Bill Gates spends his wealth on luxury properties, cars, and philanthropy. He owns estates in Washington, Florida, California, and Montana, along with farmland and hotels. His foundation donates billions to healthcare, education, and poverty relief. Gates also funds Alzheimer’s research, vaccines, and disease eradication efforts worldwide.
Gates has splurged on some things, like his luxury Car Collection
Bill Gates was once the richest person in the world until Jeff Bezos overtook him in 2018. Now ranked seventh, Gates is part of the centibillionaire club. He has diversified his wealth into stocks, assets, and a $1 billion investment fund, Breakthrough Energy. Despite his fortune, Gates’ early splurge included only a Porsche and private jet.
Gates invested heavily in his Washington estate called Xanadu 2.0
Bill Gates owns 12 parcels of land in Medina, spanning 10.5 acres, purchased for $34 million between 1988 and 2009. His property taxes in 2023 totaled $1.3 million. The estate features a 60-foot pool with an underwater sound system, a 2,100-square-foot library housing a $30 million Da Vinci manuscript, and several famous paintings. The mansion includes six kitchens, 24 bathrooms, a home theater, and garages for his 23 cars.
Gates also has properties in Florida and Montana
In addition to his Washington home, Bill Gates owns a 20-acre estate in Wellington, Florida, with two mansions purchased for $35 million. The estate supports his daughter Jennifer Gates Nassar’s equestrian passion. He also owns property at the Yellowstone Club in Montana, featuring a 6,993-square-foot home. Gates is the largest private farmland owner in the U.S., with 275,000 acres, although he downplays concerns, stating it represents only a small portion of total U.S. farmland.
Gates has Several Properties in California
Bill Gates owns several luxurious properties in California, including the 228-acre Rancho Paseana, purchased for $18 million, with a racetrack, olive orchard, and barns. He also bought an oceanfront home in Del Mar for $43 million, featuring a Jacuzzi and 120 feet of coastline. Gates owns homes at Indian Wells’ Vintage Club and the Santaluz Club in San Diego. Some of these properties may have been divided following his divorce from Melinda French Gates.
Gates has made numerous investments through his personal investment firm
Through his personal investment firm, Cascade, Bill Gates has made notable investments, such as partial ownership of the Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2013, Gates, alongside several other buyers, acquired the Ritz-Carlton in San Francisco for $161 million, expanding his portfolio in the hospitality sector.
Gates is a well-known philanthropist
Bill Gates, one of the world’s wealthiest individuals, has consistently dedicated a substantial portion of his fortune to philanthropy. Through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates has invested billions in healthcare, education, and poverty alleviation efforts. His notable contributions include funding projects aimed at eradicating malaria, combating the Ebola outbreak, and supporting vaccine delivery in impoverished regions. In 2017, Gates invested $50 million in Alzheimer’s research, and in 2018, he pledged another $30 million to the Diagnostics Accelerator for early Alzheimer’s detection.
The foundation’s work extends beyond healthcare. Gates and his former wife, Melinda, have also made commitments to education, such as the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, which focuses on providing scholarships to students in need.
Since its inception, the Gates Foundation has made over $77.6 billion in grant payments, with Gates personally contributing $59.5 billion to the cause. The foundation’s 2024 budget is set at $8.6 billion, with plans to reach a $9 billion yearly budget by 2026. These efforts showcase Gates’ dedication to addressing global challenges, particularly in the fields of public health and education, reaffirming his focus on creating a lasting positive impact through his wealth.
