Forbes’ 2026 ranking of the nation’s 400 wealthiest individuals set a new entry threshold of $4.4 billion, a rise of $600 million from the prior year and $2.7 billion above the level a decade ago. The list now contains six residents of Massachusetts, anchored by Fidelity Investments heir Abigail Johnson, whose net worth climbed to $41.6 billion.
Forbes 400 Overview
The combined wealth of the 400 people on the list reached $8 trillion, up from $6.6 trillion in 2025. Forbes attributes the surge to booming artificial‑intelligence and data‑center sectors, while the U.S. stock market hovers near historic highs. Despite the expansion at the top, 590 American billionaires still fall short of the $4.4 billion cutoff.
Elon Musk retained the top spot with an estimated $908 billion after SpaceX’s initial public offering, followed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos at $378 billion and Alphabet board member Larry Page at $278 billion.
Massachusetts’s Wealthiest
Abigail Johnson, 64, leads the Commonwealth’s representation. The Fidelity heir and chief executive saw her fortune rise from $35 billion to $41.6 billion, moving her from 27th to 25th place nationally. Johnson controls roughly 29 percent of Fidelity, which managed $7.1 trillion in discretionary assets as of December 2025 and launched a pioneering cryptocurrency custody platform in 2018.
Her brother, Edward Johnson IV, 61, ranks second in the state with $16.3 billion, up from $14.2 billion. He serves as president of Pembroke Real Estate, a subsidiary of Fidelity’s parent firm FMR, and holds an estimated 10 percent stake in the publicly traded company.
Robert Kraft, 85, the New England Patriots owner, holds $15.2 billion, a rise from $13.8 billion the previous year. The Patriots, purchased for $172 million in 1994, are now valued at over $10 billion and have secured six Super Bowl titles. Kraft also owns the MLS franchise New England Revolution and launched a Boston‑based Overwatch esports team in 2017.
Elizabeth Johnson, 63, another Fidelity descendant, reported $14.4 billion, up from $12.3 billion. Like her brother, she owns an estimated 10 percent stake in FMR and founded Louisburg Farm, a show‑jumping stable in Wellington, Florida, in 2013.
Jim Davis and his family, owners of New Balance, are listed at $6.7 billion, moving up from $5.2 billion. The shoe maker generated $9.2 billion in sales in 2025, and the family retains a 95 percent ownership stake.
Robert Hale Jr., 60, the CEO and founder of Granite Telecommunications, appears with $6.5 billion. Granite recorded $1.7 billion in sales last year and serves more than 1.8 million voice and data lines across the U.S. and Canada. Hale has contributed over $470 million to cancer research, education and other charitable causes.
Amos Hostetter Jr., 89, rounds out the Massachusetts contingent at $4.5 billion, placing him at 380th overall. He built his wealth through an early investment in Continental Cablevision, which he sold for $11 billion in 1996. Hostetter’s Barr Foundation has donated roughly $1.9 billion to education, the arts and climate initiatives, and he runs the early‑stage firm Pilot House Ventures.
Philanthropy and Market Shifts
The Massachusetts billionaires collectively illustrate a blend of legacy finance, sports ownership, manufacturing and telecommunications. Their charitable contributions total well over $2.8 billion, with notable donations to Harvard, Historic New England, the Institute of Contemporary Art, cancer research and climate action.
Forbes calculates each individual’s net worth by aggregating stakes in public and private companies, real‑estate holdings and other valuable assets. The latest list reflects the accelerating impact of AI‑driven enterprises and data‑center growth on wealth creation, while also highlighting the enduring influence of family‑owned firms such as Fidelity and New Balance in the Commonwealth’s economic landscape.
Norman Pearlstine is the Executive Editor and Co-Founder at News Raise. With over two decades of experience across financial journalism, corporate governance, and market analysis, Norman leads the editorial direction and ensures strict adherence to journalistic accuracy and ethics.
