Warren Buffett, Bill Gates top popularity rankings among America’s richest
While financial success often brings visibility, public perception tells a more nuanced story. A recent chart published by Reuters highlights the popularity of the top 10 richest Americans and reveals a sharp contrast between net worth and public favourability.
Buffett and Gates respected for philanthropy
Warren Buffett, with a net worth of $150 billion, ranks highest in public favourability (52%). His image as a humble, value-driven investor who still lives in a modest home in Omaha has long contrasted with the flashiness associated with extreme wealth. His extensive philanthropic efforts through the Giving Pledge have only strengthened this perception.
Bill Gates (49% favourable), another Giving Pledge co-founder, maintains a strong reputation due to his post-Microsoft efforts in global health and education via the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Despite conspiracy theories and online speculation during the pandemic, as well as divorce controversy, Gates' long-term reputation as a problem-solver and philanthropist seems to endure.
The most unfavourable
In sharp contrast, Mark Zuckerberg has the highest unfavourable rating at 64%, a figure likely driven by repeated privacy scandals, political controversies surrounding Facebook (now Meta), and the perception of unchecked power in the digital space.
Elon Musk (55% unfavourable), while admired by many for his innovation in space, electric vehicles, and AI, continues to polarise the public. His unpredictable behaviour on social media, his sharp takes on the Trump administration and societal issues as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, have dented his once universally admired image.
Similarly, Jeff Bezos (also 55% unfavourable) is often associated with the perceived excesses of capitalism—from anti-union sentiment at Amazon to concerns about worker treatment—despite stepping down as CEO and investing heavily in space exploration.
Low favourability and recognition: The quiet giants of tech
Larry Page (11% favourable) and Sergey Brin (9%), co-founders of Google, along with Larry Ellison (13%) and Steve Ballmer (16%), suffer from relatively low public favourability—not necessarily due to negative press, but because many Americans simply don’t feel a personal connection to them or remain unfamiliar with their personalities or contributions.
This is further evidenced by the large number of respondents who selected "Never heard of them" for several of these tech billionaires. Public visibility, especially in non-tech circles, plays a key role in shaping opinions.
Bloomberg’s political baggage
Michael Bloomberg (29% favourable, 39% unfavourable), while well-known, carries political baggage from his time as New York City mayor and his controversial self-funded 2020 presidential bid. His reputation among voters varies widely by political affiliation, and that polarization is reflected in his mixed favorability.
