Inside Kristi Noem's Incredibly Lavish Lifestyle In MAGA-Land

Despite the way Kristi Noem talks about her childhood, she was not poor then, and she certainly is not poor now. In 2017, Noem penned an op-ed for the Argus Leader, explaining how the unexpected death of her father, Ron Arnold, in 1994 led to an even more unexpected tax bill from the IRS against his farm. Something that Noem's op-ed didn't mention, however, is that the farm in question received $3.7 million in federal subsidies from 1995 to 2016. Fast forward some years to 2021, when the Associated Press reported that two properties owned by the Noem family received $600,000 during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, Noem had an approximate net worth of $2.3 million. 

As of this writing, Forbes estimates that Noem is now worth approximately $5 million. While Noem earns a good chunk of income working for the United States government, much of her wealth also comes from the business dealings of her husband of over 30 years, Bryon Noem. Noem's husband bought a South Dakota insurance agency in 2010 and, according to Forbes, also co-owns a car wash. Between all the endorsements, public events, campaign donations, businesses, land, and elite circles that encompass Noem's life, her privilege is evidently staggering.

Despite only dominating headlines after Donald Trump's first election victory, Kristi Noem has worked in public service for much longer. From 2007 to 2010, Noem was a representative for South Dakota's 6th legislative district. After that, Noem went straight to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving between 2011 and 2019. The rest, as they say, is history: Noem was elected Governor of South Dakota in 2019 and served in that role for another six years before being promoted to the Secretary of Homeland Security.

These roles share two common denominators: They come with a lot of responsibility and a large paycheck. Since Noem's first House seat victory in 2011, the public servant has consistently brought home a massive six-figure salary every year — according to Forbes, Noem earned only $12,000 as a member of South Dakota's 6th district. Noem earned a whopping $174,000 as a U.S. representative, a position she was reelected to three times. Noem earned less as South Dakota's governor with a $113,000 paycheck, although it's hard to cry over such a large sum. 

But these numbers are nothing compared to what Noem makes as the Secretary of Homeland Security, however. According to Forbes, Noem's newest job title awards her a massive $235,100 salary, more than double her previous rate of pay. That said, ProPublica reported in June 2025 that Noem failed to report an additional $80,000 on top of her $113,000 salary in 2023, meaning her income then was actually around $200,000. 

In her early years, before her career in public service kicked off — and before her head-turning transformation — Kristi Noem grew up on her family's Racota Valley Ranch property. The generationally owned farmland is located near Hazel, South Dakota, an extremely small town with an estimated population of less than 100 people in 2026. As adults, Noem and her husband own a farm ranch near Castlewood — population roughly 700 in 2026 — that includes over 200 acres. Forbes estimates the value of the Noems' property at approximately $1.1 million. This is quite an impressive number, especially considering that the Noems bought the land's original 31 acres for $7,500 in 2006.

In August 2025, The Hill reported that Noem also takes up residence in Quarters 1, when not traveling or engaged in other business matters. Located in Arlington, Virginia, Quarters 1 is not just any building; the historic home was built on Fort Myer – now Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, a military base housing members of the United States Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and the Arlington National Cemetery Honor Guard. Noem doesn't just live in such a prestigious area, but she doesn't even pay for it. The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement once this information became public, arguing that Noem was moved into Quarters 1 because of death threats and because the general location of her Washington D.C. apartment was revealed.

As the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem is almost always on the go. From January 2025 to February 2026, Noem traveled around the world and met with a plethora of world leaders for diplomatic purposes in-person and virtually, including the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda. Noem's travels around the United States generally revolve around border security and press conferences (such is the nature of her job) in states including North Dakota and Arizona. 

Since Noem can't stay in one place for too long, quick yet private travel has become an essential component of her work — and her personal life. During Noem's stint as South Dakota's governor, the state paid more than $640,000 towards her traveling needs. According to the Associated Press, these trips include her visit to a Houston-based cosmetic dental practice (airfare alone cost at least $2,000) and a visit to Paris, France, which cost $7,555 just for Noem's round trip. Factor in food, lodging, traveling by car on location, and everything else involved in taking a trip, and there's no doubt that each venture is almost always five figures. 

