Jimmy Carter Led a Relatively Humble Life, but What Was His Net Worth?
Carter led a modest life, but managed to accumulate some wealth anyway.
Published Jan. 10 2025, 10:53 a.m. ET
The state funeral for Jimmy Carter featured a number of major politicians paying tribute to the 39th president. Following that pomp and circumstance, Carter will be buried at his home in Plains, Ga. in a private ceremony, which speaks to the humble way he led the rest of his life.
Although Carter famously spent much of his time after his presidency dedicated to charitable endeavors, many wanted to know what the former president's net worth was at the time of his death. Here's what we know.
What was Jimmy Carter's net worth at the time of his death?
Jimmy Carter's estimated net worth at the time of his death was $10 million, which may seem like a lot, but is likely on the low end of former presidents. That income comes from a combination of book payouts for memoirs and other writings, as well as the presidential pension he received after leaving the office. Of course, part of the reason he was worth so much is that he did not spend much of the money he brought in.
Jimmy Carter
Former U.S. president
Net worth: $10 Million
Jimmy Carter was the 39th president of the United States, and spent decades after leaving office advocating on behalf of human rights and volunteering with habitat for humanity. His net worth comes from his memoirs as well as his writings on politics, faith, and human rights, and from the pension he continued to collect until his death as a former president.
Birthdate: Oct. 1, 1924
Birthplace: Plains, Ga.
Birth Name: James Earl Carter, Jr.
Father: James Carter
Mother: Bessie Gordy
After Carter left the White House, he returned to the house he had lived in prior to taking office, and he remained in that house until his death. Contrast that with the more extravagant residences that many former presidents take up, and it seems to reaffirm that Carter's commitment was really to philanthropy and advocating on behalf of human rights. He wanted to do as much good as he could for as long as he could after leaving office.
Jimmy Carter was remembered as a dedicated public servant.
In the aftermath of his death, many former colleagues and presidents paid tribute to the former president both for his time in office and the decades of work he did afterward.
"What are the values that animate our spirit to operate from fear or hope? Ego for generosity? Do we show grace? Do we keep the faith when it's most tested?" Joe Biden said. "For keeping the faith with the best of humankind and the best of America is a story, in my view, from my perspective, Jimmy Carter's life."
"It's a long way between Grand Rapids, Mich., and Plains, Ga., but distances have a way of vanishing when measured in values rather than miles," Steve Ford said, reciting a tribute from his father, Gerald Ford. "It was because of our shared values that Jimmy and I respected each other as adversaries even before we cherished one another as dear friends."