The fortunes of America’s presidents have ranged from multi-billion dollar empires to near-zero net worth. Many early presidents amassed wealth through land ownership (often supported by enslaved labor) and inheritance, while more recent presidents frequently capitalized on book deals and speaking engagements after leaving office. There have officially been 46 presidencies but only 45 individuals as president (Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms). In this updated ranking, we list all 45 presidents (through President #46) by their peak inflation-adjusted net worth, from the richest to the most financially humble.

Side note: We want to acknowledge the morbid (but true) fact that some early Presidents owned slaves, and those slaves were counted as assets when accounting for their wealth. Whenever we publish an article about early Presidential wealth, we receive a handful of complaints from people who think we are making light of slavery by including it as part of someone’s net worth. We are not making light of slavery. The reality is that owning hundreds of slaves was an extremely valuable asset, sometimes the most valuable asset someone had in the 1700s and 1800s.

Being the President of the United States is definitely one of the greatest jobs in the world. Not only are you the most powerful person in the free world, but you get paid a hefty salary plus incredible perks like access to Air Force One, Camp David, and, of course, The White House.

Since 2001, the President has been paid an annual salary of $400,000. The President also has access to a $200,000 travel and entertainment expense account. Between 1789 and 1873, the President’s salary was $25,000, which is equal to $673,000 in today’s inflation-adjusted dollars. In 1873, the salary was increased to $50,000 ($992,000 today). In 1909 it was bumped up to $75,000 ($1.9 million), then in 1949 it was raised to $100,000 ($967,000), and then in 1969 the salary was set at $200,000 ($1.2 million).

A final perk of being President is that once you leave office, you are paid an annual pension of $199,000. You are also entitled to Secret Service protection for life plus $100,000 per year for staff, office space, and medical insurance. This last perk only became available to Presidents after 1958. Enough dilly-dallying; let’s take a look at the inflation-adjusted net worth of each American President, listed from richest to poorest!

The Richest Presidents Of All Time, Inflation-Adjusted

#1: Donald J. Trump – $6 billion

Trump is a real estate mogul and the first billionaire to become U.S. president. He inherited a substantial real estate portfolio from his father, Fred Trump, and expanded it into a business empire of luxury properties, hotels, golf courses, and licensing deals. His celebrity on The Apprentice and global branding ventures further boosted his wealth. Notably, Trump’s fortune actually declined during his first term (2017–2021) – he was the only president whose net worth dropped while in office, largely due to the pandemic’s impact on his businesses. After being re-elected in 2024, Trump’s net worth surged to an estimated $6 billion by early 2025, cementing his status as the richest president in U.S. history.

#2: George Washington – $525 million

The nation’s first president was one of its wealthiest landowners. Washington acquired roughly 8,000 acres of prime farmland in Virginia (Mount Vernon and other lands) and held about 300 enslaved people, who were unfortunately counted as assets in 18th-century wealth calculations. He bolstered his fortune through a mix of inheritance, his marriage to the wealthy widow Martha Custis, land speculation (a perk of his work as a surveyor), and diverse enterprises including a profitable whiskey distillery. Washington even earned a substantial presidential salary (equal to about 2% of the entire U.S. budget in 1789), though he was known for his personal frugality and sound financial management.

#3: Thomas Jefferson – $212 million

Jefferson inherited a vast estate of about 5,000 acres (Monticello) and dozens of slaves from his father, and he enlarged his holdings through public service and land deals. Despite this huge fortune, Jefferson was notoriously fond of luxury and lived beyond his means. He spent extravagantly on fine wines (reportedly an inflation-adjusted $1 million per year on wine), elegant furnishings, books, and architecture. By the time he died, Jefferson’s debts far exceeded the value of his assets, forcing his heirs to sell off Monticello and other property to satisfy creditors – a dramatic fall from the height of his wealth.

#4: Theodore Roosevelt – $125 million

Born into the affluent Roosevelt family, Teddy Roosevelt inherited a large trust fund and substantial family real estate (over 200 acres on Long Island). In his younger years he was a lavish spender and adventurous investor: he poured much of his fortune into risky ventures (like cattle ranching in the Dakotas and other land speculation) that often failed. He did manage to recoup some losses through wise real estate deals and the sales of his prolific writings (Roosevelt was a renowned author of historical and nature books). By the end of his life, Roosevelt’s net worth stood around $125 million – still among the top ten richest presidents – despite his freewheeling financial habits.

