In October of 2024, the New York Times reported that Musk purchased multiple properties in Austin for $35 million. The world’s richest man was rumored to be creating a massive family compound for his 11 children and two of their three mothers, according to the outlet. “That way, his younger children could be a part of one another’s lives, and Mr. Musk could schedule time among them,” a source familiar with his plans said. The newspaper reported that Musk owned three homes on (or near) the compound in the making: a 14,400-square-foot Tuscan villa, a six-bedroom mansion, and a third mansion just a 10 minute walk away. The report stated that one of the three mothers, Shivon Zilis, an executive at another one of his companies, Neuralink, already calls the compound home. Soon after the story was published, Musk denied the existence of said compound. “I don’t own nor am I building a compound in Austin,” Musk told Page Six. “No grand family home has been built or is expected to be built.”
His very own city in Texas
After denying claims of a family compound, Musk has set his sights well beyond the confines of four walls. Instead, he has reportedly started the process of creating his very own company town—Starbase, named after his rocket launch site in south Texas. Creating a new municipality requires a certain number of residents, which Musk already has thanks to the numerous employees residing in newly refurbished homes and temporary housing near the company headquarters. These same employees have already gotten to work gathering signatures and filing an official petition to hold an election, thus instating Starbase as a new city in Texas. According to The New York Times, “the Starbase petition describes a community of around 500 current inhabitants, including at least 219 primary residents and more than 100 children, in an area at the very end of State Highway 4 by Boca Chica Beach, where SpaceX launches many of its rockets.” The town, if formalized, is expected to be roughly 1.5 square miles.
FAQ
Is Elon Musk the richest person in the world?
As of January 2025, Elon Musk is the world’s richest person, with a net worth of over $421 billion. In December 2024, a $91 billion increase in his wealth was driven by a significant rise in SpaceX’s valuation. Following Elon Musk on the list of the world’s 10 richest people are Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Bernard Arnault, Sergey Brin, Warren Buffet, Steve Ballmer, and Jensen Huang.
Where is Elon Musk from?
Musk is from Pretoria, South Africa. He moved to the United States in 1992 and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a dual degree in economics and physics.
Is Elon Musk a US citizen?
Musk became a US citizen in 2002.
What kind of car does Elon Musk drive?
In 2019, Musk took to X and said, “I mostly drive Model S Performance with dev version of FSD computer. Our new Raven powertain & adaptive damping suspension is great! Next is Model 3P & then X if driving with my kids. Acceleration is fun on tap!”
