Richest billionaires in Massachusetts

The first billionaire is generally considered to be John D. Rockefeller in 1916, though some argue it was 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 United States has the most billionaires of any country, Americans are somewhat split on their feelings about the billionaire class. According to data from the Pew Research Center, the nation became somewhat more critical of billionaires between 2020 and 2021.

Although support for individual billionaires like Bill Gates is relatively strong, many Americans view the ultrarich—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 found the richest billionaires in Massachusetts, using data from Forbes. Net worth is as of Sept. 18, 2025.

#20. Niraj Shah
- Net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source: online retail
- Industry: Technology
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#19. Jim Koch
- Net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source: Beer
- Industry: Food & Beverage
- Lives in: Newton, Massachusetts

#18. Stephen Fredette
- Net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source: payments software
- Industry: Technology
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#17. Seth Klarman
- Net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source: Investments
- Industry: Finance & Investments
- Lives in: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

#16. Paul Fireman
- Net worth: $1.3 billion
- Source: Reebok
- Industry: Fashion & Retail
- Lives in: Brookline, Massachusetts

#15. Liesel Pritzker Simmons
- Net worth: $1.5 billion
- Source: Hotels, investments
- Industry: Diversified
- Lives in: Concord, Massachusetts

#14. John Fish
- Net worth: $2.3 billion
- Source: Construction
- Industry: Construction & Engineering
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#13. Herb Chambers
- Net worth: $3.0 billion
- Source: Car dealerships
- Industry: Automotive
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#12. Andrew Bialecki
- Net worth: $3.0 billion
- Source: Marketing software
- Industry: Technology
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#11. Bill Alfond
- Net worth: $3.5 billion
- Source: Shoes
- Industry: Fashion & Retail
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#10. Ted Alfond
- Net worth: $3.5 billion
- Source: Shoes
- Industry: Fashion & Retail
- Lives in: Weston, Massachusetts

#9. Amos Hostetter Jr
- Net worth: $3.9 billion
- Source: Cable television
- Industry: Media & Entertainment
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#8. Phillip T. (Terry) Ragon
- Net worth: $4.4 billion
- Source: Health IT
- Industry: Technology
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#7. Alan Trefler
- Net worth: $4.6 billion
- Source: Software
- Industry: Technology
- Lives in: Brookline, Massachusetts

#6. Jim Davis & family
- Net worth: $5.3 billion
- Source: New Balance
- Industry: Manufacturing
- Lives in: Newton, Massachusetts

#5. Robert Hale Jr
- Net worth: $6.0 billion
- Source: Telecom
- Industry: Telecom
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#4. Elizabeth Johnson
- Net worth: $12.5 billion
- Source: Fidelity
- Industry: Finance & Investments
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#3. Robert Kraft
- Net worth: $13.8 billion
- Source: Manufacturing, New England Patriots
- Industry: Sports
- Lives in: Brookline, Massachusetts

#2. Edward Johnson IV
- Net worth: $14.5 billion
- Source: Fidelity
- Industry: Finance & Investments
- Lives in: Boston, Massachusetts

#1. Abigail Johnson
- Net worth: $35.6 billion
- Source: Fidelity
- Industry: Finance & Investments
- Lives in: Milton, Massachusetts