Charles Koch & Family Net Worth

Charles Koch net worth – What is the net worth of Charles Koch? Charles Koch is an American billionaire businessman, philanthropist, and the chairman of Koch Industries, the second-largest private company in the United States. With a net worth of $74.5 billion, he is a titan of industry who reshaped the American energy, chemical, and manufacturing landscapes. Along with his family, he controls a vast empire that produces everything from gasoline and asphalt to Dixie cups and Lycra fabric, all managed under his unique business philosophy known as “Market-Based Management.”

What is Charles Koch’s Net Worth?

As of 2026, Charles Koch & Family have an estimated net worth of US $74.5 billion. The vast majority of this wealth comes from Charles’s 42% ownership stake in Koch Industries, a conglomerate with annual revenues exceeding $125 billion. Unlike many tech billionaires whose wealth fluctuates wildly with daily stock prices, Koch’s fortune is grounded in tangible industrial assets and steady cash flow. The “Family” designation often includes the assets of his wife, Elizabeth, and the inherited stakes managed for his children, though Charles remains the primary figurehead.

Net Worth Comparison with Other Industrial Billionaires

Billionaire	Estimated Net Worth
Charles Koch	$74.5 Billion
Julia Koch & Family	$74.5 Billion
Mukesh Ambani	$115 Billion
Gautam Adani	$89.6 Billion
Alice Walton	$72 Billion
Zhong Shanshan	$74.5 Billion

Charles Koch Net Worth Growth Timeline

Year	Net Worth
2018	$53.5 Billion
2020	$38.2 Billion
2022	$60.0 Billion
2024	$58.5 Billion
2026	$74.5 Billion

Who is Charles Koch?

Charles de Ganahl Koch is a business magnate born on November 1, 1935, in Wichita, Kansas. He is the son of Fred C. Koch, who founded the company that became Koch Industries. A fervent libertarian, Charles is as famous for his political influence as he is for his business acumen. He has spent decades funding think tanks, academic chairs, and political action committees to promote free-market principles. Despite his massive influence, he prefers to live in Wichita rather than New York or Silicon Valley, maintaining a disciplined and relatively private lifestyle.

Charles Koch Biography

Field	Details
Full Name	Charles de Ganahl Koch
Nickname	The Oracle of Wichita
Date of Birth	November 1, 1935
Age	90 years
Birthplace	Wichita, Kansas, U.S.
Nationality	American
Profession	Businessman, Philanthropist
Years Active	1961–present
Net Worth	$74.5 billion
Source of Wealth	Koch Industries (Oil, Chemicals)
Education	MIT (B.S., M.S. in Engineering)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse	Elizabeth “Liz” Koch (m. 1972)
Children	Chase Koch, Elizabeth Koch
Parents	Fred C. Koch, Mary Robinson

Early Life and Education

Charles Koch was born in Wichita, Kansas, the second of four sons to Fred and Mary Koch. His father, a chemical engineer who developed a new method for refining heavy oil, was a strict disciplinarian who did not want his sons to turn into “country club bums.” From the age of six, Charles was put to work milking cows and digging dandelions in the blistering Kansas heat.

He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in General Engineering in 1957, followed by two Master’s degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Chemical Engineering. After a brief stint at the consulting firm Arthur D. Little, his father issued an ultimatum: come home to run the family business or it would be sold. Charles returned to Wichita in 1961.

Career

Charles took the reins of the company in 1967 after his father’s death, renaming it Koch Industries in his honor. At the time, it was a medium-sized oil firm with $177 million in sales. Through aggressive acquisitions and a strategy of reinvesting 90% of profits back into the company, Charles transformed it into a global behemoth.

Major milestones include the acquisition of the Pine Bend refinery, the purchase of Georgia-Pacific (paper products) for $21 billion in 2005, and the acquisition of Molex (electronics) and Guardian Industries (glass). To manage this diverse empire, he developed Market-Based Management (MBM), a philosophy that applies free-market principles inside the company, incentivizing employees to act like entrepreneurs.

Personal Life

Charles Koch has been married to Elizabeth “Liz” Koch since 1972. They reside in Wichita in a home they built in 1975. They have two children: Chase Koch, who runs Koch Disruptive Technologies, and Elizabeth Koch, a writer and publisher who founded the company Catapult.

