We can debate whether this is a good thing or not, but becoming a major politician in America is now one of the easiest ways to become wealthy. Barack and Michelle Obama are great examples of this…they weren’t filthy rich heading into the White House, but after two successful terms, the power couple parlayed book deals and speaking engagements into a multimillion-dollar luxury lifestyle.
One politician who doesn’t really have to worry about that, though, is JD Vance. He was already wealthy when he became a Senator thanks to the sales of his best-selling memoir. Now, he’s about to be sworn in as Donald Trump’s Vice President, but he’ll be entering that esteemed office as one of the richest VPs in American history.
If you doubt that Vance is doing quite well for himself, you need to look no further than his home. And you guessed it: we’ve got the deets! Keep reading to discover how JD Vance and his wife Usha are already living large well before the inauguration.
JD Vance major bank from his debut novel
To understand how and why JD Vance is so wealthy, you need to take things back to the release of his book, Hillbilly Elegy. According to the New Republic, Vance made $823,132 in book royalties 2020 and 2021. That had tapered down to less than $50,000 in 2023, but after Donald Trump named Vance as his running mate, the future VP sold another 650,000 copies. As always, though, the real money came from the movie rights, and Netflix paid Vance a cool $45 million to create a Hillbilly Elegy film.
Since then, Vance has parlayed that money into a series of investments. And we wouldn’t be surprised if, like many politicians, Vance’s time in office only makes him wealthier. His wealth journey began with a single step, though: the publication of a groundbreaking novel about (ironically enough) growing up poor.
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Buying a luxurious house
Eventually, wealthy people get to a point where they’re buying crazy stuff the rest of us can only dream about owning. Most of them, though, begin by doing what the rest of us dream of daily: buying a very nice house. JD Vance did the same thing with his newfound wealth, buying a really swanky place for himself and his wife Usha in Alexandria, Virginia.
They bought the whole place in cash, paying over $1.6 million for the property. They got what they paid for, too: in addition to being in the swanky Del Rey area of town, this home features hardwood floors, multiple fireplaces, and walk-in closets. It also has some fun luxuries, including a soaking tub and special wine storage. Throw in the guest house and this is the kind of place any of us would be proud to call home.
A fancy neighborhood to suit a fancy house
With the kind of money JD Vance had to spare, he could have bought a home literally anywhere. It’s easy enough to see why he bought a place in Alexandria, Virginia…this house is only six minutes from the White House, giving him a relatively easy commute when he was a Senator. But why did he choose a house in the Del Rey section of town?
Vance has kept his exact buying motivations to himself, but this area is known for being a hip art community filled with passionate creators. It’s family-friendly, great for the future VP and his wife, and the area has lots of great shops where you can spend a cozy afternoon. Del Rey is known for something else, though, that Vance may not be a big fan of: this is an extremely liberal section of town.
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A conservative politician in a very liberal town
It’s fair to say JD Vance’s politics have evolved over time. It wasn’t that long ago that he was a fierce Donald Trump critic, for example, but the two are now preparing to run the country together. Furthermore, Vance’s politics have only grown more conservative since he became famous, which is one of the reasons he now has broad support from the Republican Party.
Interestingly, the Del Rey area of Alexandria, Virginia where he lives is known by the locals as an extraordinarily liberal area. As a prominent conservative, Vance really stands out, and he discovered this fact very shortly after moving in. That’s when a local resident left a knitted “Respect our Rights” sign outside his home along with Pride flags that signaled LGBTQ+ allyship.
That incident likely annoyed Vance, but he won’t be putting up with these shenanigans much longer. After the inauguration, he and his wife will be moving to the White House where Vance will serve as Vice President for the next four years. And who knows? He may be in there even longer if he parlays his time as Trump’s VP into a presidential campaign of his own.