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What is Kristi Noem’s net worth? Here's why she was carrying $3,000 in cash when her purse was stolen
Kristi Noem lost her purse following a theft at a Washington, D.C., restaurant, with the incident drawing attention to the amount of cash she was carrying.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently lost her purse following a theft in Washington, D.C. The incident has made headlines, drawing attention both for its security implications and also the amount of cash Noem was carrying.
Noem’s purse, which was stolen from a Washington, D.C., restaurant on Sunday, April 20, contained approximately $3,000 in cash. The detail sparked public scrutiny. The Department of Homeland Security told Newsweek that Noem was carrying the cash as she was treating her family to "dinner, activities and Easter gifts."
What is Kristi Noem’s net worth?
The public’s interest in Noem’s personal finances and lifestyle was renewed after the revelation that she was carrying $3,000 in cash, especially considering her status as a federal official and former South Dakota governor. As of early 2025, Noem’s net worth was estimated to be around $1 million, per a financial disclosure reviewed by Newsweek.
Noem owns farmland, a home in South Dakota, and investment holdings. Her annual salary as DHS secretary is $250,600, which was a significant raise from her past salary of approximately $122,000 as governor. According to federal ethics filings from August 2024, she owns assets such as agricultural interests and multiple bank accounts.
The property in Castlewood, South Dakota, was listed in the range of $250,001 to $500,000. Although Noem calls the property her home, the disclosure said it was pastureland.
Noem and her husband, Bryon Noem, reportedly have a 15-year mortgage on their home at between $100,001 and $250,000 at a 1.875 percent annual interest rate. The DHS secretary’s other assets include cash savings of $265,000 at the time of the disclosure, as well as livestock and equipment of up to $100,000.
The Secret Service viewed surveillance footage of the theft, which showed "an unknown white male wearing a medical mask" stealing Noem's bag and leaving the eatery, CNN reported. Along with the cash, Noem’s other stolen items include her driver's license, apartment keys and DHS access badge.
