One of the co-founders of Zillow is departing Seattle, adding to the exodus of high-profile millionaires.
Rich Barton, who was the CEO of Zillow from its founding 20 years ago until 2010, and then again from 2019 to 2024, announced on X that he is leaving Seattle for Las Vegas.
Officially a Las Vegas resident. Kids are launched, empty nest achieved, and we're excited to start this next chapter.
— Rich Barton (@Rich_Barton) June 5, 2026
According to his post, his children have left home, making the transition to Vegas much easier for him and his wife, echoing similar high-profile departures, including Jeff Bezos and former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz.
Bezos left Washington for Miami in late 2023, while Schultz announced he was leaving the region last March. Schultz wrote in a LinkedIn post that he was entering the “retirement phase” of his life and would be enjoying the sunshine in South Florida. He has several family members on the East Coast.
None of them cited the recently passed millionaire’s tax, which will tax households with incomes above $1 million at a rate of 9.9% starting in 2028, but Schultz did leave some harsh criticisms of Seattle’s current leadership, claiming that Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s “socialist ideals” hurt employers.
Barton, who is still a co-executive chairman of Zillow, was originally born on the East Coast in Connecticut before migrating to Seattle in the early 1990s to work for Microsoft. Forbes crowned Barton a billionaire in February 2020.
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson faces fresh backlash after joke about millionaires’ tax gesture
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is facing renewed criticism after attempting to joke about a controversial hand gesture tied to Washington’s new tax on high earners during a recent public appearance.
During a Q&A at Seattle University, Wilson appeared to wave goodbye to millionaires leaving the state because of Washington’s new tax on wealthy residents. A few weeks later, the mayor addressed the backlash in a social media video, saying, “I know there’s been a lot of attention on my hand gestures lately,” before joking about an “awkward high-five.”
This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com
Contributing: Luke Duecy, KIRO Newsradio
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