#5: Andrew Jackson – $120 million

“Old Hickory” rose from poverty to extraordinary wealth. Jackson made his fortune as a frontier lawyer, a land speculator, and a military hero who leveraged his fame into political power. He acquired a 1,000-acre plantation (the Hermitage in Tennessee) and at one point owned roughly 150 slaves, which were a major source of his wealth. Interestingly, Jackson also married into money – his wife Rachel brought him additional land and assets. By the time of his death, Jackson had amassed about a $119–120 million fortune, making him far wealthier than the average American of his era.

#6: Bill Clinton – $120 million

Clinton’s wealth is largely a post-presidential story of financial success. Coming from a humble background, he entered the White House in 1993 with a modest net worth (around $1 million or less at the start of his presidency). After leaving office in 2001, Clinton capitalized on his fame with lucrative speaking engagements and bestselling books. He has earned over $100 million from paid speeches alone, and many millions more from book advances and memoir sales. The result is a net worth of about $120 million today – an increase of roughly 9,000% from when he took office, the largest wealth jump of any U.S. president.

#7: James Madison – $100 million

The “Father of the Constitution” was once one of the largest landowners in Virginia. Madison inherited his family estate (the 5,000-acre Montpelier plantation) and owned dozens of slaves who worked the tobacco fields. His wealth, estimated around $100 million at its peak, was tied up in land and slave labor. However, Madison’s finances took a downturn later in life: a collapse in tobacco prices and the extravagances of his stepson (who ran up debts that James and Dolley Madison covered) depleted much of his fortune. By his death in 1836, Madison had spent or lost most of his wealth, forcing Dolley Madison to sell off Montpelier and its remaining slaves to pay debts.

#8: John F. Kennedy – $100 million

Born into the Kennedy dynasty, JFK enjoyed a life of privilege but did not personally own the bulk of his family’s fortune. His father, Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., was a multi-millionaire (close to $1 billion in today’s dollars) thanks to liquor importing, Wall Street dealings, and Hollywood investments. That wealth was held in a family trust that benefited JFK and his siblings, meaning John had access to trust funds (about $10 million in 1960s dollars) and family-backed luxuries. He certainly lived like a wealthy man – with estates, yachts, and elegant furnishings – largely funded by his father. But JFK’s own inflation-adjusted net worth is pegged around $100 million, since his personal assets were only a slice of the larger Kennedy fortune.

#9: Lyndon B. Johnson – $100 million

Lyndon Johnson, who once taught school in rural Texas, became exceedingly rich by the end of his career. A key turning point was his marriage to Claudia “Lady Bird” Taylor, a savvy businesswoman who invested in a Texas radio station in 1943 and later a TV station – assets that grew immensely in value. The Johnsons also accumulated extensive ranch land and cattle in Texas. By the time he left the White House in 1969, LBJ had an estimated net worth near $98–100 million, making him the richest U.S. president of the 20th century (before Donald Trump). His fortune was built on media holdings (Lady Bird’s broadcasting empire became highly profitable) and land – a remarkable outcome for a man who started with very little.

#10: Barack Obama – $70 million

Obama’s net worth skyrocketed after he left office, thanks to high-paying media and publishing deals. Before his presidency, Obama’s assets were modest – roughly $1–1.5 million in 2008, largely from his best-selling books Dreams from My Father and The Audacity of Hope. As president he earned a $400k salary, but it was after 2017 that his wealth truly ballooned. Barack and Michelle Obama secured a joint book advance reported at $65 million, and Michelle’s memoir Becoming alone was a massive bestseller. The Obamas also inked a production deal with Netflix worth an estimated $50 million, and they command top-dollar on the speaking circuit. In total, Barack Obama’s net worth is about $70 million today – an increase of over 5,000% from when he entered the White House – making him one of the most financially successful ex-presidents in history.

#11: Herbert Hoover – $70 million

Long before entering politics, Hoover became a self-made multimillionaire. Orphaned as a child, he trained as a mining engineer and went on to make a fortune in the global mining industry. Hoover managed lucrative mining operations on several continents (including Australia, China and elsewhere) and earned big as an executive and investor in mining companies. By the 1920s, his wealth was secure – ironically, he presided over the Great Depression but remained personally rich, with an inflation-adjusted net worth around $70 million. Known for his philanthropy, Hoover was also one of the first presidents to forgo the presidential salary, donating much of his pay to charity.

#12: Franklin Delano Roosevelt – $60 million

FDR was born into the patrician Roosevelt family and inherited great wealth, but he didn’t have free rein over it. Much of his fortune (estimated around $60 million) came from the Delano side of his family and from his marriage to Eleanor Roosevelt (who herself was born into privilege as Teddy Roosevelt’s niece). However, FDR’s formidable mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, tightly controlled the purse strings. For most of FDR’s adult life, his mother managed his trust fund and expenses to curb any spendthrift tendencies. Roosevelt lived comfortably off his inheritance, owning multiple homes (like the Hyde Park estate in New York), and later in life he did spend significantly on his passion project at Warm Springs for polio treatment. He died in office in 1945, leaving behind a sizable estate reflective of Old Money stewardship rather than entrepreneurial earnings.