Unlike his late brother David, who was a fixture on the New York social scene, Charles is introverted and intellectual. He is a prostate cancer survivor (like his brother) and is deeply committed to reading and studying economics. He has faced significant public scrutiny for his political network, often referred to as the “Koch Brothers” (referring to him and David), which has funded numerous conservative and libertarian causes.

Favorite Things

Category	Favorite
Philosophy	Libertarianism / Classical Liberalism
Author	Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek
Sport	Golf
Business Concept	Market-Based Management (MBM)
Residence	Wichita, Kansas
Drink	Wine
Quote	“The glorious feeling of accomplishment.”

50 Unknown Facts about Charles Koch

He was born in 1935, making him 90 years old.
His grandfather, Harry Koch, was a Dutch immigrant who ran a newspaper in Texas.
He has three degrees from MIT.
He was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at MIT.
His father forced him to work on the family farm as a child to build character.
He took over the company when it was valued at just $177 million; today it generates $125+ billion.
He bought out his brothers Bill and Frederick in 1983 for roughly $800 million.
The buyout led to a bitter legal feud between the brothers that lasted nearly two decades.
He coined the term “Market-Based Management” (MBM).
He has written several books, including The Science of Success and Good Profit.
He co-founded the Cato Institute, a prominent libertarian think tank.
He is against “corporate welfare” and subsidies, even when they benefit his own company.
He has worked 12-hour days for most of his career.
He survived the 1973 oil embargo which nearly bankrupted his company.
He found a letter from his father in a safety deposit box advising his sons to “never be lazy.”
He owns 42% of Koch Industries.
His sister-in-law, Julia Koch (David’s widow), owns the other 42%.
He is the 2nd richest person in the US manufacturing/industrial sector.
He employs over 120,000 people globally.
His company makes the lycra in yoga pants and the sensors in iPhones.
He owns the brands Brawny, Dixie, Quilted Northern, and Angel Soft.
He has funded criminal justice reform initiatives, partnering with unlikely allies like Van Jones.
He stopped funding some GOP candidates who did not align with his free-trade views.
He has a private pilot’s license.
He works out almost every day to stay fit.
He reads complex economic texts for fun, specifically “praxeology” (the study of human action).
He has received death threats due to his political involvement.
He built his current home in 1975 and has lived there ever since.
He is skeptical of climate change regulation, which has drawn immense criticism from environmentalists.
His company is one of the largest polluters in the US, but also one of the most heavily regulated.
He does not like the term “oligarch.”
He donated millions to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
He believes that prosperity is driven by innovation, not government spending.
He has a net worth larger than the GDP of many African nations.
He rarely gives TV interviews.
He is a fan of the Wichita State Shockers basketball team.
He owns a distinctively modest office compared to Wall Street standards.
He successfully battled prostate cancer.
His son Chase is seen as his likely successor in the family business.
He has supported the legalization of marijuana (on libertarian grounds).
He founded the “Stand Together” philanthropic community.
He was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.
He believes employees should be paid based on value creation, not tenure.
He has invested heavily in cloud computing and technology in recent years.
He owns cattle ranches in Montana and Texas.
He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society.
He criticized the Trump administration’s trade wars.
He has given over $1.5 billion to charity during his lifetime.
He considers his wife Liz his “co-pilot” in life.
He plans to leave his shares to his family to keep the company private forever.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Charles Koch?

Charles Koch is 90 years old (as of late 2025/2026).

Where does Charles Koch live?

He resides in Wichita, Kansas, the city where he was born and where Koch Industries is headquartered.

Is Charles Koch married?

Yes, he has been married to Elizabeth “Liz” Koch since 1972.

How much is Charles Koch worth?

His estimated net worth is $74.5 billion.

What does Koch Industries do?

It is a diverse conglomerate involved in oil refining, chemicals, biofuels, forest products (paper), glass, fertilizers, and electronics.

Does Charles Koch have children?

Yes, he has two children: Chase Koch and Elizabeth Koch.

Is Charles Koch involved in politics?

Yes, he is a major donor to libertarian and conservative causes, advocating for free markets, deregulation, and criminal justice reform.

Did Charles Koch write a book?

Yes, he has authored books on management and economics, most notably “Good Profit” and “The Science of Success.”

Who owns the rest of Koch Industries?

The other major shareholder is the family of his late brother, David Koch (specifically his widow Julia Koch), who also controls 42%.

Is Charles Koch a Republican?

While he often supports Republican candidates, he identifies as a classical liberal or libertarian and has publicly criticized Republicans on issues like trade and spending.