North America is home to some of the world’s wealthiest women, with fortunes connected to retail, private industry, finance, technology, food manufacturing, casinos, hedge funds, investments, and building supplies.
As of August 29, 2026, the richest woman in North America is Alice Walton, the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton. Forbes estimates her fortune at approximately $114.6 billion, making her not only North America’s wealthiest woman but also the richest woman in the world. (Forbes)
For consistency, this article primarily uses the latest Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates available in late August 2026. Billionaire fortunes can change daily, so the figures below should be understood as estimates at a particular point in time rather than permanent values.
1. Alice Walton — $114.6 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Walmart
Estimated net worth: $114.6 billion
Alice Walton ranks as the richest woman in North America and the world.
Forbes estimated her fortune at approximately $114.6 billion as of August 29, 2026. (Forbes)
Walton is the only daughter of Sam Walton, who founded Walmart in 1962.
Unlike her brothers Rob and Jim Walton, Alice did not build her career around managing Walmart. Instead, she has concentrated heavily on art, healthcare and philanthropy.
She founded the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, which opened in 2011. Its collection includes works by important American artists.
Walton has also become involved in healthcare philanthropy. In 2025, the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine welcomed its first class of medical students. (Forbes)
Her fortune is primarily derived from the Walton family’s ownership of Walmart.
Forbes valued her at an even higher $134 billion when compiling its annual 2026 World’s Billionaires list using March valuations. (Forbes)
The decline to about $114.6 billion by late August demonstrates how billionaire fortunes can fluctuate with share prices.
2. Julia Koch & Family — About $84.6 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Koch, Inc.
Estimated net worth: $84.6 billion
Julia Koch and her family rank second among North America’s richest women.
Forbes estimated their fortune at approximately $84.6 billion as of August 27, 2026. (Forbes)
Julia is the widow of industrialist David Koch, who died in 2019.
She and her three children inherited a roughly 42% stake in Koch, Inc., formerly known as Koch Industries.
Koch is one of the largest privately held companies in the United States, with businesses spanning energy, chemicals, manufacturing, technology and other industries.
Julia Koch also serves on the company’s board.
Her family has made significant investments outside Koch. Forbes reports that Julia and her children paid nearly $700 million for a 15% stake in BSE Global in 2024. BSE Global owns the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets and WNBA’s New York Liberty.
In 2025, the family also acquired a 10% stake in the NFL’s New York Giants. (Forbes)
Forbes valued Julia Koch & family at $81.2 billion in its March 2026 annual ranking. (Forbes)
3. Jacqueline Mars — About $43 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Mars Inc.
Estimated net worth: $43 billion
Jacqueline Mars ranks third among North America’s richest women.
Forbes estimated her fortune at approximately $43 billion in late August 2026. (Forbes)
She owns an estimated one-third of Mars Inc., the privately held company founded by her grandfather, Frank C. Mars.
Mars is one of the world’s largest food and pet-care companies.
Its brands include products associated with:
- M&M’s
- Snickers
- Twix
- Pedigree
- Whiskas
- Royal Canin
Jacqueline Mars worked at the family company for nearly 20 years and served on its board until 2016.
The company made another major expansion in December 2025 when it completed the acquisition of snack company Kellanova for approximately $35.9 billion including debt, according to Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes valued Jacqueline Mars at $49.1 billion on its March 2026 annual billionaire list. (Forbes)
4. Abigail Johnson — $41.6 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Fidelity Investments
Estimated net worth: $41.6 billion
Abigail Johnson is one of the wealthiest women actively running a major financial institution.
Forbes estimated her fortune at approximately $41.6 billion as of August 29, 2026. (Forbes)
Johnson is chairman and chief executive of Fidelity Investments.
Her grandfather, Edward C. Johnson II, founded Fidelity in 1946.