#13: John Tyler – $50 million

John Tyler, the 10th president, was a Virginia plantation aristocrat. He inherited land and wealth from his family and eventually owned thousands of acres of fertile plantation land, primarily growing tobacco. Like many early presidents, Tyler’s net worth was tied to land and slavery – he enslaved dozens of people to work his plantations (a major component of his wealth). Despite a career in public service (Governor of Virginia, Vice President, then President), he maintained and even expanded his personal estates. Tyler’s fortune, roughly $50 million in today’s terms, dwindled later in life (he sided with the Confederacy and saw some upheavals), but he never experienced true financial hardship. He retired to his Sherwood Forest plantation, which symbolized the old Southern wealth he embodied.

#14: George W. Bush – $50 million

The son of one president and grandson of a U.S. senator, George W. Bush was born into a well-to-do family yet also made a fortune on his own. After a stint in the Texas oil industry (where he founded and sold an oil exploration company), Bush became a part-owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team, investing about $600,000 in 1989. Less than a decade later, he sold his stake in the team for over $15 million, a windfall that formed the backbone of his wealth. In addition, Bush benefited from his family connections and investments, and after leaving the presidency he earned millions from his memoir Decision Points and the speaking circuit. All told, “W” is worth an estimated $50 million, built from oil, sports, and post-presidential endeavors.

#15: James Monroe – $30 million

Monroe’s finances were a tale of wealth on paper but troubles in practice. He reached an estimated $30 million net worth (today’s dollars) at his peak, largely from landholdings and his lengthy career in government service. However, Monroe also spent huge sums out-of-pocket on official entertaining and duties (especially while serving as a diplomat and as President) and was never fully reimbursed by the government. When he left office in 1825, Monroe was deeply in debt – he spent years petitioning Congress to repay money he believed he was owed for past public service. Eventually, the federal government granted him some relief, which helped Monroe pay off his creditors and leave a small inheritance to his children. Despite an “Era of Good Feelings” under his leadership, Monroe’s personal finances were often in disarray behind the scenes.

#16: Martin Van Buren – $25 million

A skilled lawyer and shrewd politician, Van Buren accumulated a healthy fortune of about $25 million. He earned wealth through his law practice in New York and savvy investments in land. In fact, after his presidency, Van Buren purchased a large estate called Lindenwald in upstate New York and spent years expanding its acreage and improving its operations. His lifestyle was comfortable: he was sometimes derided as “Martin Van Ruin” by political opponents for economic troubles during his term, but personally he did not ruin his finances. Van Buren’s affluence came from a combination of public service salaries and private ventures, and he lived out his post-presidential years as a gentleman farmer and investor, leaving an estate valued in the tens of millions (in 2023 dollars).

#17: George H. W. Bush – $25 million

George H.W. Bush hailed from a prominent family and also blazed his own trail in business. His father Prescott Bush was a wealthy investment banker and U.S. Senator, giving young George a head start in life. After World War II, Bush moved to West Texas and cofounded Zapata Petroleum, an oil and gas company, in the 1950s. His ventures in the Texas oil fields proved highly profitable – he made his first millions there. By the time he entered politics full-time, Bush was financially secure, with investments, a family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, and other assets. As president he earned a salary, and later he too gave paid speeches (though far fewer than some successors). At his death in 2018, Bush Sr.’s net worth was about $25 million, grounded in oil wealth and prudent investing.

#18: Grover Cleveland – $25 million

Cleveland had a solid, though not spectacular, net worth of roughly $25 million. He started from modest means – a lawyer by profession, Cleveland worked his way up in politics as Mayor of Buffalo and Governor of New York. His presidential years (1885–1889 and 1893–1897) were not spent amassing wealth, but his years as an attorney and later involvement in business ventures provided for a comfortable fortune. After leaving the White House, Cleveland retired to Princeton, New Jersey, where he served as a trustee of Princeton University and wrote occasionally. He did not aggressively cash in on his presidency as modern leaders do, but he also avoided financial troubles. Cleveland’s wealth came from a lifetime of public service salaries and legal practice earnings, invested prudently – enough to make him worth about $25 million in today’s dollars.