While the news that Noem's pricey travel expenses aren't shocking, what is a little surprising is how she has failed to accurately disclose this luxurious aspect several times. In October 2025, for example, an official press release from the House Appropriations Committee Democrats revealed that Noem authorized $200 million of taxpayer funds to purchase two private jets. Even worse, the G700 jets were purchased during a government shutdown. A few months earlier, in March 2025, the AP reported that Noem failed to report over $150,000 in travel expenses during her time as governor. 

At first glance, one of the most eye-catching things about Kristi Noem is her luxurious hair. Her long, brown locks are thick and curly, framing her face quite well. Noem's hair hasn't always looked like this, however — for one, Noem was a blond throughout the 1990s, something her 1992 wedding photos help support. Besides that, Noem sported darker hair that was much shorter from the early 2010s up until 2020, which was the first time her hair went past her shoulders.

To be clear, Noem has never stated that she uses hair extensions. However, plenty of experts have given their opinion on Noem's hair, and have all come to the same conclusion: It isn't just (largely) fake, but it costs some good money to maintain. In January 2026, hair and makeup artist Amber Renee told The List, "I would guess that she is wearing either sewn or tape in extensions made from premium human hair!" Renee also estimated that Noem was spending several thousand dollars to upkeep her updo, with "somewhere between $1500 and $3000 just for the hair," alone. 

Like her hair, it's hard to forget the three major characteristics of most of the Homeland Security secretary's makeup looks: covered, caked, and dramatic — meaning Noem's makeup should never be photographed up close. As someone constantly in the public spotlight and short on time between meetings, there's an extremely high chance that Noem pays for professional makeup services. In April 2020, the Dakota Free Press reported that Noem spent $75,525 on makeup services as part of a larger $130,000 contract signed in May 2019, just a few months into her stint as governor. 

In March 2025, Noem took a quick trip to El Salvador and toured the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT). As Noem stood in front of the influx of prisoners crammed into a small cell, something stuck out like a sore thumb — the extravagant gold watch on Noem's left wrist. Noem shamelessly showed off her wealth, as she wasn't just sporting any watch, but a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. First launched in 1963, the 18-karat beauty is valued at over $50,000. While a beautiful piece of jewelry, Noem was called out for not reading the room.

While Noem didn't directly respond to criticisms over her flashy timepiece, Tricia McLaughlin, one of her spokespeople, did provide a statement to the Daily Beast. "Governor Noem chose to use the proceeds from her New York Times best-selling books to purchase an item she could wear and one day pass down to her children." The books in question are "Not My First Rodeo," released in 2022, and "No Going Back," released in 2024. According to Noem's financial disclosure report, she received a $40,000 advance for the former and a hefty $139,750 advance for the latter. 

The Mar-a-Lago face is sweeping through the MAGA masses like wildfire. Characterized by full lips, fuller cheeks, defined jawlines, and skin that looks too good to be true, this beauty trend is easy enough to attain with time, money, and resources — although there's no guarantee that the end result will look natural. In Kristi Noem's case, chronological photos of her government career tell a story without words: Noem has clearly aged in a way that isn't completely natural.

To her credit, Noem is one of the rare MAGA women who has admitted to getting at least one thing done. In March 2024, Noem revealed on Instagram that she received dental work at Smile Texas, a cosmetic dentistry practice. The dentist who worked on her, Dr. Bret Davis, confirmed on his own Instagram that she received a full set of veneers. In Sugar Land (Greater Houston), where Smile Texas is located, each tooth can cost around $1,000. Multiply that by 32 — the number of teeth that adults typically have — and you end up with a big dental bill. 

