10 richest US Presidents of all time and how much they were worth

10 richest US Presidents by net worth

The US President's job is considered prestigious, but it doesn't pay as much as people assume, with an annual salary of $400,000 and an expense account of $50,000. However, most presidents have been well-off financially, and the richest presidents in US history have inherited their fortunes or made them through their own efforts. When Barack and Michelle Obama left the White House, they were worth 30 times more than when they entered, thanks partly to book sales, speaking engagements, and a Netflix production deal. Most United States Presidents have had good financial standing, rich or poor. So who have been the wealthiest presidents in American history? Let's find out.

1. Donald Trump (2017-2021) - $2.9B

Donald Trump is considered the wealthiest President of the United States due to his career in real estate development in New York City and his inheritance from his father, Fred Trump, of around $40 million. Trump established a business empire, The Trump Organization, which included a dozen golf courses, numerous hotels, skyscrapers, and wineries. The ex-Commander-in-Chief has also filed for bankruptcy six times in his career. Trump's net worth has been estimated to be between $2.3 billion to $2.9 billion by Bloomberg and Forbes, respectively, although the former POTUS claims it to be around $10 billion.

2. George Washington (1789-1797) - $525M

George Washington, the first President of the United States, was the wealthiest ever based on relative wealth within the economy of his time. His marriage to a wealthy widow, inheritance of 8,000 acres of prime Virginia farmland at Mount Vernon, and ownership of 300 slaves who worked on it led to his fortune. His estate was valued at $525,000, equivalent to $525 million today, when he died.

3. Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809) - $212M

Thomas Jefferson, America's third president, was a wealthy man who inherited a fortune of $212 million, which included 3,000 acres of land and slaves near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia. He later expanded the property to a 5,000-acre plantation and built and designed the renowned Monticello home. However, despite making substantial money as a politician, he fell into debt towards the end of his life due to massive land acquisitions, investments, and a lavish lifestyle. Most of his wealth was measured in land and slaves, and his family was forced to sell off everything and live off charity after his death.

4. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909) - $125M

Teddy Roosevelt was born to a wealthy family in New York City. As a young man, he inherited a substantial amount of money from his father. Although he depleted his trust fund with failed land investments, he eventually made money from other land holdings, including his 235-acre estate, Sagamore Hill, which is now among the most valuable properties on Long Island. Despite losing most of his money on his ranching venture, he became a prolific public servant and author. He is commonly listed among the five wealthiest US presidents, with a net worth of approximately $125 million by current standards.

5. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837) - $119M

Andrew Jackson was one of the most controversial and notable presidents in American history. Despite starting his life in poverty, Jackson accumulated his wealth through marriage and his military career. However, his acceptance of slavery and his massacre of Native Americans were among his most controversial actions. Jackson owned as many as 161 enslaved people and made a handsome profit by parceling out the land he seized from Native Americans to the cotton barons of the next generation. When he left office, Jackson was worth around $120 million, having adjusted for inflation.

6. James Madison (1809-1817) - $101M

James Madison was a successful plantation owner who inherited around 5,000 acres of land, including his Montpelier estate. He inherited some of the land from his father and later became the largest landowner in Orange County, Virginia. After his presidency, he retired to Montpelier to manage his tobacco plantation. Unfortunately, falling tobacco prices caused financial losses that forced him to sell a significant portion of his land.

7. Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969) - $98M

Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th President of the United States of America, was able to accumulate a substantial amount of wealth despite his modest upbringing. Following the inheritance of land in Texas, he skillfully developed it into a sprawling 1,500-acre ranch that would later become known as the 'Texas White House'. During his presidency, the President spent approximately 20% of his time in office at the ranch. Additionally, Lady Bird Johnson, his wife, utilized her inheritance to purchase a radio and television station situated in Austin, Texas, and turned it into a valuable media investment.

8. Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) - $75M

Herbert Hoover was left orphaned at the age of 9 and was subsequently raised by his uncle. He began his career in the mining industry as an engineer before moving to Australia, where he achieved success as a mining company executive and amassed a considerable fortune. Upon his election as president, Hoover held valuable holdings in multiple mining companies, in addition to his sizable salary. However, he made a selfless decision to donate his entire government salary to various charitable organizations.

9. John F Kennedy (1961-1963) - $1B

John F Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was born into a family fortune that far exceeded the wealth of any other president. However, it should be noted that he did not possess direct ownership of the family fortune, but rather shared it through a trust with other members of the Kennedy family. The source of this fortune was Joseph Kennedy, JFK's father, who achieved success in the stock markets and subsequently invested his profits in real estate and other businesses. In addition to the Kennedy family wealth, JFK's wife, Jacqueline Bouvier, was also born into considerable affluence and was an heiress to her own fortune. It is noteworthy that almost all of JFK's income and property were derived from the trust that he shared with his family members.

10. Bill Clinton (1993-2001) - $75M

The Clintons' wealth did not originate from an inherited familial fortune, but rather, accumulated during Bill Clinton's tenure as the Governor of Arkansas and later as the 42nd President of the United States. Following their White House departure, the Clintons amassed significant wealth through book writing and public speaking engagements. In 2005, Bill Clinton secured a $15 million advance for his autobiography, while Hillary Clinton earned $14 million in 2014 for her own memoirs.