#19: John Adams – $20 million

The second U.S. president, John Adams, built his wealth through law, land, and a bit of luck via marriage. Adams was a successful attorney in colonial Massachusetts, which provided a solid income. Unlike some of his Southern contemporaries, he didn’t own plantations or slaves, but he did acquire a farm (Peacefield in Quincy, MA) and other real estate. Crucially, Adams married Abigail Smith, who came from a prosperous family and proved to be financially astute. Abigail Adams engaged in speculative investments – for instance, she bought government bonds at rock-bottom prices after the Revolution, a risky move that paid off handsomely when those debts were honored. Thanks in part to his wife’s savvy and his legal career, John Adams’s estate was worth roughly $20 million today. He lived frugally in retirement on his farm, ensuring the Adams family remained well-off into the next generation.

#20: John Quincy Adams – $20 million

Like father, like son: John Quincy Adams also amassed about $20 million, benefitting from both inheritance and a favorable marriage. He was left the family homestead in Massachusetts (Peacefield) by his parents John and Abigail, giving him a tangible asset base. J.Q. Adams had a long diplomatic and political career (as ambassador, Secretary of State, President, and later a congressman), but government service in those days did not generate great wealth. The bulk of his fortune came via family and marriage. His wife, Louisa Catherine Adams, hailed from a wealthy merchant family – her father was an American businessman in London who provided her with a substantial dowry and expensive personal assets (she grew up in a home with 11 servants). With prudent management of his estates and the boost from his wife’s family wealth, John Quincy Adams lived comfortably, though he was more proud of his public service than any material riches.

#21: Richard Nixon – $15 million

Nixon did not enter the White House a rich man, but he was determined to secure his finances afterward. Coming from a middle-class background (his father ran a grocery store/gas station), Nixon had earned a decent living as a lawyer and career politician. The real money came after his presidency. Following his resignation in 1974, Nixon moved to New York and then New Jersey, and he rehabilitated his finances through high-profile book deals and paid interviews. His memoir RN: The Memoirs of Richard Nixon was a bestseller, and he famously was paid $600,000 (plus a share of profits) for a series of TV interviews with David Frost in 1977 – a huge sum at the time. Nixon also made some shrewd real estate investments in California and New York. Despite the Watergate scandal, he managed to die a wealthy man; his net worth was about $15 million, much of it thanks to post-presidential writing, consulting, and real estate deals.

#22: Ronald Reagan – $13 million

Reagan’s wealth came more from the boardroom than Hollywood. As a film actor in the 1940s–50s, Reagan earned a steady income but never became truly rich from movies. His savvy move was becoming a spokesman for General Electric in the 1950s: as host of TV’s GE Theater, Reagan toured GE plants and became the company’s public ambassador, which paid handsomely and gave him national visibility. By the time he entered politics, he had a comfortable nest egg and a ranch property in California. As president, Reagan earned the standard salary, and afterward he capitalized further: his 1990 autobiography An American Life fetched a multi-million-dollar advance, and he famously was paid $2 million for a speaking tour in Japan after leaving office. Reagan’s net worth was about $10–13 million at the time of his death in 2004. (Thanks to booming California real estate, the value of the Reagans’ Bel Air home later appreciated, bringing the estate to ~$25 million by 2016.) Reagan’s fortune thus stemmed from corporate sponsorships, real estate, and writing, rather than his earlier Hollywood career.

#23: James K. Polk – $10 million

Polk’s wealth was moderate compared to many earlier presidents, but significant nonetheless. A lawyer and career public servant from Tennessee, Polk didn’t inherit vast plantations, yet during his life he did invest in land and slaves. In the 1830s, while serving in Congress, Polk purchased a plantation in Mississippi where enslaved workers grew cotton – this became a primary source of his wealth. By the end of his presidency (1845–1849), Polk’s estate was valued at around $10 million in today’s dollars. He and his wife Sarah lived comfortably in retirement, but not for long – Polk died just three months after leaving office. Most of his wealth passed to Sarah Polk, who managed and lived off the plantation income for decades after. Polk’s financial legacy was thus built on law practice, prudent land acquisitions, and slave labor on his Mississippi estate.

#24: Joseph R. Biden – $9 million

Joe Biden famously called himself “Middle-Class Joe,” and compared to other recent presidents, his net worth is indeed relatively low. After decades in the Senate (where his salary eventually reached around $174,000 a year), Biden’s assets were limited mostly to his family home in Delaware and some savings. Upon leaving the vice presidency in 2017, Biden’s net worth was under $1 million. However, like many modern officials, he turned memoirs and speeches into millions: Biden and his wife Jill reportedly earned over $15 million in the two years after his vice presidency from book deals and speaking fees. His memoir Promise Me, Dad and other books, plus paid speaking engagements, boosted his finances significantly. As of 2025, Biden’s net worth is about $9 million—making him comfortable, though he jokingly noted he was one of the “poorest men in Congress” during his Senate years. Compared to the ultra-wealthy figures on this list, Biden remains one of the more financially modest modern presidents.

