Current Number of Billionaires in Kansas
The latest Forbes World's Billionaires List and Forbes 400 data show a small but stable group of billionaires tied to Kansas, with most residing in the Wichita metro area and a few linked to major Kansas-based companies. The count fluctuates slightly each year based on market moves, asset sales, and new entries, but the state consistently ranks among the smaller billionaire clusters in the Midwest. You can see the most recent global rankings on Forbes Forbes Billionaires List.
Kansas billionaires typically derive their wealth from industries such as aviation, manufacturing, energy, finance, and food production, with several names appearing on the Forbes 400 for decades. The state's billionaire population remains modest compared to hubs like New York, California, and Texas, yet it punches above its weight in per-capita industrial influence, especially in aerospace and defense supply chains tied to companies like Spirit AeroSystems and Koch Industries.
Top Kansas Billionaires and Their Net Worth
The wealthiest individuals from Kansas often include members of the Koch family, whose private conglomerate Koch Industries is headquartered in Wichita and consistently ranks among the largest privately held companies in the United States. Other notable Kansas-linked billionaires include executives and heirs connected to aviation, banking, and consumer brands, with net worths shaped by private equity stakes, public company holdings, and real estate portfolios.
Forbes tracks these individuals through SEC filings, corporate disclosures, and public records, noting that private companies make exact valuations harder but still allow reliable estimates based on stake sizes and industry multiples. You can review the most recent net worth estimates and rankings on the Forbes Forbes 400 list.
Kansas Billionaires by Industry and Company Links
Aviation and Aerospace
Kansas has long been a center of aviation, and several billionaires built or grew their fortunes through aircraft manufacturing, parts supply, and defense contracting, with Wichita known as the Air Capital of the World. Companies such as Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation have ties to wealthy founders, executives, and investors whose net worths are tracked on the Forbes billionaires list.
Energy, Finance, and Consumer Brands
Beyond aviation, Kansas billionaires often have roots in energy trading, banking, and consumer industries, with Koch Industries standing out as a dominant private player in chemicals, pipelines, and commodity trading. Other fortunes are linked to regional banks, food processing, and real estate, with wealth concentrated among families who have held major stakes for generations and continue to shape the state's economy.
Rankings and Comparisons
In state-level rankings, Kansas usually sits in the middle tier for total billionaire count but ranks higher when measured by the concentration of wealth in specific sectors such as aerospace and private energy. Compared to neighboring states like Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, Kansas has a similar or slightly lower number of billionaires, yet its industrial base gives outsized influence to a few key players whose decisions affect national supply chains and employment.