The first billionaire ever is thought to be Standard Oil magnate John D. Rockefeller back in 1916, or perhaps Henry Ford in 1925. Fast forward some 100 years to 2021: as the COVID-19 pandemic continued to rage, a record-breaking 660 people became billionaires globally, growing the previous year’s number by 30%.
While the U.S. is home to the most billionaires out of any other country, Americans are somewhat split in their feelings on the billionaire class. According to Pew Research Center data, people in the U.S. became somewhat more critical of billionaires between 2020 and 2021. Although support for individual billionaires like Elon Musk or Bill Gates is relatively strong, many Americans view the ultra-rich—as a group rather than as individuals—negatively. Meanwhile, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is projected to become the world’s first trillionaire by 2026.
The U.S.’s wealthiest billionaires are mostly concentrated within just a couple of industries: finance and investments, and technology. Other wealthy sectors include food and drink, fashion and retail, and media and entertainment. Stacker compiled a list of the richest billionaires that are residents of Florida, using data from Forbes. Billionaires are ranked by net worth as of December 11. Forbes lists 80 billionaires in Florida.
20. Charles B. Johnson
- Net worth: $5.0 billion (#526 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: money management
19. Sami Mnaymneh
- Net worth: $5.1 billion (#513 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Miami Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: private equity, Self Made
18. Robert Rich Jr
- Net worth: $5.2 billion (#494 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Islamorada, Florida
- Source of wealth: frozen foods
17. Tom Golisano
- Net worth: $5.4 billion (#479 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Naples, Florida
- Source of wealth: payroll services, Self Made
16. Micky Arison
- Net worth: $5.5 billion (#468 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Bal Harbour, Florida
- Source of wealth: Carnival Cruises
15. Dirk Ziff
- Net worth: $5.7 billion (#445 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: North Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: investments
14. Josh Harris
- Net worth: $5.9 billion (#428 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Miami, Florida
- Source of wealth: private equity, Self Made
13. Terrence Pegula
- Net worth: $6.7 billion (#356 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Boca Raton, Florida
- Source of wealth: natural gas, Self Made
12. Igor Olenicoff
- Net worth: $6.9 billion (#341 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Lighthouse Point, Florida
- Source of wealth: real estate, Self Made
11. J. Christopher Reyes
- Net worth: $7.0 billion (#337 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Hobe Sound, Florida
- Source of wealth: food distribution, Self Made
10. Jude Reyes
- Net worth: $7.0 billion (#337 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: food distribution, Self Made
9. Jeff Greene
- Net worth: $7.2 billion (#319 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: real estate, investments, Self Made
8. Reinhold Schmieding
- Net worth: $7.4 billion (#304 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Naples, Florida
- Source of wealth: medical devices, Self Made
7. Paul Tudor Jones II
- Net worth: $7.5 billion (#287 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: hedge funds, Self Made
6. Orlando Bravo
- Net worth: $7.9 billion (#272 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Miami Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: private equity, Self Made
5. Shahid Khan
- Net worth: $11.3 billion (#158 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Naples, Florida
- Source of wealth: auto parts, Self Made
4. Carl Icahn
- Net worth: $17.5 billion (#92 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Indian Creek, Florida
- Source of wealth: investments, Self Made
3. David Tepper
- Net worth: $18.5 billion (#85 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: hedge funds, Self Made
2. Thomas Peterffy
- Net worth: $24.0 billion (#59 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Palm Beach, Florida
- Source of wealth: discount brokerage, Self Made
1. Ken Griffin
- Net worth: $31.6 billion (#41 wealthiest in the world)
- Residence: Miami, Florida
- Source of wealth: hedge funds, Self Made
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