#25: Dwight D. Eisenhower – $8 million

Eisenhower was a career Army officer who didn’t earn much outside his military pay until after World War II. His big financial break came from his writings: after WWII, General Eisenhower wrote Crusade in Europe, a best-selling memoir of his war years, which earned him significant royalties and a hefty $635,000 advance (a multi-million dollar sum in today’s money). After serving two terms as president (1953–1961), Eisenhower retired to a farm at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and proceeded to write two more memoirs and an autobiography, all of which sold well. These publishing successes, combined with careful investments and the value of his Gettysburg farm, gave Ike an estimated net worth of about $8 million. Ever the dignified public servant, Eisenhower also quietly benefited from an army pension and the presidential pension, ensuring he and Mamie lived comfortably but not lavishly.

#26: Gerald Ford – $7 million

Ford did not accumulate wealth during his political career—he was a Congressman for 25 years on a government salary, then suddenly became President (1974–1977) without any business background. His financial ascent came after the presidency. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Ford served on the boards of several major corporations (such as American Express and 20th Century Fox), which paid handsomely, and he gave numerous paid speeches. He also co-wrote a memoir (A Time to Heal). These endeavors earned him a few million dollars. By the end of his life, Ford’s net worth was roughly $7 million. He and his wife Betty settled in comfortable retirement homes in California and Colorado. Ford’s case was an early example of the modern trend of ex-presidents monetizing their experience (though his sums were modest by Clinton/Obama standards), marking a shift from the day when former presidents often struggled financially.

#27: Jimmy Carter – $7 million

Jimmy Carter left office in 1981 as one of the less wealthy modern presidents, and he intentionally avoided cashing in on his presidency to any great degree. A peanut farmer and warehouse owner prior to politics, Carter had a small business in Plains, Georgia, which wasn’t especially lucrative and even fell into debt while he was governor. After his presidency, Carter turned to writing as his primary income source. Over the decades, he has authored dozens of books—on topics ranging from peace negotiations to reflections on faith—that together earned several million dollars. He notably eschewed the high-paid lecture circuit that many others pursued, focusing instead on humanitarian work (Habitat for Humanity) and diplomacy. Carter’s net worth today is about $7 million, stemming from book royalties, a federal pension, and the family farm. This relatively modest wealth underscores Carter’s image as a frugal, service-oriented leader, far from the moguls at the top of this list.

#28: Zachary Taylor – $6 million

A career soldier, General “Old Rough and Ready” Taylor was not primarily a man of business, but he did acquire some wealth through land and military reward. Taylor served in the U.S. Army for four decades, earning soldier’s pay that was adequate but not massive. His fame from the Mexican–American War led a group of admirers to purchase him a Louisiana plantation, which included several hundred acres and enslaved workers—this became a significant asset. By the time of his brief presidency (1849–1850), Taylor’s holdings (land, slaves, and savings from Army pay) were worth about $6 million in today’s terms. Unfortunately, Taylor died just 16 months into his term, so he never had the chance to expand his wealth through the presidency. His estate, including the cotton plantation, passed to his wife Margaret and their children. Taylor’s financial legacy illustrates how even non-entrepreneurial figures of the 19th century could end up relatively wealthy via land grants and public gratitude.

#29: William Henry Harrison – $5 million

Harrison’s net worth was limited, in part because he had little time to enjoy any financial rewards of the presidency. He came from the Virginia planter aristocracy (the Harrison family had some wealth and prestige), but as a younger son, William Henry did not inherit a huge estate. He spent much of his career in the Army and on the frontier, serving as Governor of the Indiana Territory, where he did acquire some land. By the 1830s, he owned a farm in Ohio (his home, Grouseland, in Indiana and later a farm in Ohio) and had some land grants from his military service. His total net worth was roughly $5 million in today’s dollars. Tragically, Harrison died of pneumonia just one month after taking office in 1841—the shortest presidency in history—so he never benefited from a presidential salary or post-presidential opportunities. His widow Anna received a special pension from Congress, as Harrison hadn’t even lived long enough to draw a salary, highlighting that Harrison himself left only a modest estate.