Abigail joined the company full-time in 1988 after earning an MBA from Harvard Business School. She became chief executive in 2014 and chairman in 2016. (Forbes)
Forbes estimates that Johnson owns approximately 29% of Fidelity.
As of December 2025, Fidelity managed approximately $7.1 trillion in discretionary assets, making it one of the world’s largest asset-management organisations. (Forbes)
Johnson has also supported Fidelity’s expansion into digital assets and cryptocurrency-related services.
Forbes valued her at $33.2 billion for its March 2026 World’s Billionaires ranking, showing that her estimated fortune increased substantially during the year. (Forbes)
5. Miriam Adelson & Family — About $34.2 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Casinos
Estimated net worth: $34.2 billion
Miriam Adelson and her family had an estimated fortune of approximately $34.2 billion as of August 27, 2026. (Forbes)
Adelson is the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the founder and former chairman and chief executive of Las Vegas Sands.
She and her family now own more than half of the publicly traded casino company.
Las Vegas Sands operates major casino resorts in markets including Singapore and Macao. (Forbes)
In 2023, Adelson and her family also acquired a majority ownership stake in the Dallas Mavericks NBA franchise from Mark Cuban.
Before becoming widely known as a billionaire, Miriam Adelson trained as a physician and specialised in addiction treatment.
Forbes valued Adelson and her family at $37.5 billion when compiling its annual 2026 billionaire list. (Forbes)
6. MacKenzie Scott — About $32.6 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Amazon
Estimated net worth: $32.6 billion
MacKenzie Scott ranks among North America’s wealthiest women despite having donated enormous amounts of her fortune.
Forbes estimated her remaining net worth at approximately $32.6 billion in late August 2026. (Forbes)
Scott was married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos for 25 years.
As part of their 2019 divorce settlement, she received approximately 4% of Amazon.
Rather than attempting to preserve as much of her fortune as possible, Scott became one of the world’s most aggressive philanthropists.
Forbes reports that her giving organisation, Yield Giving, documents billions of dollars in donations to thousands of nonprofits. (Forbes)
By August 2026, Forbes reported that Scott had given away approximately $26 billion over seven years. (Forbes)
Her philanthropy has included universities, community organisations, racial-equity organisations, charities and historically Black colleges and universities.
Forbes valued her at $28.6 billion on its annual March 2026 billionaire list. (Forbes)
7. Marilyn Simons & Family — About $32.5 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Hedge funds
Estimated net worth: $32.5 billion
Marilyn Simons and her family had an estimated fortune of approximately $32.5 billion in late August 2026. (Forbes)
She is the widow of mathematician and hedge-fund billionaire Jim Simons, who died in 2024.
Jim Simons founded Renaissance Technologies, one of the most successful quantitative investment firms in financial history.
The company became famous for using sophisticated mathematical models and computer-based trading strategies.
Marilyn Simons holds a Ph.D. in economics and has concentrated extensively on philanthropy.
She chairs the Simons Foundation, which supports research in mathematics and the sciences.
Forbes reported that the foundation held approximately $4.5 billion in assets. (Forbes)
She and her family have also become major charitable donors, particularly in scientific and mathematical research.
8. Elaine Marshall & Family — About $30.9 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Koch, Inc.
Estimated net worth: $30.9 billion
Elaine Marshall and her family had an estimated net worth of approximately $30.9 billion in late August 2026. (Forbes)
Marshall owns an estimated 16% of Koch, Inc. together with her two sons.
She inherited her stake following the death of her husband, E. Pierce Marshall, in 2006.
The Marshall family’s relationship with Koch dates back to her father-in-law, J. Howard Marshall II, who was an early business partner of Koch founder Fred Koch. (Forbes)
Koch has interests spanning manufacturing, chemicals, energy, technology and other industries.
Unlike Julia Koch, who owns a much larger share of the company with her children, Elaine Marshall holds a smaller but still extraordinarily valuable stake.
