Meet the 10 Richest Women on the 2025 Forbes 400 list
For the first time in six years, the number of women on The Forbes 400 list has slipped.
The Forbes 400 list of the richest Americans continues to be dominated by men, and this year—unlike in recent years—the gap is widening.
There are just 62 women among the nation’s 400 wealthiest people, good for just 15.5% of the ranking.
That’s down from 67 women last year, or about 17%. It’s the first time that women have failed to increase their presence on the list since 2019.
The main reason for the drop? Three women billionaires died over the past year: truck stop tycoon Judy Love, Campbell’s Soup heir Mary Alice Dorrance Malone and valve manufacturing heir Catherine Lozick.
Two others, Dexter Shoe heir Susan Alfond and chemicals heir Dorothy Chao Jenkins, fell below this year’s record $3.8 billion cutoff. All five of their spots were taken by men.
Still, nearly three-quarters of the women who remain among the top 400 are richer than a year ago. In aggregate, these 62 super-rich women are worth $872 billion, up from $839 billion in 2024.
Alice Walton remains the wealthiest of all, for the ninth year in a decade. Worth an estimated $106 billion, she’s the 15th richest person in the U.S. and the first woman among America’s centibillionaires (meaning someone with a 12-digit fortune).
Walton also dethroned L'Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France for the title of richest person in the world last fall.
Much of Walton’s wealth comes from shares of Walmart, which her father Sam Walton (d. 1992) cofounded in 1962.
The retailer’s stock is up more than 26% over the past year, near record highs, as the chain captures customers—especially in its grocery business—with its low prices amid an uncertain economic environment.
In July, the heiress welcomed the inaugural class of 48 four-year MD students to her new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas, after spending at least $250 million on the project since 2023.
Alice Walton remains the wealthiest of all, for the ninth year in a decade. Worth an estimated $106 billion, she’s the 15th richest person in the U.S. and the first woman among America’s centibillionaires (meaning someone with a 12-digit fortune).
Walton also dethroned L'Oréal heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France for the title of richest person in the world last fall. Much of Walton’s wealth comes from shares of Walmart, which her father Sam Walton (d. 1992) cofounded in 1962.
The retailer’s stock is up more than 26% over the past year, near record highs, as the chain captures customers—especially in its grocery business—with its low prices amid an uncertain economic environment.
In July, the heiress welcomed the inaugural class of 48 four-year MD students to her new Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville, Arkansas, after spending at least $250 million on the project since 2023.
Julia Koch (estimated net worth: $81.2 billion), who inherited a 42.5% stake in conglomerate Koch, Inc. from her late husband David (d. 2019), again ranks as America’s second richest woman.
In September, she and her children stuck a deal to buy a minority stake in the New York Giants NFL team.
She’s followed by Jacqueline Mars ($42.2 billion), whose grandfather founded Mars, the candy and pet food giant behind brands like M&M’s, Snickers and Pedigree.
They’re part of the more than 80% of women on the ranking who inherited their wealth. (Overall, the list is 71% self-made.)
The richest self-made woman on this year’s Forbes 400 is Diane Hendricks, who owns building supplies distributor ABC Supply and is worth an estimated $22.3 billion.
She’s followed by Judy Faulker ($7.8 billion), founder of healthcare software company Epic Systems, and Panda Express cofounder Peggy Cherng ($7.7 billion).
Like Cherng, nearly a quarter of the women on the list have made their fortune in food and beverage, the most popular industry for women on the 400.
This cohort includes Little Caesar’s pizza cofounder Marian Ilitch ($6.9 billion), In-N-Out Burger heir and president Lynsi Snyder ($8.7 billion) and Chick-fil-A heir Trudy Cathy White ($13.7 billion).
Technology is the second most represented sector among the nation’s richest women, with nine, followed by energy, fashion and retail, and finance and investments, with five women each.
Snyder is the youngest woman on the list, at age 43, while Annette Lerner, widow of real developer Ted Lerner (d. 2023), is the oldest, at 95.
Here are the 10 richest women on the 2025 Forbes 400 list.
Net worths are as of September 1, 2025.
10. Lyndal Stephens Greth & family
Net worth: $27.4 billion | Source of wealth: Oil & gas | Age: 50
9. Melinda French Gates
Net worth: $29 billion | Source of wealth: Microsoft, investments | Age: 61
8. Elaine Marshall & family
Net worth: $30.9 billion | Source of wealth: Koch Inc. | Age: 83
7. Marilyn Simons & family
Net worth: $32.5 billion | Source of wealth: Hedge funds | Age: 74
6. MacKenzie Scott
Net worth: $33.9 billion | Source of wealth: Amazon | Age: 55
5. Abigail Johnson
Net worth: $35 billion | Source of wealth: Fidelity | Age: 63
4. Miriam Adelson & family
Net worth: $37.9 billion | Source of wealth: Casinos | Age: 79
3. Jacqueline Mars
Net worth: $42.2 billion | Source of wealth: Candy, pet food | Age: 85
2. Julia Koch & family
Net worth: $81.2 billion | Source of wealth: Koch, Inc. | Age: 63
1. Alice Walton
Net worth: $106 billion | Source of wealth: Walmart | Age: 75
