American billionaire Alice Walton has maintained her position as the richest woman in the United States, with an estimated fortune of $118 billion, according to the Forbes 400 list of America’s wealthiest people for 2026.
At 76, Walton is the only woman in the United States whose fortune exceeds $100 billion, according to Forbes. She leads Julia Koch, heir to the Koch empire, by more than $33.4 billion, with Koch’s wealth estimated at $84.6 billion.
Forbes’ 2026 rankings are based on asset and wealth values as of September 4, 2026, while net worth figures are updated in real time as stock prices change.
Who Is Alice Walton?
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, who died in 1992.
Most of her fortune comes from her stake associated with Walmart, the largest retail company in the United States. Walmart shares have risen by more than 10% compared with the previous year, helping increase Walton’s fortune and widen the gap between her and the second-richest woman in the country.
Forbes identifies Walmart as the primary source of Walton’s wealth, while her own focus has centered largely on art and philanthropy rather than the direct management of the company founded by her father.
She Did Not Run Walmart
Unlike her brothers, Rob Walton and Jim Walton, Alice Walton did not pursue a major management role at Walmart.
After graduating from Trinity University in Texas in 1971, she worked briefly at Walmart as a children’s clothing buyer before moving into the financial sector and later focusing on art collecting and philanthropy.
In 2011, she opened Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, the hometown of the Walton family. The museum became one of her major cultural and arts initiatives.
From Art to Medical Education
Walton’s interests have extended beyond art collecting in recent years to education and healthcare.
In 2025, Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in Bentonville welcomed its first class of 48 students into a four-year Doctor of Medicine program.
The Walton Family’s Fortune
Alice Walton is not the only member of her family among America’s wealthiest people.
Forbes’ current estimates put the net worth of Rob Walton and his family at more than $130 billion, while Jim Walton and his family have a fortune exceeding $129 billion.
The Walton family therefore continues to hold prominent positions among America’s wealthiest families and individuals, with its fortunes derived primarily from its ownership interests in Walmart.
62 Women on the Forbes 400 List
The 2026 Forbes 400 list includes 62 women, representing approximately 16% of the list’s total members.
Alice Walton remains the richest woman on the list, followed by Julia Koch, whose fortune is estimated at $84.6 billion. The richest self-made woman on the list is Diane Hendricks, with an estimated fortune of $23.6 billion, according to Forbes.
Forbes notes that its wealth estimates do not include money billionaires have donated to charitable organizations. The magazine draws on a wide range of sources, including corporate disclosures, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings, court and property records, and valuations of privately held assets.