As for everything else, the supposed transformation of Noem's face is hard to deny, though she has yet to confirm any additional work. In March 2025, plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Niccole told Nicki Swift that if he had to guess, Noem's complete makeover cost over $25,000. " ... It's likely she's undergone a neck lift and a mini facelift, possibly along with skin rejuvenation treatments like microneedling or a light erbium laser," Dr. Niccole hypothesized.

With a large net worth naturally comes expensive taste — something that rings true even of Kristi Noem's hobbies. And if there's one thing to know about Noem, it's that she loves horses. In December 2020, Noem told the American Quarter Horse Association that, before she became deeply rooted in politics, she "probably had 10 to 15 mares at a time." Factoring in vet bills and food, among other expenses, a horse owner could be shelling out thousands a year to take care of one animal. So, if Noem really owned that many at one time, she might have been spending around six figures on them. 

When Noem isn't working or riding horses, she can probably be found taking part in other popular outdoor activities, like hunting and fishing. Noem's social media profiles are decorated with her adventures doing both, as seen in a 2018 Facebook post. The cost of hunting and fishing licenses in South Dakota varies based on the animal and state residency status and doesn't include additions like gear. 

Noem has also dabbled in pricey renovation projects. When she was governor, Noem used roughly $68,000 in taxpayer money in 2021 to renovate the governor's mansion, per the Argus Leader. It was reported that Noem installed things like a sauna, large televisions, multiple rugs, and an elevator. 

You know you've officially made it into Donald Trump's good graces when you get an invitation to Mar-a-Lago. Trump's estate and private club is located in Palm Beach, Florida, and boasts roughly 62,500 square feet of space. Originally built in 1927, Trump purchased the property in 1985 for about $10 million (about $30 million in 2026). When it comes to Mar-a-Lago, stepping foot in the area offers its guests several things at once: networking opportunities, an overabundance of luxury, and the overall feeling of self-importance. 

With Noem and Trump sharing a solid relationship, it makes sense that Noem would take the time to make appearances. Since Mar-a-Lago doesn't publicly list who its members are, there's no way of knowing for sure whether Noem has a paid membership to Trump's prestigious club or if she visits based on her political influence. If Noem has bought one, we know that she paid over six figures for it – the initiation fee for a Mar-a-Lago membership was $700,000 for some time until October 2024, when it was raised to $1 million.

Between November 2020 and February 2026, Noem was publicly seen at Mar-a-Lago at least three times. Her first visit in 2020 was one of her most controversial, as she attended a dinner event during COVID-19 with no mask on. More recently, Noem rang in 2026 at Mar-a-Lago's New Years Eve Party. Her dance to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller (available to watch on YouTube) was the prime definition of secondhand embarrassment. 

Celebrities and other public figures usually handle their money two ways: They keep their hefty cash flow on the down low, or they flaunt their status at every opportunity. In Kristi Noem's case, she falls into the latter category. Blinding CECOT prisoners with her $50,000 Rolex watch is one of the finest examples one can think of. Between not having to pay rent and bringing in roughly a quarter of a million dollars every year, there's no doubt whatsoever that if Noem is in need of cash, she can withdraw some in a flash. 

It wasn't until April 2025, though, that everyone realized just how many dollar bills Noem seems to carry on her person. That month, Noem's purse was swiped while she dined at The Capital Burger in Washington, D.C. The thief made off with a whole lot of sensitive material, including Noem's driver's license, passport, makeup, and medication. Noem's purse also contained a Louis Vuitton wallet with a ridiculous amount of cold, hard cash — $3,000, to be exact. A DHS spokesperson told Newsweek that the money was meant to pay for the Noem's family dinner and other Easter activities. 

For those wondering, Noem did get her bag back shortly after it was taken, although the suspected thief allegedly used some of her funds and threw out her license. Unsurprisingly, Noem made sure to turn the moment into a political statement. "Unfortunately, so many families in this country have been made victims by crime, and that's why President Trump is working every single day to make America safe and get these criminal aliens off of our streets," Noem tweeted.