When you think of the richest man in Los Angeles, your mind probably wanders to the sprawling estates of Bel Air or the high-gloss production offices in Burbank. Maybe you’re thinking of a movie mogul or a pop star with a savvy skincare line. But honestly, the reality is a lot more "Silicon Valley" than "Sunset Boulevard."
The landscape of wealth in LA has shifted. It’s not just about the silver screen anymore.
Right now, the person sitting at the top of the pile in Los Angeles County is Peter Thiel. Yeah, that Peter Thiel. The PayPal co-founder and Palantir chairman moved his home base from the Bay Area to Los Angeles a few years back, and in doing so, he basically upended the local leaderboard. As of January 2026, his net worth is hovering around $26.1 billion.
It’s a massive number. It’s also a bit of a polarizing one.
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While LA has always been a city of "old money" real estate and "new money" entertainment, Thiel represents a third wave: the tech-refugee. He’s part of a growing group of Silicon Valley heavyweights who decided that Los Angeles offered a better lifestyle (and maybe a slightly different political climate) than San Francisco.
The Shifting Throne: Why Peter Thiel Is the Richest Man in Los Angeles
For a long time, this title belonged to people like Patrick Soon-Shiong or the late Eli Broad. It was a list dominated by healthcare, biotech, and housing. But Thiel’s ascent to the top spot in LA is a byproduct of the massive valuation surges in the AI and defense tech sectors.
Thiel isn't just "rich." He's "impact" rich. His venture capital firm, Founders Fund, has its hands in almost everything that moves the needle today.
Most of his current wealth is anchored in Palantir Technologies. The company, which specializes in big data analytics for government and commercial sectors, has seen its stock price benefit immensely from the global push toward AI-driven defense systems. In early 2026, Palantir’s role as a foundational layer for modern data processing has kept Thiel’s personal balance sheet very green.
But it’s not just about one company. You’ve got his early stakes in Facebook (Meta), his involvement with SpaceX, and a dozen other "moonshot" projects.
The $1.3 Billion Question: The California Wealth Tax
There’s a bit of a catch to being the richest man in Los Angeles in 2026. The state of California has been aggressively pursuing a proposed wealth tax that targets the ultra-high-net-worth crowd.
If this legislation fully clears the hurdles, Thiel could be looking at a tax bill of roughly $1.3 billion. That’s enough to make even a multi-billionaire check their bank app. We’ve already seen other titans like Larry Page and Sergey Brin moving their legal entities out of the state to avoid this.
Thiel, however, remains a resident of Los Angeles—for now.
The "Old Guard" and the Rest of the Top 5
While Thiel holds the crown, he isn't the only one playing with ten figures. The list of the wealthiest Angelenos is a fascinating mix of people who sell you your groceries, the tools in your garage, and the malls you walk through on the weekend.
- Eric Smidt ($17.9 Billion): If you’ve ever bought a cheap but reliable wrench, you’ve contributed to Smidt’s fortune. He’s the CEO of Harbor Freight Tools. He lives in Beverly Hills and has quietly built one of the most successful retail empires in the country.
- Anthony Ressler ($13.8 Billion): The finance guy. He’s the co-founder of Apollo Global Management and Ares Management. He also owns the Atlanta Hawks, because what’s a billion-dollar fortune without a sports team?
- John Tu ($13.8 Billion): He’s the man behind Kingston Technology. If you have a USB drive or RAM in your computer, there’s a good chance his company made it. He’s based in Rolling Hills and is known for being incredibly low-profile compared to the Hollywood types.
- Marijke Mars ($10.5 Billion): A name you might not recognize, but a product you definitely do. She’s an heir to the Mars candy fortune. Snickers, M&Ms, Skittles—the wealth is literally built on sugar.
Real Estate Moguls: Rick Caruso and the L.A. Identity
You can’t talk about wealth in this city without mentioning Rick Caruso. While he isn't the absolute richest—his net worth is estimated at about $5.9 billion—he is arguably the most influential on the ground.
Caruso built The Grove. He built the Americana at Brand. He basically redesigned how Los Angeles shops and eats.
His wealth is "tangible." You can see it in the architecture of the city. Unlike Thiel’s wealth, which exists in digital stocks and data contracts, Caruso’s money is in the soil and the steel of Los Angeles. He even ran for Mayor in 2022, spending over $100 million of his own money on the campaign. He lost to Karen Bass, but his influence hasn't waned. He remains a central figure in the civic life of the city.
The Biotech Hub: Patrick Soon-Shiong
For years, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong was the undisputed heavyweight of LA wealth. He’s a surgeon who turned into a biotech entrepreneur, selling companies like APP Pharmaceuticals and Abraxis BioScience for billions.
Currently, his net worth sits around $5.6 billion to $6.7 billion, depending on the daily fluctuations of his various holdings like ImmunityBio.
He also owns the Los Angeles Times.
Think about that for a second. The man who owns the biggest newspaper in town is also a scientist trying to cure cancer. It’s a very "Los Angeles" story. However, he’s dropped a few spots on the list recently because biotech is a volatile game, and his heavy investments in new treatments take years to pay off.
Why the Wealth Rankings Matter to Regular Angelenos
You might be wondering: "Why should I care who the richest man in Los Angeles is?"
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It’s about the "trickle-down" of influence. These individuals aren't just sitting on piles of gold like dragons. They are the primary donors to the city’s museums (like the Broad or the Getty), the funders of university research at USC and UCLA, and the people who decide which real estate projects get the green light.
When Peter Thiel buys property or Rick Caruso decides to build a new outdoor mall, it changes the tax base of the city. It changes the jobs available. It even changes the traffic patterns on the 405.
Surprising Misconceptions
A lot of people think the richest person in LA must be a Kardashian or Steven Spielberg.
Honestly? They aren't even close.
Steven Spielberg is worth about $7 billion. Kim Kardashian is around $1.8 billion. While those are staggering amounts of money, they are eclipsed by the "quiet" billions of people in private equity or industrial tools.
The entertainment industry makes you famous, but "boring" businesses like insurance and computer memory make you a billionaire many times over.
Actionable Insights: Navigating the LA Wealth Economy
If you are looking to understand or benefit from the concentration of wealth in Los Angeles, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Watch the Tech Migration: The shift of tech billionaires like Thiel to LA means the "Silicon Beach" area (Santa Monica, Venice, Playa Vista) is no longer a trend—it's the new establishment. Property values and job opportunities in tech-adjacent fields are likely to stay high here.
- Philanthropy is the "In": If you are in the non-profit or arts sector, looking at the foundations of these billionaires is key. The Pritzker, Broad, and Caruso foundations are the lifeblood of the city's social services.
- Real Estate Still Rules: While tech has the highest ceiling, real estate is the most consistent wealth builder in LA. Even the tech billionaires eventually put their money into the ground here.
- Tax Legislation Changes Everything: Keep an eye on the California Wealth Tax. If it passes, expect a "billionaire exodus" that could see the title of richest man in Los Angeles change simply because the top contenders move to Nevada or Florida.
The story of the wealthiest person in the city isn't just a gossip column. It’s a map of where the power is moving. Right now, that map is pointing toward a future where big data and AI are just as important to Los Angeles as a blockbuster opening weekend.