Zillow co-founder Rich Barton leaves Seattle for Las Vegas

Rich Barton, the billionaire behind Zillow, Expedia and Glassdoor, is cashing in his Seattle chips for Las Vegas.

After 35 years living in Seattle, Barton announced on Friday that he was officially a Las Vegas resident.

"Kids are launched, empty nest achieved, and we're excited to start this next chapter," Barton, 59, wrote on X.

The entrepreneur founded the online travel agency Expedia 30 years ago and co-founded the real estate platform Zillow in 2004 in Seattle before helping create the workplace transparency platform Glassdoor in 2007 in California.

His companies grew to become giants in their fields, some with international presences. His net worth is $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.

Barton, who served as Zillow's CEO for a combined 11 years before stepping down in 2024, will continue to serve as the company's co-executive chair from his new residence.

Zillow and a representative for Barton declined to comment on the move.

His departure undoubtedly adds fuel to a heated debate over whether Washington's business environment, including an upcoming "millionaires tax" - a 9.9% tax on income over $1 million annually - will drive away the state's wealthy.

Some worry the new tax, set to take effect in 2028, combined with Washington's capital gains excise tax, now up to 9.9% on gains over $1 million, could push more high earners out of state. (The law does prevent double taxation on the same profits.)

Nevada is one of the most tax-light states in the nation, with no capital gains tax, no estate tax and no income tax.

Barton isn't the only uber-rich Seattleite who found a new home in recent years. Some have cited personal reasons for their moves, but at least one has taken jabs at Washington's regulations.

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced his departure from Seattle for Miami in March, two months before writing a fiery Wall Street Journal op-ed criticizing Seattle and Washington's business environment.

In 2023, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos also left for Miami after nearly 30 years in the Puget Sound region, saying he wanted to be closer to his parents and the site of Blue Origin's operations in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 10:01 AM.