Forbes Just Named the 10 Richest People in Massachusetts. Here’s What Their Money Looks Like in Berkshire County Terms.

Forbes just released its list of the 10 wealthiest people in Massachusetts, and the numbers are almost impossible to wrap your head around. So let's put them in terms that hit a little closer to home.

Leading the list is Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, with a net worth of $33.2 billion. Rounding out the top 10 are Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots ($13.8 billion); Edward Johnson IV, brother of Abigail and president of Pembroke Real Estate ($13.6 billion); Elizabeth Johnson, sister of the Fidelity CEO ($11.6 billion); Jim Davis, chairman of New Balance ($6.3 billion); Robert Hale Jr., CEO of Granite Telecommunications ($6 billion); John Henry, owner of the Boston Red Sox and The Boston Globe ($5.7 billion); Patrizio Vinciarelli, CEO of Vicor ($4.3 billion); Amos Hostetter Jr., who runs Pilot House Ventures and is known for the family's Barr Foundation charitable giving ($3.9 billion); and John Fish, CEO of Suffolk Construction ($3.6 billion). -boston.com

Now let's talk about what that kind of money looks like here in Pittsfield.

The city's fiscal year 2026 budget came in at $226 million. That covers everything from the police department to public schools to road maintenance. Abigail Johnson's personal fortune of $33.2 billion could fund that entire budget for roughly 147 years without her earning another dime.

Think about some of the big projects Pittsfield has been trying to get done. The city is moving forward with an $18 million replacement grandstand at Wahconah Park, with demolition of the old structure set to begin this spring.

The city is also deep into the planning process for a combined Conte and Crosby elementary school on the West Street site, a project that still needs a full cost estimate but is expected to be a major investment.

And a new police station has been a talking point in this city for years. Johnson's fortune could fund all of those projects and still have billions left over.

To be fair, none of this is a knock on the people on this list. Many of them have created thousands of jobs and given generously to charitable causes. Amos Hostetter's Barr Foundation, for example, has pumped millions of dollars into arts and culture organizations across Massachusetts, including right here in the Berkshires.

But the math is still stunning. The 10 richest people in Massachusetts are collectively worth well over $100 billion. Sometimes it helps to see those numbers next to something familiar to understand just how large they really are.