How Much Farmland Does Microsoft Co-Founder Bill Gates Own in MO?

As rich as Bill Gates is ($1.31 Billion USD) he could probably just buy up the whole state of Missouri if he wanted to but the big question is, how much land does he own in Missouri?

Bill Gates is now the largest owner of farmland in the United States. He's no longer the richest man in the world. (That would Jeff Bezos with a paltry $182 billion) But not the being the richest doesn't mean he can't wear the new crown.

Gates' portfolio now consists of 242,000 acres of farmland, and on top of that, he he owns another 19,000 acres of other land. This is spread over 19 states according to marketwatch.com. His land holdings go anywhere from one acre in New Mexico to 25,750 acres in Arizona.

So you have to wonder how many acres does he own in Missouri? The answer is zero. Now that doesn't mean at some point he won't gobble up some acreage around the Lake of the Ozarks or around the Branson area.

Even though he doesn't own any land in Missouri he has a stake in some states around us. In Arkansas he owns 47,927 acres. That's a big chunk of land. Not quite so much in Illinois as he's the landlord of 17,940 acres. To the north of us, his acreage count in Iowa diminishes greatly at 552 acres.

According to marketwatch.com:

It’s uncertain why Gates has invested in so much farmland or how his tracts are currently being used.

You would think with 242,000 acres he would be the largest landowner in the United States, but not so. That title goes to John Malone, chairman for Liberty Media with 2.2 million acres.