#30: Benjamin Harrison – $5 million

Grandson of William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison had a respectable but not enormous fortune, around $5 million in modern valuation. A prominent attorney in Indianapolis, he earned a good income from his law practice before entering politics. Harrison did not have significant inherited wealth aside from the famous name—his father was a middling lawyer and farmer. As President (1889–1893), he lived on his government salary. After leaving office, Benjamin Harrison supplemented his finances by returning to law, including leading a high-profile international arbitration case (the Venezuela-British Guiana boundary dispute). He also married a second wife late in life (Mary Dimmick Harrison, his first wife’s niece), but she was not particularly wealthy. Harrison’s lifestyle was comfortable; he owned a fine home in Indianapolis (now a presidential museum) and some investments. In sum, his wealth came from professional earnings as a lawyer and prudent management, totaling roughly $5 million at peak.

#31: Millard Fillmore – $4 million

Fillmore began life in upstate New York with virtually nothing—he was born in a log cabin and worked as an apprentice cloth-maker in his youth. Ambitious and intelligent, he educated himself, became a lawyer, and entered politics, which eventually led him to the presidency (1850–1853). Fillmore’s law practice was moderately successful, and he invested in real estate in Buffalo, NY, as the city grew. He never amassed great wealth, but by the end of his life, he was comfortably off, with an estate valued around $4 million today. After leaving the White House, Fillmore remained active, co-founding the University of Buffalo and serving on various boards, which provided stipends. He also married a wealthy widow as his second wife in 1858, which helped augment his fortune. Fillmore’s story is one of upward mobility—from poverty to a respectable upper-middle-class wealth, though nowhere near the likes of Washington or Jefferson.

#32: Rutherford B. Hayes – $3 million

Hayes, the 19th president, had a financial position best described as comfortable but not lavish. He inherited an estate called Spiegel Grove in Ohio from his maternal uncle Sardis Birchard, which included a large house and 25 acres of land. This inheritance formed a big part of Hayes’s wealth. Hayes was a lawyer by profession and had served as a Union Army officer; neither career made him rich, but they provided stability. As President (1877–1881), Hayes took no major monetary gifts and actually sought civil service reforms to curb graft. After his term, he returned to Spiegel Grove and engaged in philanthropy and education causes, living on his savings and a federal pension. His net worth was roughly $3 million in today’s dollars. Hayes’s life reflects Victorian propriety—he was far more interested in public service than in making money, yet his prudent choices and family legacy left him financially secure.

#33: William Howard Taft – $3 million

Taft’s career was spent mostly in public service, and he was not a wealthy man by the standards of his era. He was born into a politically influential family in Ohio (his father Alphonso Taft was a Cabinet secretary) but not an extremely rich one. Taft worked as a judge, then as Governor of the Philippines, and later as Theodore Roosevelt’s Secretary of War—positions that provided a good salary but little opportunity for personal wealth accumulation. As President (1909–1913), Taft earned $75,000 a year (about $2 million today), which he mostly saved; he was famously frugal and even weight-conscious with spending. After the presidency, Taft achieved his lifelong dream of becoming Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. The Chief Justice’s salary further sustained him, but again it wasn’t exorbitant. By the time of his death in 1930, Taft’s net worth was about $3 million in current terms. He owned a nice home in the Washington, D.C., area and had government pensions, but no business empire—a reflection of Taft’s identity as a jurist and public servant rather than a businessman.

#34: Franklin Pierce – $2 million

Pierce, president from 1853 to 1857, came from a well-connected New England family but never amassed significant wealth. His father was a two-term governor of New Hampshire, which gave Franklin social standing and networks but not a huge inheritance. Pierce made a living as a lawyer and through his political offices. He married Jane Appleton, whose family was of comfortable means (her father was a college president), but she did not bring great wealth into the marriage either. As President, Pierce saved some of his salary and purchased a farmhouse in New Hampshire for retirement. His net worth at death was modest—on the order of $2 million today. Unfortunately, Pierce also struggled with personal tragedies and alcoholism after his presidency, which limited any focus on financial growth. He lived quietly in New England after leaving office, with enough resources to get by but none to make him anywhere near as rich as earlier plantation presidents.

#35: Chester A. Arthur – $1 million

Arthur, who unexpectedly became president after James Garfield’s assassination in 1881, had a taste for the finer things but limited means to indulge it. As a New York lawyer and politician, Arthur earned a solid income; his most lucrative post before the presidency was as Collector of the Port of New York, a patronage position notorious for graft (though Arthur wasn’t personally implicated in stealing funds). He enjoyed high society and famously refurnished the White House in lavish style when he moved in. Despite his expensive tastes, Arthur’s actual net worth was only around $1 million. He had no great inheritance and did not use his office for personal gain. In fact, after leaving the presidency in 1885, Arthur’s health deteriorated (he had Bright’s disease) and he spent his remaining months in his Manhattan brownstone, not pursuing further wealth. He left a respectable estate for his daughter, but compared to Gilded Age tycoons, President Arthur was relatively cash-poor, living on the salary and savings of a lifelong public servant.