Forbes also valued her family at $30.9 billion for its annual March 2026 list. (Forbes)
9. Melinda French Gates — About $30.6 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Microsoft-related assets and investments
Estimated net worth: $30.6 billion
Melinda French Gates had an estimated net worth of approximately $30.6 billion in late August 2026, according to Forbes. (Forbes)
French Gates joined Microsoft in 1987 after earning degrees in computer science, economics and business.
She later married Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates.
For many years, the couple jointly led one of the world’s largest philanthropic organisations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
They divorced in 2021.
Forbes estimates that French Gates received assets worth approximately $25 billion as part of the divorce settlement. (Forbes)
She resigned as co-chair of the Gates Foundation in 2024 and has since concentrated much of her work through her own philanthropic and investment organisation.
She has committed significant funding to programmes supporting women and girls and female entrepreneurs.
Forbes also identifies her as one of America’s most significant philanthropists. (Forbes)
10. Diane Hendricks — $21.7 Billion
Country: United States
Main source of wealth: Building supplies
Estimated net worth: $21.7 billion
Diane Hendricks completes this North American top 10 with an estimated fortune of $21.7 billion as of August 29, 2026. (Forbes)
Unlike most of the women above her, Hendricks did not inherit the business that created her fortune.
She cofounded ABC Supply with her late husband, Kenneth Hendricks, in 1982.
The company distributes roofing, siding, windows and other building materials.
Following her husband’s death in 2007, Diane Hendricks became chairman.
Forbes reports that ABC Supply now operates more than 900 locations and generated approximately $20.2 billion in revenue in 2025. (Forbes)
She has also invested in real estate, manufacturing, logistics and economic redevelopment.
Forbes ranked Hendricks as America’s richest self-made woman for the ninth consecutive year in 2026. (Forbes)
Top 10 Richest Women in North America at a Glance
| Rank | Name | Country | Main source of wealth | Approx. net worth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Walton | United States | Walmart | $114.6 B |
| 2 | Julia Koch & family | United States | Koch, Inc. | $84.6 B |
| 3 | Jacqueline Mars | United States | Mars Inc. | $43.0 B |
| 4 | Abigail Johnson | United States | Fidelity | $41.6 B |
| 5 | Miriam Adelson & family | United States | Casinos | $34.2 B |
| 6 | MacKenzie Scott | United States | Amazon | $32.6 B |
| 7 | Marilyn Simons & family | United States | Hedge funds | $32.5 B |
| 8 | Elaine Marshall & family | United States | Koch, Inc. | $30.9 B |
| 9 | Melinda French Gates | United States | Microsoft/investments | $30.6 B |
| 10 | Diane Hendricks | United States | Building supplies | $21.7 B |
Combined estimated wealth: approximately $466.3 billion.
Because some figures were last updated by Forbes between August 27 and August 29, 2026, the table should be understood as a late-August 2026 snapshot rather than a single-second valuation.
Why Are All 10 Women From the United States?
North America includes the United States, Canada, Mexico and other countries.
However, the size of the largest American fortunes means that all 10 positions in this ranking are currently occupied by U.S. citizens.
The threshold for reaching the top 10 is approximately $21.7 billion, represented by Diane Hendricks.
That is an extraordinarily high barrier.
The United States also has by far the world’s largest population of billionaires, which makes this concentration less surprising.
Alice Walton Is the Richest Woman in the World
Alice Walton’s position is especially significant.
Forbes’ annual 2026 World’s Billionaires ranking estimated her fortune at $134 billion, making her the world’s richest woman for the second consecutive year. (Forbes)
Her wealth was far ahead of the richest women elsewhere in North America.
Even after Walmart-related market movements reduced her real-time estimate to approximately $114.6 billion on August 29, she remained ahead of Julia Koch by about $30 billion. (Forbes)
Inherited Wealth Dominates the Top of the Ranking
One noticeable characteristic of this list is the importance of inherited wealth.
Alice Walton inherited Walmart wealth from her father.
