As of January 2026, Stephen King's net worth is estimated at $500 million, according to multiple sources including Celebrity Net Worth and Parade. This fortune has been accumulated through his prolific writing career, which includes over 65 novels and hundreds of short stories, with more than 350 million copies sold worldwide. His wealth is further bolstered by lucrative film and television adaptations of his works, such as It, , , and The Shawshank Redemption, as well as royalties from book sales, real estate investments, and other ventures.

  • Stephen King’s net worth remains consistently reported at $500 million across sources updated as recently as January 2026.

  • His primary income streams include book sales, film and TV rights, and royalties, with notable earnings from the paperback rights to his debut novel Carrie, which sold for $400,000 (equivalent to $2.3 million today).

  • King has also earned significant income from adaptations, such as It: Chapter One, which grossed $850 million globally, and The Shawshank Redemption, which has generated over $1 billion in total revenue across rentals, streaming, and broadcasts.

  • He and his wife, Tabitha, own Zone Radio Corp, a radio station group, and have invested in valuable real estate, including a Victorian home in Bangor, Maine, and a waterfront mansion in Sarasota, Florida.

  • Despite his wealth, King is known for living a modest lifestyle, often described as humble and down-to-earth, even maintaining a home phone and avoiding extravagant displays of wealth.

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Reddit
reddit.com › r/stephenking › stephen king is said to have a net worth of over $500 million. yet he never seems out of touch with the working class.
r/stephenking on Reddit: Stephen King is said to have a net worth of over $500 million. Yet he never seems out of touch with the working class.
May 17, 2023 - I used to think that, but Duma Key seems like it was written by a guy with a net worth of $500 million. ... Interesting. Could you say more about that? ... The main character lives on the beach, doesn't seem to worry about money, and has all ...
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Celebrity Net Worth
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Stephen King Net Worth | Celebrity Net Worth
September 13, 2025 - Stephen King net worth: Stephen King is a prolific American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, and fantasy novels who has a net worth of $500 million. To date, his books have sold more than 350 million copies worldwide.
Discussions

Stephen King is said to have a net worth of over $500 million. Yet he never seems out of touch with the working class.
I was pondering why Stephen King rarely talks about the truly wealthy or his experiences in Hollywood. He seems very… More on reddit.com
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May 17, 2023
I just looked up King's net worth and found that it's somewhere between 200 and 400 million. Incredibly to see that he's stayed humble and down to earth with his success.

He writes poverty really well, especially in his older books. The Shining and Salem's Lot have some of the best descriptions of poverty that I've read.

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July 1, 2012
Scrolling through his twitter page and seeing these pics...he has a net worth of $500 million and lives like a regular joe. King could afford the nicest, biggest tv ever or a gorgeous mahogany dining room table but he's happy living like working man ♥️
Honestly this is the dream for me. To be wealthy and live a normal middle class life without the worries money troubles bring. More on reddit.com
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April 18, 2024
Why is King so much more expensive than Koontz?
Well, to misquote one of King’s creations: “Sometimes King is better.” More on reddit.com
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August 6, 2023
People also ask

What Was Stephen King’s First Book?
King’s first book was the horror novel Carrie, published in 1974.
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forbes.com
forbes.com › forbes homepage › business
The Best Stephen King Books, Ranked And In Order
What Are Stephen King’s Scariest Books?
Among the many genres he writes, King may be most known for horror, and some of his most notable scary books are It, Thinner, Christine, Cujo, Firestarter, The Stand, The Shining and Carrie.
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forbes.com
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The Best Stephen King Books, Ranked And In Order
What Popular Stephen King Books Were Made Into Movies?
According to IMBD, 50 of King’s works have been adapted to movies since Carrie premiered in 1976. Some of the best known are The Shining, Cujo, Christine, Children of the Corn, Cat’s Eye, Stand By Me, The Running Man, Misery, The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.
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forbes.com
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The Best Stephen King Books, Ranked And In Order
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Caroline-writes
caroline-writes.com › home › writing tips › stephen king vs. james patterson: who has the better writing method?
Comparing the Best Writing Method: Stephen King vs James Patterson writing method
July 27, 2025 - Both Stephen King and James Patterson have made a serious amount of money writing books. Stephen King’s estimated net worth is $500-$600 million, while James Patterson’s estimated net worth is a whopping $800 – $900 million.

American novelist and writer (born 1947)

