George Washington ($587 million)
Our first president had a net worth of over $587 million thanks to his Virginia plantation that consisted of five different farms over 8,000 acres of land. Washington would be known for making way more than subsequent presidents as well, though it’s good to remember his wealth was built on the backs of 300 slaves.
John Adams ($21.3 million)
John Adams served as the country’s second president from 1797 to 1801 and received a considerable inheritance from his father. His wife was also a member of a very prestigious family in Massachusetts. Besides his presidency, Adams also had a very successful law practice.
Thomas Jefferson ($236.8 million)
Jefferson was left a very large estate and a few dozen slaves by his father. Living on his 5,000-acre plantation in Virginia, it was considered an architectural marvel at the time. While he made quite a bit of money during his political endeavors, by the end of his presidency he was swarming in debt.
James Madison ($113.3 million)
James Madison served as president from 1809-1817 and owned the largest amount of land in Orange County, Virginia. During his time as secretary of state, he made quite a bit of money but lost it all towards the end of his life when his plantation financially imploded.
James Monroe ($30.4 million)
Married to the wealthy daughter of a British officer, Monroe did very well for himself as president during his eight years in office. Unfortunately, after retiring early he racked up serious debt, which resulted in him having to sell his plantation.
John Quincy Adams ($23.3 million)
Inheriting his father’s 40-acres of land known as “Peacefield,” Adams married the daughter of a wealthy merchant that helped boost his overall worth. Besides being president, Adams spent most of his life in public service.
Andrew Jackson ($132.6 million)
Marrying into wealth and making money in the military, Jackson was one of the wealthiest presidents in the early 1800’s. While he claimed to be in touch with the average American, he operated a homestead with over 300 slaves on prime real estate.
Martin Van Buren ($29.3 million)
Before taking on the office of the presidency, Van Buren made quite a bit of money as an attorney. He was one of two men that served as secretary of state, vice president, and president. Talk about a triple threat!
William Henry Harrison ($6.1 million)
Harrison’s wealth primarily came by way of marrying into money. His wife’s father was a prominent judge and he also owned a mansion in Indiana. Unfortunately, Harrison would die flat broke, leaving his widow with nothing.
John Tyler ($57.7 million)
The country’s 10th president inherited a tobacco plantation and he made sure to marry wealthy as well. Sadly, like most of his peers before him, the Civil War would leave him in massive debt and he died completely penniless.
James Knox Polk ($11.1 million)
Thanks to his 1,600-acre plantation and wealthy wife, Polk lived a comfortable life as millionaire before and after his one-term presidency. He also made quite a bit of dough during his time as the governor of Tennessee.
Zachary Taylor ($7.1 million)
Zachary Taylor served as president from 1849-1850 and obtained most of his wealth via an inheritance which gifted him large swaths of land in Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi. He also owned a very large plantation in Baton Rouge.
Millard Fillmore ($4 million)
Fillmore was not as well-off as some of the other presidents during his time. Neither he or his wife had any significant inheritance, although he did found a college that provided a comfortable stream of income.
Abraham Lincoln (<$1 million)
It should come as no surprise that Abraham Lincoln was not “wealthy” by any means. He was born in a log cabin and worked various jobs before becoming president, including a failing general store. His family home was quite modest as well, which was located in Springfield, Illinois.
Herbert Clark Hoover ($83.9 million)
Herbert Hoover served as the 31st president of the United States and was born an orphan. He would end up being raised by his uncle and would go on to make a fortune as an executive at a mining company. He would go on to donate his presidential salary to charity. Quite generous of him we have to say.
Franklin D. Roosevelt ($66.8 million)
Roosevelt obtained his wealth through his inheritance as well as marriage. Throughout his life, he worked in public service and owned an 800-acre estate known as “Springwood.”
John F. Kennedy ($1.1 billion)
John F. Kennedy was born into extreme wealth and his wife Jackie was an oil heiress. His father was considered to be one of the wealthiest men in America. Most of the income for Kennedy was part of a trust that he shared with his other family members.
Lyndon B. Johnson ($109.3 million)
Johnson was not born into wealth. Prior to his birth, his father went bankrupt, but that didn’t stop Johnson from working his way up the ladder. Besides being president, he and his wife ran their own radio and tv station in Austin, Texas. Who knew?
Richard Nixon ($17.2 million)
Disgraced President Nixon spent most of his life as a public servant and he was not born into wealth. He made quite a bundle from his interviews with David Frost and his book advances. He also owned real estate in California and Florida. Nixon is best known for the Watergate Scandal.
Gerald Ford Jr. ($8.1 million)
Gerald Ford began to accumulate his wealth after his presidency and made roughly $1 million per year from book advances. He also served on the board of several prominent companies, which helped add to his millions.
Ronald Reagan ($14.2 million)
Ronald Reagan was one of the first presidents who did not have a political background. He made his millions working as a television and film actor, and also made a huge sum of money from his autobiography.
George Bush ($26.3 million)
George Bush Sr. comes from the Bush dynasty which is known for its wealth. He made most of his money from offshore drilling and also owns millions of dollars in property in Maine.
Bill Clinton ($75.9 million)
It should be no surprise that Bill Clinton is loaded. While he was not wealthy before or during his presidency, it was after he left office that the money started coming in. Bill and Hillary have made millions from their book deals and paid speeches over the years.
George W. Bush ($39.5 million)
Despite his family’s money, Bush Jr. was a successful businessman and also served as the governor of Texas. He would go on to make millions from the oil industry and also owned the Texas Rangers.
Barack Obama ($40 million)
Most of Obama’s wealth has accumulated post-presidency, where he gets paid six-figures for speeches and also inked a $65 million deal for the rights to his memoir. While his total net worth isn’t 100 percent clarified, he is expected to rake in millions over the next few years.
Donald Trump ($3.1 billion)
The richest president in the history of the country, Donald Trump took over his father’s real estate company and transformed into a billion dollar empire. He owns real estate and golf courses around the globe, and couldn’t care less about his current presidential salary.