Each autumn, Forbes holds up a mirror to American capitalism, and the 2026 edition of its 400 richest list reflects the familiar geography of concentrated wealth — San Antonio with two billionaires, Colorado with four, Massachusetts with its own cluster. These are not merely names and numbers; they are coordinates on a map of economic power that shapes housing, politics, and opportunity for millions who will never appear on any such list. The threshold for entry rises almost every year, a quiet signal that the distance between the wealthiest and everyone else continues to widen.