#36: William McKinley – $1 million

McKinley nearly faced financial ruin before he ever reached the White House. In the 1890s, while serving as Ohio’s governor, McKinley was blindsided by a friend for whom he had cosigned loans: the friend went bankrupt, and McKinley found himself liable for an astronomical sum (over $130,000 at the time, equivalent to about $3.5 million today). The debt was so large that McKinley prepared to resign and declare bankruptcy, but a group of wealthy supporters pooled funds to bail him out and pay off the creditors. Thanks to this rescue, McKinley entered the presidency (1897–1901) debt-free, but not wealthy. He had a small amount of savings and owned a house in Canton, Ohio. As President, he earned $50,000 a year and saved diligently, while his wife’s investments (she had some inherited wealth) also grew. By the time of his assassination in 1901, McKinley’s net worth was roughly $1 million in today’s terms. It was enough to provide for his widow, Ida, who was the primary concern of the ever-dutiful McKinley, but it put him near the bottom of the presidential wealth ranking.

#37: Warren G. Harding – $1 million

Harding’s pre-presidential career was that of a small-town businessman and newspaper publisher. He co-owned the Marion Daily Star in Ohio, which provided a moderate income but not a fortune. Harding’s affable nature and networking helped him rise politically, not any great wealth. When he became president in 1921, his net worth was modest—he owned a home in Marion and the newspaper (by then run by associates). As president, Harding was involved in several scandals (the infamous Teapot Dome affair among them), but he personally did not live to cash in or face consequences—he died in office in 1923. At his death, Harding’s estate was valued at around $1 million in current dollars. His widow Florence had more assets from her family, and she managed the newspaper after his death, but Harding himself never accumulated riches. His presidency is remembered for corruption, yet ironically, Harding did not significantly enrich himself, aside from enjoying the perks of office and the company of friends who bestowed occasional gifts.

#38: Calvin Coolidge – $500 thousand

“Silent Cal” was known for his thrift and humility, and his personal finances reflected that. Coolidge grew up in a Vermont farm family and lived modestly. As a lawyer and Massachusetts politician, he saved money and avoided debt. When he unexpectedly became president in 1923 (after Harding’s death), Coolidge continued to live simply—he even cut back on White House staff and expenses. After leaving office in 1929, Coolidge did find a way to monetize his reputation: he wrote a syndicated newspaper column called Calvin Coolidge Says and published an autobiography, which earned him some income. Even so, his net worth remained around $500,000 (half a million) in today’s dollars, placing him among the least wealthy U.S. presidents. Coolidge retired to Northampton, Massachusetts, where he owned a small house. True to form, he reportedly would walk to the local general store to buy his own groceries. In an era of roaring wealth for some, Coolidge stood out for his Yankee frugality and lack of interest in personal riches.

#39: Woodrow Wilson – $400 thousand

Wilson was another president who did not place much emphasis on personal wealth. An academic by background, Wilson spent most of his career as a professor and later president of Princeton University—occupations that provided a respectable living but not much savings. He entered the White House in 1913 after a short stint as New Jersey’s governor, with little in the way of assets beyond some life insurance and personal effects. During his presidency, he had a comfortable salary but also significant expenses (especially after he fell ill, as he needed medical care). After leaving office in 1921, Wilson was in poor health from a stroke, which curtailed any earning potential. He did publish a few writings and received a Nobel Peace Prize (which came with a monetary award), but those funds mostly supported his remaining medical needs. At his death in 1924, Wilson’s net worth was estimated around $400,000. His wife Edith had to sell their Washington, D.C., home to move into a smaller residence. Wilson’s financial modesty was typical of presidents in the early 20th century who did not leverage their office for gain and had no significant inheritance—he lived and died as a member of the professional middle class.

#40: Harry S. Truman – $300 thousand

Truman’s financial story is famous for its lack of wealth. A farmer and small businessman from Missouri, Truman failed in a haberdashery (men’s clothing shop) in the 1920s and spent years struggling to pay off the debts from that failed venture. By the time he unexpectedly became president in 1945, Truman had very little savings or property—he once joked he was worth “practically nothing” aside from an insurance policy and his army pension. After leaving office in 1953, Truman’s only regular income was a $112-per-month Army pension. Refusing to “cash in” on the presidency, he declined many commercial offers and instead lived modestly in his hometown of Independence, Missouri. His financial difficulties were so acute that Congress, moved by his situation, created the presidential pension in 1958 and doubled the presidential salary for successors. Truman and his wife Bess received the first pension payments, which helped a lot. Even so, Truman’s net worth never exceeded a few hundred thousand dollars (about $300,000 in today’s money), consisting mostly of his modest home and the pension annuity. He is often cited as an example of personal integrity and simplicity, a president who truly did not profit from office.

