Comparative7 min read

The Geography of Wealth: Where Do the Youngest Billionaires Come From?

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The Billionaire Map

Billionaires aren't evenly distributed. Certain cities and regions produce far more than their share of extreme wealth—especially young wealth.

Top Billionaire Cities (by count)

  1. New York City: 110+ billionaires
  2. Hong Kong: 80+ billionaires
  3. San Francisco Bay Area: 75+ billionaires
  4. Moscow: 70+ billionaires
  5. London: 65+ billionaires
  6. Beijing: 60+ billionaires
  7. Shenzhen: 50+ billionaires

Young Billionaire Hotspots

When we filter for billionaires under 40, the map shifts dramatically:

  1. San Francisco Bay Area: Dominates with tech founders
  2. Shenzhen/Beijing: Rising fast with Chinese tech
  3. New York: Fintech and media
  4. Los Angeles: Entertainment and consumer brands
  5. Austin: Emerging tech hub

Why Silicon Valley Dominates

  • Venture Capital: More VC funding than anywhere else
  • Talent Pool: Stanford, Berkeley, and tech company alumni
  • Network Effects: Success breeds success
  • Risk Culture: Failure is accepted, even celebrated
  • Infrastructure: Legal, financial, and operational support

China's Rise

China has produced more new billionaires than any other country in recent years. Key factors:

  • Massive Market: 1.4 billion potential customers
  • Mobile-First: Leapfrogged desktop internet
  • Government Support: Strategic investment in tech
  • Entrepreneurial Culture: Growing acceptance of risk-taking

The Chronos Score Perspective

Young billionaire hotspots have the highest average Chronos Scores because they produce wealthy people earlier in life. Silicon Valley's average billionaire Chronos Score is 3x higher than old-money cities like London or Paris.


Explore billionaires by geography with our rankings.

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See the Chronos Score in action

See how the Chronos Net Worth Score reshuffles the world's billionaires.