Julia Koch inherited her family’s stake in Koch after her husband’s death.
Jacqueline Mars inherited her stake in Mars.
Miriam Adelson inherited substantial ownership in Las Vegas Sands after her husband’s death.
Elaine Marshall inherited her Koch-related stake through her husband.
Marilyn Simons inherited a large fortune associated with her late husband’s hedge-fund empire.
By contrast, Diane Hendricks is the clearest self-made billionaire in the top 10.
Forbes gives Hendricks a self-made score of 9 out of 10 and ranks her as the richest self-made woman in the United States. (Forbes)
MacKenzie Scott’s Fortune Is Remarkable for Another Reason
MacKenzie Scott presents an unusual case.
Her current fortune remains above $30 billion despite extraordinary charitable giving.
Forbes reported in August 2026 that Scott had donated approximately $26 billion over seven years. (Forbes)
Few billionaires have reduced their personal wealth so aggressively through direct charitable giving.
Her remaining fortune nevertheless continues to fluctuate because much of it originated from Amazon stock.
Why Net Worth Figures Change
Net worth should not be confused with money sitting in a billionaire’s bank account.
Most billionaire wealth consists of:
- shares in public companies,
- ownership of private businesses,
- investment portfolios,
- property,
- sports franchises and
- other assets.
Alice Walton’s fortune, for example, was valued at $134 billion in March 2026 but approximately $114.6 billion by August 29. (Forbes)
Abigail Johnson moved in the opposite direction, rising from roughly $33.2 billion in March to $41.6 billion by August 29. (Forbes)
These figures can therefore change by billions of dollars without an individual actually receiving or losing billions in cash.
Conclusion
Alice Walton is the richest woman in North America in 2026, with Forbes estimating her net worth at approximately $114.6 billion as of August 29.
She is followed by Julia Koch & family at approximately $84.6 billion and Jacqueline Mars at about $43 billion.
Abigail Johnson, Miriam Adelson, MacKenzie Scott, Marilyn Simons, Elaine Marshall, Melinda French Gates and Diane Hendricks complete the top 10.
Together, these women and their associated family fortunes are worth approximately $466 billion based on the late-August estimates used in this article.
The ranking also reveals an important contrast. While inherited family businesses account for many of the largest fortunes, women such as Diane Hendricks demonstrate that enormous self-made fortunes have also emerged through entrepreneurship.
As always, billionaire rankings should be read as dated financial estimates, not permanent measurements of wealth.
Disclaimer
This article is provided for general informational and educational purposes only.
Net worth figures are estimates based primarily on Forbes Real-Time Billionaires data available between August 27 and August 29, 2026. They should not be interpreted as exact amounts of cash personally held by the individuals listed.
Billionaire fortunes can change substantially because of fluctuations in public-company share prices, private-company valuations, currencies, ownership structures, asset sales, philanthropy and other financial developments.
Some entries are reported by Forbes together with family wealth and therefore may represent assets associated with the individual and members of her family rather than solely her personal assets.
The information in this article was checked against credible publicly available sources at the time of writing. Readers are encouraged to independently fact-check the information and consult Forbes, company filings and other authoritative financial sources for the latest figures.
This article does not constitute investment, financial, tax or legal advice.
For corrections, updates or modifications, please contact us.
References
Chung, G. (2026, March 10). The richest women in the world 2026. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026a). Abigail Johnson. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026b). Alice Walton. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026c). Diane Hendricks. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026d). Elaine Marshall & family. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026e). Jacqueline Mars. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026f). Julia Koch & family. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026g). MacKenzie Scott. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026h). Marilyn Simons & family. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026i). Melinda French Gates. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026j). Miriam Adelson & family. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes. (2026, June 3). Forbes richest self-made women in America 2026. Forbes. (Forbes)
Forbes Wealth Team. (2026, August). The top 10 richest people in the world: August 2026. Forbes. (Forbes)
