Billionaire Wealth Rankings
Stacker Ranks Richest Billionaires Across Five States Using Latest Forbes Data
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The unrelated Indiana article identifies Georgia Pope as the author’s teacher in both third and fourth grades during the 1950s.
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The author recalls Pope as “very young and beautiful,” with short, dark, curly hair.
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A specific memory from the Indiana piece is Pope’s turquoise-blue sweater decorated with small white pearls, which the author considered especially beautiful.
Stacker has released a series of wealth rankings for five states — Montana, Kansas, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Virginia — using Forbes data to identify each state's richest billionaire. The rankings tap into a century of wealth tracking that began with John D. Rockefeller, often cited as history's first billionaire in 1916, and now encompasses roughly 3,000 billionaires worldwide with combined wealth exceeding $20 trillion Forbes.
The five-state series captures billionaire net worth as of August 18, 2026 for Montana, and September 21, 2026 for the other four states. Montana's richest resident is Dennis Washington, founder of Washington Companies, with a net worth of $9.1 billion Stacker. Kansas leads with Charles Koch at $76.9 billion, while Virginia's Jacqueline Mars holds $50.3 billion Stacker.
Montana's Billionaire: Dennis Washington's $9.1 Billion Fortune
Dennis Washington, founder and chairman of Washington Companies, ranks as Montana's wealthiest resident. Stacker placed his net worth at $9.1 billion using Forbes data frozen on August 18, 2026. Washington built his fortune through construction, mining, and transportation enterprises across multiple western states.
Koch and Mars Lead Wealthy Rankings in Kansas and Virginia
Charles Koch, chairman and CEO of Koch Industries, dominates Kansas's wealth rankings with a net worth of $76.9 billion Stacker. The family-controlled conglomerate spans energy, chemicals, and consumer products. In Virginia, Jacqueline Mars — heir to the Mars Inc. candy fortune — holds the top spot with $50.3 billion in net worth Stacker, making her one of America's wealthiest women.
New Hampshire and Colorado Round Out the Five-State Series
Rick Cohen and his family, owners of C&S Wholesale Grocers, claim New Hampshire's billionaire crown with $21.9 billion Stacker. The wholesale grocery business supplies tens of thousands of stores nationwide. Colorado's ranking completes the regional snapshot, though Stacker data for that state uses the same September 21, 2026 valuation date as Kansas, New Hampshire, and Virginia.
From Rockefeller to Modern Billionaires: A Century of Wealth Tracking
The billionaire rankings underscore how wealth measurement has evolved since John D. Rockefeller became the first recognized billionaire in 1916 Forbes, though some historians credit Henry Ford in 1925. Today, roughly 3,000 billionaires worldwide hold combined assets exceeding $20 trillion Forbes. Stacker's state-by-state approach localizes this global wealth story, connecting abstract mega-fortunes to specific regions and individuals.
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