JD Vance is an American U.S. senator and venture capitalist. He has been serving as a junior Senator from Ohio since 2023. Vance is known for his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which details his struggle growing up in a working-class family in Ohio. As of 2024, JD Vance’s net worth is estimated to be $7.5 million.
Full Name | James David Vance |
Also Known as | JD Vance |
Date of Birth | August 2, 1984 |
Born Place | Middletown, Ohio, United States |
Age | 40 years old |
Profession | Politician, Author, Venture Capitalist |
Parents | Bev Vance, Donald Bowman |
Wife | Usha Vance |
Height | 5 feet 9 inches or 175 cm tall |
Early Life
JD Vance was born on August 2, 1984, in a struggling industrial town in Ohio. His dad left the family when he was young. On the other hand, his mom, Bev Vance, suffered from addiction. Due to that, he was brought up by his maternal grandparents. Vance affectionately calls his grandfather Papaw and grandmother Mamaw.
Regarding his education, he studied at Middletown High School. After high school, he joined the U. S. Marine Corps and served in Iraq for almost four years. Upon his return, he joined Ohio State University and earned a graduation degree in political science and philosophy.
Following that, he attended Yale Law School and received a J. D. degree in 2013. At Law School, he met influential mentor and author Amy Chua, who wrote Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. Amy influenced and motivated him to pen down his early struggles through his memoir.
Subsequently, he published his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, in 2016. Through his memoir, he recounted his challenging days growing up in a rural town in Ohio. The memoir also portrays the struggles of every middle-class family member. Not only that, the book also captivates readers across social and political divisions. Vance eventually became the voice for blue-collar communities.
Rise to Fame and Political Career
Vance began serving as a law clerk after receiving his law degree. Soon, he changed his job and worked at a corporate law firm. He rose to fame following the success of his book “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis.” The book was listed on The New York Times Best Sellers List in 2016 and 2017.
He later shifted his career path and became interested in venture capital investments. Initially, he served at a venture capital firm, Mithril Capital. Peter Thiel, an early investor in PayPal and Facebook, co-founded the firm.
Thiel guided and mentored Vance in venture capital investments. During that time, Vance also learned to invest in promising technology startups. He eventually left Mithril Capital in 2017 and moved back to Ohio. There, he started his own venture capital company, Narya Capital. The venture capital was backed by prominent investors, including his mentor, Peter Thiel.
Vance established the venture capital to create growth and opportunities in economically depressed areas. He mainly invested in Midwestern startups. Vance also owns another company, JD Vance Enterprises. The company mostly holds his investments and promotes his media appearances, writing, and speaking engagements. Vance has also gathered immense wealth from investing in Walmart stock, Invesco QQQ ETF, and platform Rumble Inc.
In 2021, Vance transitioned into politics and announced his candidacy for the United States Senate seat from Ohio. Surprisingly, he received a significant endorsement from Donald Trump. As a result, he got a victory in the primary election. He ran against Tim Ryan in the general election and eventually won comfortably.
On July 15, 2024, Trump announced that Vance would be his running mate for the 2024 Presidential campaign. Two days later, at the Republican National Convention, Vance accepted the nomination to be his vice president.
What is JD Vance’s Net Worth in 2024?
Roughly, most of Vance’s wealth comes from his time as a venture capitalist. As of 2024, JD Vance’s net worth is nearly $7.5 million. He has amassed a colossal figure from his venture capital investments, selling his memoir, and also from his political career. Vance reportedly sold 1.6 million copies of his memoir. Also, his memoir ranked on the top list of Amazon’s Best Sellers chart.
Vance approximately netted over 121,000 in royalties through his memoir in 2022. His book was also featured as a Netflix movie in 2020 starring actors Amy Adams and Glenn Close. The film eventually received immense success and was included in the top 10 movie list in the United States.
Vance has also invested significant money in stocks, cryptocurrency, and real estate. According to his financial disclosure, he held Bitcoin valued between $100,001 and $250,000. Similarly, he owns Walmart stock valued between $50,001 and $100,000 and has shares in InvescoQQQETF valued between $500,001 and $1 million. Additionally, he has a share in a video platform, Rumble Inc, worth between $100,001 and $250,000.
Vance owns three lavish mansions in different states, Virginia, Ohio, and Washington D. C. According to Forbes, Vance’s three expensive homes are worth $4 million. Besides that, he has three 529 education savings accounts for his kids. According to sources, the three 529 savings accounts are valued between $31,000 and $115,000. He also has a Schwab brokerage account, reportedly valued between $2.2 million and $7.5 million.
How does JD Vance spend his money?
JD Vance has a long list of checking and saving accounts worth between $315,000 and $815,000. He gets an interest income between $5,000 and $16,000 through various accounts. Outside of his bank details, he earns an estimated rental income between $15,000 to $50,000 from his real estate property valued between $500,000 and $1 million.
Vance’s significant expenditure goes on residential real estate and venture capital investments. He mainly backs startups in various industries through his venture capital firm, such as health care, technology, and manufacturing. Some startups in which he has invested his wealth are Hallow, Rumble, Chapter, Branch, Strive, and Kriya Therapeutics.
As a political figure and 2024 vice president nominee, Vance spends money on his political campaigns. He also disburses some of the money for campaign advertising and fundraising efforts. In addition to that, he spent a part of his wealth on media-related ventures.
Vance invested the bulk figure while promoting his memoir Hillbilly Elegy. He is also known to be actively involved in philanthropic activities. Vance has been aligned with various causes, supporting organizations focused on education and economic empowerment.
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