Louisiana’s Richest People Make Forbes 400 List and Their Billions Grow

(999 KTDY) - Three business individuals made the 2026 Forbes List of the Richest People in America, and they have the billions to prove it. Before we get to the richest people in Louisiana, you should know that Elon Musk, once again, took the number one spot as America's richest person. He is estimated to have $908 billion bucks!

While Musk and our Louisiana listmakers represent America's richest people, you and I represent everyday people. For people like you and me, it's interesting to look at the average salary in Louisiana. We're the middle class.

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The median salary in Louisiana is $57,000. That's the midpoint of salaries across our state. The lower end is $38,000, and the higher end is $115,704. Those numbers make up our middle class. So, most of us make between $38,000 and $115,000.

No matter our annual salary, one thing is for sure: it's getting tougher each day to pay for groceries and gas, just to name a few of the things we all need. And don't even get me started on the rent crisis in Lafayette or surrounding areas.

Now, as for who in Louisiana made the Forbes 400 List, these three individuals and their families are pretty well known and beloved. I have to salute these people for working so hard their whole lives to keep their businesses going and their money growing.

Louisiana's billionaires are doing pretty well financially, although one of our three billionaires has lost some net worth.

One Louisiana Liquor Family Is Worth Billions Because of Popular Brands

In the number three spot among Louisiana's billionaires is a man whose family's net worth has grown by $3 billion since 2025. William Goldring, 83, and his family are in the number 3 slot in Louisiana. On the Forbes List, he ranks 181st for 2026. Last year, they were worth $6 billion, but this year, they're worth $9 billion.

The next time you throw back some Fireball, you should think of William Goldring and his family.

According to Forbes, they made their money in the Liquor category. Forbes reports,

William Goldring's Sazerac Company owns some 500 alcohol brands and a dozen distilleries in the U.S., Canada, France, Ireland, and India.

William Goldring took over his family's business from his father, Stephen, in the 1960s. In addition to Fireball, they own other well-known brands like Goldschlager, Southern Comfort, and Pappy Van Winkle. They own a myriad of brands.

Second Place On The Forbes 400 List 2026 From Louisiana Is.....

The person in our second-place slot in Louisiana, one of the three people from Louisiana on the Forbes 400 List, is a saint of a lady.

Gayle Benson

Once again this year, Gayle Benson is Louisiana's second-richest person. She owns the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Benson's worth stands at $7.9 billion. That puts Benson in slot number 139 on the Forbes 400 List. Things have really grown for Benson. In 2025, her worth was $7.9 billion, and this year it's $11.2 billion!

That's a pretty impressive accomplishment. The next time you say, "Who Dat", you likely will think not only about the Saints, but about how rich she is, too!

The Louisiana Winner Who Made The Forbes 400 List Is....

If you think about their slogan, "One Love," you'll likely think of their amazing chicken fingers right away.

Todd Graves

Todd Graves, once again this year, tops the list of Louisiana billionaires with a total of $20 billion!

According to Forbes, Todd Graves' professor didn't think much of his idea in college,

A professor gave his idea the lowest grade in the class, and he couldn't get bank financing, so he worked as a boilermaker and salmon fisherman to save up cash.

Raising Cane's Has 900 Locations

Raising Cane's has 900 locations. What's interesting about this year's ranking is that Graves was worth $22 billion in 2025, but dropped this year.

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