill. Photo courtesy of the company |
The company was founded in 1865, when William Wallace Cargill started a grain storage business in Conover, Iowa. Today, Cargill is a major player in the grain industry, producing corn syrup, starch and livestock feed, while also operating in meatpacking and energy trading.
At least 100 family members collectively own an estimated 88% of the company. According to Forbes, 21 family members are billionaires.
Whitney MacMillan (who died in 2020) was the last family member to serve as CEO, holding the position from 1976 to 1995.