Kristi Noem Net Worth (2026): Salary, Assets, Wealth

• $5 Million (2026) Net Worth
• Currently work in the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security
• $253,100 Annual Salary
• Married to Byon Neom in 1992
• Noem Insurance LLC ($1M-$5M)

In April 2025, Kristi Noem, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, became the talk of the town when a robber took her handbag with $3,000 in cash during a dinner in Washington, D.C. 

The incident made people suspicious regarding her financial situation and revealed that her fortune is approximately $5 million, which she has gathered through a combination of political activities, authorship, and her husband Bryon Noem’s insurance business. To learn more about Bryon Neom, visit Kristi Noem Husband: Meet Bryon Noem

Kristi Noem Net Worth in 2026

Forbes estimates Kristi Noem’s Net Worth to be around $5 million.

This is a significant increase from the $2.3 million that was suggested in 2017, thus showing the slow gaining of wealth during her political career. 

The following is Kristi Noem net worth accumulation in detail: 

• Between $174,000 and $560,000 in mutual funds, ETFs, and retirement accounts, 
• Real estate worth $250,000 to $500,000, about $265,000 kept ready in cash savings, 
• And up to $100,000 in livestock and farm equipment from their ranching roots.

What is the most valued property? 

Noem Insurance LLC, which is owned by her spouse, Bryon Noem, is the most valuable asset and is estimated to be worth between $1 million and $5 million .The family also possesses commercial property investments amounting to $500,000, with wisely taken advantage of $1 million in commercial loans and $1.5 million in business loans.

How Did Kristi Noem Build Her Wealth?

Political Career Earnings

The government service of Kristi has been for almost two decades. As U.S. Representative (2011-2019), she made $174,000 a year, thereby getting a total of around $1.39 million in eight years. I

In the capacity of South Dakota’s governor (2019-2025), she received an annual salary of about $122,000, which contributed another $732,000 to her income. The current position of DHS Secretary has an annual salary of $253,100. It is the highest salary she has had in the government so far. Altogether, she has received more than $2 million from political offices.

Book Deal Income

Kristi was able to make such a massive income only through publishing. The advance of $40,000 that she made on her first book, Not My First Rodeo, was reported first. 

Second, the sale of No Going Back attracted $139,750. In total, the combined income from books was almost $180,000, in addition to future royalties..

Family Business Success

This is where the Noem wealth story gets interesting. While Kristi served in government, her husband, Bryon built Noem Insurance LLC, an agency he founded in 1991. This business represents the family’s most valuable asset at $1 million to $5 million and provides substantial income beyond government paychecks.

The Noems’ approach has been strategic: steady government income from Kristi’s political career combined with entrepreneurial growth from Bryon’s insurance business. You can also check out our complete profile of Kristi Noem’s husband.

From Ranch to Political Power

Kristi’s first years on a ranch in South Dakota had an impact on her whole life. At just 22 years old, she had to cope with her father’s loss due to an unfortunate accident at the farm and made up her mind to take over the family business while she attended university. In 1992, she married Bryon Noem and thus began a partnership that lasted for three decades.

She was active in politics and started her journey from the South Dakota House (2007-2011) and then ascended to the U.S. Congress (2011-2019), where she earned four continuous terms. In 2019, she made history by being the first female governor of South Dakota, and on top of that, her pandemic policies, which had received criticism earlier but were still favorable to businesses, made her a well-known figure throughout the country. In 2024, President Trump regarded her as the next Secretary of dhs and she got sworn in January 2025.

The Bottom Line

Kristi Noem Net Worth of $5 million is a result of her strategic wealth-building plan: more than $2 million from government salaries, $180,000 from publishing contracts, intellectual property investments, and most importantly, $1-$5 million worth of her husband Bryon Noem’s insurance company.

Her fortune is likely to grow with her $253,100 salary from the Department of Human Services and the ongoing expansion of the business. 

To discover how Bryon Noem built the insurance empire that anchors the family’s wealth, read our in-depth profile: Meet Bryon Noem, Kristi Noem’s Husband.