King in 2024
Stephen King
Stephen  King
Stephen King's One for the Road
Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them … Wikipedia
Factsheet
Born Stephen Edwin King
(1947-09-21) September 21, 1947 (age 78)
Portland, Maine, U.S.
Pen name Richard Bachman
John Swithen
Beryl Evans
Occupation Author
Factsheet
Born Stephen Edwin King
(1947-09-21) September 21, 1947 (age 78)
Portland, Maine, U.S.
Pen name Richard Bachman
John Swithen
Beryl Evans
Occupation Author
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Stephen_King
Stephen King - Wikipedia
4 days ago - Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author. Dubbed the "King of Horror", he is widely known for his horror novels and has also explored other genres, among them suspense, crime, science-fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Though known primarily for his novels, he has written ...
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Parade
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Stephen King Net Worth (2026) From It, Carrie, The Shining, More - Parade
1 week ago - In 2026, according to Celebrity Net Worth, Stephen King has a net worth of $500 million. He has earned this fortune through his highly successful career as a novelist, in addition to his work as a screenwriter, TV producer, actor, writer, columnist ...
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Yahoo!
yahoo.com › lifestyle › articles › top-10-richest-authors-world-110026363.html
How Rich Are JK Rowling, James Patterson and the Other Top 10 Richest Authors?
July 15, 2025 - King’s net worth is $500 million. Often referred to as the King of Horror, King has published more than 60 novels and sold more than 350 million copies worldwide.
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Forbes
forbes.com › forbes homepage › business
The Best Stephen King Books, Ranked And In Order
June 9, 2025 - “My mother used to say when I ... book copies sold in 40 different languages all over the world, and a net worth of $500 million, King is a literary giant — but he’s also a cultural phenomenon....
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Quora
quora.com › What-factors-have-contributed-to-Stephen-Kings-staggering-net-worth-of-500-million
What factors have contributed to Stephen King's staggering net worth of $500 million? - Quora
Answer (1 of 6): Everybody who has read anything about Stephen King the person knows this:— * He has earned his fortune through prolific writing and immense popularity (read: sellability) of his novels. This includes his work as a screenwriter, TV producer, film director, actor, and columnist. ...
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YouTube
youtube.com › therichest
The King of Horror: How Stephen King Built a $500 Million Empire - YouTube
We Stan This King: How Stephen King's Net Worth Got Scary Highhttps://www.therichest.com/stephen-king-net-worth/Subscribe for more! ► http://bit.ly/Subscribe...
Published   August 17, 2024
Views   4K
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Binus
english.binus.ac.id › 2024 › 04 › 12 › the-nine-richest-authors-of-2023
The Nine Richest Authors of 2023 – English BINUS University
5. Grant Cardone. Genre: Business books. Net worth: 600 Million 6. Matt Groening. “The Simpsons”. Net worth: 600 million 7. Paulo Coelho. “The Alchemist”. Net worth: 500 million 8. Rose Kennedy.
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BlinkBlog
expedientes.czfi.es › 2025-stephen-king-net-worth-2024-57016.html
Stephen King Net Worth 2025 | Breaking News
April 18, 2025 - With an estimated net worth of $500 million in 2024, Stephen King’s financial landscape is shaped by his continual literary success and the ongoing adaptations of his work into visual media.
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The Scotsman
scotsman.com › arts and culture › books
The 11 richest authors in the world 2024 - including Stephen King
February 22, 2024 - Being the master of horror pays a scary amount of money. Stephen King has made roughly $500 million out of his library of terrifying tales - many of which have been turned into Hollywood movies.
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Mal Warwick on Books
malwarwickonbooks.com › home › which authors make the most money?
Which authors make the most money? | Mal Warwick on Books: Insightful Reviews and Recommendations
June 6, 2023 - 1. James Patterson : $836 million 2. J. K. Rowling : $546 million 3. Stephen King : $259 million 4. Danielle Steel : $231 million 5. John Grisham : $192 million 6. Jeff Kinney : $165 million 7. E. L. James (Tie) : $153 million 7. Janet Evanovich ...
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Men's Health
menshealth.com › entertainment › what is stephen king's net worth?
Stephen King Net Worth — What Is Stephen King Worth Now?
March 14, 2020 - Stephen King's first best-seller was 1974's Carrie, and his career has showed no signs of slowing down since. Here's what we know about his net worth.
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Distractify
distractify.com › home › entertainment › celebrity › author dan brown's net worth continues to grow thanks to new book and television releases
Author Dan Brown's Net Worth Continues to Grow Thanks to New Book and Television Releases
September 11, 2025 - Even if Dan's work hadn't become ... why his net worth is so high. The Independent reports that more than 80 million copies of The Da Vinci Code were sold in the years since the novel was first published. The other books published by Dan elevated the profits for the author even more, putting him in the same conversation as Stephen King and George ...
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Myshelf
myshelf.com › home › stephen king net worth: from carrie (1974) to you like it darker (2024) — how rich is the king of horror?
Stephen King Net Worth: From Carrie (1974) to You Like It Darker (2024) — How Rich Is the King of Horror? Turn Knowledge into Clarity -
October 31, 2025 - Stephen King started writing early and published his first book, Carrie when he was 26. Now 77 years old (2024), the legendary horror, fiction, suspense, and thriller author boasts a massive $500 million net worth.
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Film Daily
filmdaily.co › home › master of horror: what’s author stephen king’s net worth?
Master of horror: What's author Stephen King's net worth? – Film Daily
February 15, 2022 - Today, the world knows Stephen King as an American prolific author of supernatural fiction, horror, suspense, and fantasy novels. The net worth of Stephen King is $500 million.
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92 Moose
92moose.fm › maine-stephen-king-richest-celebrity-net-worth
Maine's Stephen King Is 44th Richest Celebrity in the World. What's His Net Worth?
October 20, 2023 - According to the FW, Stephen has made the list of the richest celebs in the industry. Alongside people like Robert De Niro and Mick Jagger, King is the 44th person on the list. $500 million is the undisputed king of horror's net worth, according ...