Forbes has released their annual billionaires list.
For their 2026 list of the richest people in the world, the business magazine saw 400 new individuals added to their rankings since last year, citing the proliferation of artificial intelligence as the primary reason for their arrival. This marks a new record for the publication, a total of 3,428 billionaires in their report.
“They are richer than ever, worth a record $20.1 trillion, up $4 trillion from last year,” Forbes said. “The U.S. has the most billionaires, with a record 989, including 15 of the top 20. China, including Hong Kong, is next, with 610, and India (229) ranks a distant third.”
Of that list of billionaires, 902 have citizenship in the United States and 103 are new to the list this year.
None of the new billionaires live in New Hampshire or Maine. Here’s the full list of New Hampshire and Maine billionaires.
Rick Cohen is the owner and executive chairman of C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest grocery wholesaler in the U.S., according to Forbes.
This put his worth at $26.3 billion as of March 10, 2026, making him the 97th richest person in the world.
However, much of his wealth comes from his other title, the chairman and CEO of Symbotic, a warehouse company “which is currently automating Walmart’s 42 regional distribution centers,” Forbes said. He lives in Keene.
Alexander Karp lives in Lyman. He cofounded data mining firm Palantir Technologies, which does contract work with places like he Department of Defense, the FBI and the Danish National Police and had early backing from the CIA investment arm.
Susan Alfond, who lives in Scarborough, inherited her fortune.
“Her father Harold Alfond, bought an old mill in Maine in 1958 and turned it into a shoemaker that sold millions of boots and casual shoes,” Forbes said. “In 1993 Harold sold the company to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway for $420 million of stock; the shares are worth billions of dollars now.”
As of March 10, 2026, Forbes put her net worth at $3.5 billion.
Elon Musk is the richest person in the world, according to Forbes, worth an estimated $839 billion. In last year’s report, he was worth an approximate $342 billion.
“Elon Musk cofounded seven companies, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and artificial intelligence startup xAI,” Forbes said. “SpaceX, founded in 2002, acquired xAI in February 2026 in a deal that valued the combined company at $1.25 trillion. Musk owns an estimated 43% stake.”
