Gates, Buffett top 'Forbes' list of 400 richest Americans

By Matt Krantz, USA TODAY

The nation's richest Americans have seen a healthy jump in their net worth, even as the economy faces an uncertain recovery.

The total worth of the members of the Forbes400 list of the richest Americans rose to an estimated $1.37 trillion in 2010, up 8% from 2009, according to the list released late Wednesday.

The top 10 richest Americans are a familiar group, including the top three:

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•Microsoft founder Bill Gates sits at No. 1 with $54 billion.

•Berkshire Hathaway head Warren Buffett ranks No. 2 with $45 billion.

•Oracle founder Lawrence Ellison is at No. 3 with $27 billion.

But there's also a powerful source of new wealth deeper down in the list: Facebook.

Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg not only is No. 35 on the list, but his wealth increased 245%, which was a bigger gain than anyone else. Meanwhile, Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, 26, is No. 290 and the youngest on the list.

"It's the rise of Facebook," says Luisa Kroll, Forbes' global wealth editor. "At a time where there are a lot of the same people on the list and not a lot of new things being created, you do have Facebook," she says.

The Forbes 400 list reveals other insights about the richest Americans, including:

•The $1 billion barrier is back. The minimum wealth to get onto the list of the 400 richest is back above $1 billion. Last year, it fell below $1 billion for the first time since 2006.

•California is still golden.
With 83, it's is still the top state for members of the elite list, followed by New York with 64 and Texas with 45.

•Most rich did it by themselves. More than half, 272, of the members are considered "self-made" by Forbes.

•Women are still a minority. The 42 women on the list have a combined net worth of $154.4 billion.

The list further demonstrates the shift of the U.S. economy away from manufacturing, says Paul Argenti, professor at Dartmouth's Tuck School.

The finance and investment industries account for the biggest share of the list: 109 members.

"The pillars of American society are going away," he says.

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