#41: James Buchanan – $250 thousand

Buchanan, who served right before the Civil War (1857–1861), lived a relatively comfortable life but left office as one of the poorest presidents by net worth. A lifelong bachelor, Buchanan didn’t have a spouse’s wealth or children to inherit. He made a decent fortune as a lawyer in Pennsylvania and through investments in land and bonds, but he also had to settle debts of family members. By the time he retired to his estate, Wheatland, in Pennsylvania, Buchanan’s assets were modest—roughly $250,000 in today’s terms. He had a small portfolio and the Wheatland property. After his presidency, the Civil War broke out; Buchanan lived to see the war’s end but spent those years mostly defending his reputation rather than making money. He published a memoir in 1866 largely to justify his policies, not to generate income. Buchanan died in 1868, and his estate was fairly small. In summary, despite having held many high offices (Senator, Secretary of State, etc.), Buchanan did not capitalize financially on his power, and his peak net worth was quite low for a president, reflecting perhaps a focus on politics over business.

#42: Abraham Lincoln – $250 thousand

Lincoln rose from log-cabin poverty to the nation’s highest office, but even as president, he never accumulated great wealth. Before politics, Lincoln was a successful attorney in Illinois, known for his integrity and modest fees. He earned a decent income on the 8th Judicial Circuit and from some significant cases (like defending railroads), allowing him to buy a comfortable home in Springfield. However, Lincoln also had debts from earlier years that he diligently paid off. When he became president in 1861, his salary was $25,000 per year, most of which went to support his family and some to charity and loans to relatives. Tragically, Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, cutting short any post-presidential life. His estate, including his Springfield house and some savings, was appraised at approximately $85,000 in 1865 (roughly $1–2 million today). The figure of $250,000 often cited as Lincoln’s net worth accounts for inflation to modern dollars. In essence, Lincoln died with a moderate estate, far more than he started with but tiny compared to wealthy contemporaries—a reflection of a life spent in public service and an untimely end that prevented further financial gain.

#43: Andrew Johnson – $200 thousand

Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, started life as a tailor’s apprentice and never amassed much beyond a humble home and some savings. He was a classic example of a self-made man in politics: he taught himself to read, climbed the ranks from local Tennessee offices to governor, then Vice President. But none of those roles made him rich. Johnson owned a small farm and a tailor shop in Greeneville, Tennessee, and he did have a few enslaved servants before the Civil War (he freed them in 1863). As president (1865–1869), Johnson saved little beyond his salary. After leaving office (and surviving impeachment), he actually returned to the U.S. Senate—again a job with a modest salary. When he died in 1875, his estate was worth only about $200,000 in today’s terms. This included his Greeneville property and personal belongings. Johnson’s life was marked by intense political battles and controversy, but certainly not by wealth. He remains one of the poorest U.S. presidents, proving that high office and high net worth don’t always go hand in hand.

#44: Ulysses S. Grant – $50 thousand

Grant’s trajectory went from struggling civilian to triumphant general to financially ruined ex-president. Before the Civil War, Grant had failed in various jobs and was working in his father’s leather goods store for low wages. The war changed everything: as the victorious Union general, Grant received lavish gifts—including houses and money—from grateful citizens. However, he wasn’t business-minded, and after his presidency (1869–1877), things went downhill. Grant trusted his son’s business partner, Ferdinand Ward, with his investments, but Ward ran a Ponzi scheme that collapsed in 1884, leaving Grant penniless. Facing bankruptcy and terminal cancer, Grant resorted to writing his memoirs to support his family. With the help of Mark Twain as publisher, Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant earned about $450,000 in 1885 (over $14 million today) for his wife and children. Grant died with essentially zero net worth personally, but thanks to his memoir, his family was provided for.

#45: James A. Garfield – $10 thousand

Garfield, who was president in 1881 for only a few months before being assassinated, had the lowest net worth of any U.S. president. By the time he was elected, he had very little in terms of personal assets—just a small savings, some horses, and household goods. His brief tenure and lack of personal fortune place him at the absolute bottom of the presidential wealth ranking.

Read more: The Richest American Presidents Of All Time After Adjusting For Inflation