The largest family fortunes in the United States have been built largely through companies that have been around for generations rather than through overnight success stories. Many of these companies are still privately owned or still closely controlled by the founding families, allowing wealth to be transferred while expanding into new markets.
Retail, food production, finance, manufacturing, hospitality and media still dominate the list, showing that established companies remain at the heart of the fortunes of America’s largest families. As reported by Forbes 2026, check out below the top 10 families with a combined wealth of over $1 trillion. The Walton and Mars families are known around the world, while others have built vast fortunes through industries of much less public attention.
Together, these families represent decades of business growth, careful succession planning, and multi-generational ownership that continue to shape the American economy.
The 10 richest families in America in 2026
| Rank | family | net worth | The main source of wealth | industry | Hometown |
| 1 | Walton family | 520 billion dollars | Walmart | Fashion and retail | (Bentonville, Arkansas). |
| 2 | Koch family | $157 billion | Koch Company | Miscellaneous | Wichita, Kansas |
| 3 | Mars family | $129 billion | Mars Company | Food and drinks | McLean, Virginia |
| 4 | (Edward) Johnson family | $69.5 billion | Sincerity | Finance and investment | Boston, Massachusetts |
| 5 | Cargill Macmillan family | $67.9 billion | Cargill company | Food and drinks | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 6 | Pritzker family | $53.2 billion | Hyatt hotels and various investments | Miscellaneous | Chicago, Illinois |
| 7 | Duncan family | 43 billion dollars | Pipeline works | energy | Houston, Texas |
| 8 | Cathy’s family | $40.2 billion | Chick-fil-A | Food and drinks | Atlanta, Georgia |
| 9 | SC Johnson Family | 39 billion dollars | Cleaning products | manufacturing | Racine, Wisconsin |
| 10 | Cox family | 38 billion dollars | Media business | Media and entertainment | Atlanta, Georgia |
The richest families in America And their multi-billion dollar business empires
Walton family
Estimated net worth: $520 billionThe Walton family remains the richest family in America by a wide margin, having built their fortune on Walmart, the world’s largest retailer. Founded by Sam Walton in Arkansas in 1962, the company has transformed discount retail through its large-format stores and efficient supply chain.
Although Walmart is now a global company with thousands of locations, members of the Walton family still own significant stakes in the company.
Four generations have benefited from the company’s growth, making the family the richest family in the country again in 2026.
Koch family
Estimated net worth: $157 billionThe Koch family’s wealth comes from Koch, Inc., one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. Originally founded as an oil company, the company gradually expanded into chemicals, manufacturing, energy, commodities, paper products, and many other industries.
Because the company remained privately owned, the family retained significant control over its operations and wealth.
Based in Wichita, Kansas, the Koch family fortune has now passed through four generations.
Mars family
Estimated net worth: $129 billionThe Mars family has built one of the largest privately owned food companies in the world. Produced by Mars, Inc. World-known chocolate brands along with pet food, snacks and other consumer products sold in dozens of countries.
The company has deliberately remained private throughout its history, which has helped maintain family ownership over six generations. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, it continues to oversee a business that has expanded beyond confectionery.
(Edward) Johnson family
Estimated net worth: $69.5 billionThe Johnson family owes its fortune to Fidelity, one of the world’s largest investment management and financial services companies. Founded in Boston, the company manages trillions of dollars on behalf of individual and institutional investors.
Family leadership has been a hallmark of Fidelity for decades, with four generations contributing to the company’s long-term development. Finance remains the sole basis of family wealth.
Cargill Macmillan family
Estimated net worth: $67.9 billionThe Cargill-MacMillan family traces its wealth to Cargill Inc., a company closely linked to agriculture and global food supply chains. The company deals with grain trading, food production, animal nutrition and agricultural services in many countries.
Remaining privately owned has helped maintain the family’s significant ownership over six generations. The family’s roots remain closely tied to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Cargill established its early operations.
Pritzker family
Estimated net worth: $53.2 billionAlthough Hyatt Hotels is the name most closely associated with the Pritzker family, its wealth extends beyond hospitality. Family investments span manufacturing, finance, technology, healthcare and many other industries, creating one of the most diversified fortunes in the country.
Based in Chicago, the family has maintained its business interests through five generations while remaining active in both business and philanthropy.
Duncan family
Estimated net worth: $43 billionThe Duncan family fortune was built through energy infrastructure businesses rather than oil production itself. Its wealth is closely tied to the pipeline networks that transport crude oil, natural gas and related products across the United States. The family operates out of Houston, Texas, and has benefited from decades of growth in the energy sector.
Four generations now share ownership of this long-standing business empire.
Cathy’s family
Estimated net worth: $40.2 billionCathy’s family is best known as the owner of Chick-fil-A, one of the largest fast food chains in America. The company, founded by S. Cathay’s has steadily increased in popularity while remaining privately owned and family controlled. Unlike many restaurant companies that expand through public menus, Chick-fil-A has remained under family ownership through four generations.
The company’s headquarters remain in Atlanta, Georgia.
SC Johnson Family
Estimated net worth: $39 billionThe SC Johnson family built its fortune through household cleaning and consumer products sold around the world. The company’s products have been used in homes for generations, helping to create a stable manufacturing business with a global reach. Seven generations of the family have maintained the property, making it one of the oldest family fortunes on the list.
The company continues to operate from its longtime base in Racine, Wisconsin.
Cox family
Estimated net worth: $38 billionThe Cox family’s wealth comes from media and communications companies developed over more than a century. What started with newspapers gradually expanded into television, radio, broadband and digital services. Although the media industry has changed dramatically, the family has continued to adapt, retaining ownership through five generations. The Cox family is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is among the ten richest families in America in 2026.
