Ranking the Rich
These 12 Dallas billionaires land on Forbes' list of richest Americans
Nearly 10 percent of the 400 richest Americans live in Texas, with most of the state’s uber-billionaires making their home in Dallas.
Dallas lays claim to 12 billionaires on Forbes' 2017 ranking of the 400 richest Americans, while Houston has 11, Fort Worth has six, Austin has four, and Temple has one. No one from San Antonio shows up on the list.
Walmart heiress Alice Walton of Fort Worth is the richest Texan with an estimated net worth of $38.2 billion. She ranks as the 13th richest person in the U.S.
At No. 2 among the richest Texans is Austin tech titan Michael Dell, whose net worth is estimated at $23.2 billion. Forbes puts him at No. 19 among the richest Americans.
The third richest Texan, according to Forbes, is Andrew Beal. The Dallas banker and real estate mogul is worth an estimated $10.9 billion. Beal is the country’s 45th richest person.
Coming in at No. 4 is Houston energy titan Richard Kinder, whose net worth is pegged at $6.7 billion. He’s the 74th richest American.
Holding down the No. 5 spot is Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, with a net worth estimated at $6.7 billion. Overall, he sits at No. 95 on the list of the richest Americans.
“America’s richest are richer than ever. The minimum net worth to make the Forbes list of 400 wealthiest Americans is now a record $2 billion,” say Luisa Kroll and Kerry Dolan, assistant managing editors of wealth at Forbes Media.
Two San Antonians — Rod Lewis and Red McCombs — failed to make this year’s list because their net worth falls below $2 billion. Meanwhile, another San Antonian, Charles Butt, doesn’t appear on the list because Forbes combines his net worth with the rest of the Butt family. The family fortune is estimated at $10.7 billion.
Here's a list of the 29 other richest of the rich in Texas, including their estimated net worth and main source of wealth.
- Dannine Avara, No. 97 (tie), Houston, $5.5 billion, pipelines.
- Scott Duncan, No. 97 (tie), Houston, $5.5 billion, pipelines.
- Milane Frantz, No. 97 (tie), Houston, $5.5 billion, pipelines.
- Randa Williams, No. 97 (tie), Houston, $5.5 billion, pipelines.
- Robert Rowling, No. 108, Dallas, $5.2 billion, investments.
- Robert Bass, No. 122 (tie), Fort Worth, $4.9 billion, oil and investments.
- Ray Lee Hunt, No. 122 (tie), Dallas, $4.9 billion, oil and real estate.
- Trevor Rees-Jones, No. 132, Dallas, $4.8 billion, oil and gas.
- Kelcy Warren, No. 161, Dallas, $4.2 billion, pipelines.
- Ross Perot Sr., No. 167, Dallas, $4.1 billion, computer services and real estate.
- Robert McNair, No. 186, Houston, $3.8 billion, energy.
- Dan Friedkin, No. 200, Houston, $3.7 billion, Toyota dealerships.
- Jeffery Hildebrand, No. 206, Houston, $3.6 billion, oil.
- Tilman Fertitta, No. 212, Houston, $3.5 billion, restaurants and casinos.
- Sid Bass, No. 219, Fort Worth, $3.4 billion, oil and investments.
- John Arnold, No. 226 (tie), Houston, $3.3 billion, hedge funds.
- Mark Cuban, No. 226 (tie), Dallas, $3.3 billion, online media.
- Robert Smith, Austin, No. 226 (tie), $3.3 billion, private equity.
- John Paul DeJoria, No. 248, Austin, $3.1 billion, hair care products and tequila.
- Gerald Ford, No. 278, Dallas, $2.9 billion, banking.
- Ray Davis, No. 288, Dallas, $2.8 billion, pipelines.
- Lee Bass, No. 315 (tie), Fort Worth, $2.6 billion, oil and investments.
- David Bonderman, No. 315 (tie), Fort Worth, $2.6 billion, private equity.
- Edward Bass, No. 324 (tie), Fort Worth, $2.5 billion, oil and investments.
- Bert “Tito” Beveridge, No. 324 (tie), Austin, $2.5 billion, vodka.
- George Bishop, No. 324 (tie), The Woodlands (Houston), $2.5 billion, oil.
- W. Herbert Hunt, No. 374 (tie), Dallas, $2.1 billion, oil.
- Drayton McLane Jr., No. 374 (tie), Temple, $2.1 billion, Walmart and logistics.
- Ross Perot Jr., 374 (tie), Dallas, $2.1 billion.
