JD Vance Biography 2025: James David Vance born August 2, 1984 is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2025. According to Forbes, Vance is Net worth an estimated $10 million.
JD Vance Biography 2025
Attribute | Details |
Full Name | James David Vance (born James Donald Bowman) |
Date of Birth | August 2, 1984 |
Place of Birth | Middletown, Ohio, USA |
Current Position (2025) | 50th Vice President of the United States |
Political Party | Republican Party |
Senate Term | U.S. Senator from Ohio (2023–2025) |
Military Service | U.S. Marine Corps (2003–2007), Rank: Corporal |
Education | B.A. – Ohio State University; J.D. – Yale Law School |
Famous Work | Hillbilly Elegy (2016 memoir) |
Known For | Right-wing populism, national conservatism, Trump ally |
Spouse | Usha Chilukuri Vance |
Net Worth (Est.) | Multi-millionaire (exact figure varies; major earnings from books, VC, politics) |
JD Vance Biography About
James David Vance is an American politician, author, attorney, and Marine Corps veteran who is the 50th vice president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate from 2023 to 2025.
Born: 2 August 1984 (age 40 years), Middletown, Ohio, United States
Spouse: Usha Vance (m. 2014)
Books: Hillbilly Elegy
Height: 1.88 m
Full name: James David Vance
Education: Yale Law School (2013), The Ohio State University (2009), Middletown High School
Who is J.D. Vance?
James David Vance, better known as J.D. Vance, was born on August 2, 1984, in Middletown, Ohio, and is a writer, venture capitalist, and Vice President of the United States as of 2025. Vance first came to national prominence with the publication of his memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, in 2016. The book, which recounts his tumultuous upbringing in a working-class Appalachian family, became a bestseller and resonated with many Americans, particularly those in the Rust Belt, and was later adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard in 2020. Hillbilly Elegy explores themes of social mobility, family dynamics, and the challenges of growing up in poverty.
Vance’s political career took a dramatic turn when, in 2024, he ran for the Vice Presidency of the United States as a candidate on the Republican ticket alongside President-elect Mark Greene. His campaign was bolstered by his background in business, his personal story, and his connection to conservative voters. After a heated race, Vance emerged victorious, securing the vice presidency and making history as one of the youngest individuals to hold the office.
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As Vice President in 2025, Vance has become a powerful voice in American politics. His focus on economic reform, national security, and the preservation of American values has positioned him as a key figure in the administration. Vance is also a vocal critic of big tech and the influence of social media, and he has used his platform to advocate for policies aimed at revitalizing rural America and reducing political polarization.
JD Vance Net Worth 2025
Vance has an estimated net worth of $10 million report by Forbes. His net worth increased after his book ‘Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis’ sold more than three million copies.
In 2017, Vance moved to Ohio and started an organisation to fight the opioid epidemic called ‘ Our Ohio Renewal’. This organisation raised $220,000 in 2017. Meanwhile, his wife also bought a $1.4 million home in Cincinnati, which Forbes estimated to be worth $1.8 million in 2024. JD Vance receives an annual salary of $235,100 as the Vice President of the US.
Additionally, he also owns venture holdings and liquid assets of somewhere between $3 million and $10 million, according to Forbes.
Growing up, Vance faced financial struggles and family instability. Due to his mothers’s struggle with addiction and his father’s absence, he became closer to his grandparents. After graduating from Middletown High School, he served his country in the US Marine Corps for four years. Upon returning, he attended Ohio State University and enrolled in Yale Law School. In January 2025, he was elected as the Vice President at the age of 40.
JD Vance Net Worth & Financial Overview (2025)
Category | Details |
Estimated Net Worth | 💵 $10 million (as per Forbes) |
Major Source of Wealth | 📘 Hillbilly Elegy (3+ million copies sold) |
Annual Salary (VP) | 💼 $235,100 (Vice President of the United States) |
Venture Holdings & Assets | 📊 Estimated between $3 million – $10 million (liquid + investments) |
Spouse’s Real Estate Purchase | 🏡 Home bought in Cincinnati for $1.4 million in 2017 |
Estimated Home Value (2024) | 🏠 $1.8 million (Forbes estimate) |
Non-Profit Initiative | 🤝 Founded Our Ohio Renewal in 2017 to fight opioid epidemic |
Amount Raised by Organization | 💸 $220,000 in 2017 |
Background | 🚸 Grew up in poverty; raised mainly by grandparents in Middletown, Ohio |
Education & Service | 🎓 Ohio State University & Yale Law School 🎖️ 4 years in U.S. Marine Corps |
JD Vance Early Life & Family Background
Born as James Donald Bowman in Middletown, Ohio, Vance experienced a troubled childhood, marked by poverty, instability, and his mother’s struggles with drug addiction. Raised mostly by his maternal grandparents, he absorbed Appalachian values and culture through family connections in Kentucky. He later changed his surname to Vance in honor of his grandparents.
Service in the U.S. Marine Corps
After high school, Vance enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2003. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005 in a non-combat role as a military journalist, where he wrote articles and took photos. He achieved the rank of Corporal, earning the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
Academic Excellence and Law School Years
Following his military service, Vance enrolled at Ohio State University, graduating summa cum laude in Political Science and Philosophy in 2009. He then attended Yale Law School, where he joined The Yale Law Journal and was mentored by Professor Amy Chua, who encouraged him to write his memoir.
The Breakthrough: Hillbilly Elegy
In 2016, Vance published Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis. The book became a national bestseller, earning him acclaim for its portrayal of working-class struggles in Appalachia. It played a pivotal role in making sense of the Trump phenomenon for elite audiences, although it also received criticism for reinforcing stereotypes.
Legal and Corporate Career
After law school, Vance worked as:
- A clerk for Judge David Bunning
- A corporate attorney at Sidley Austin
- A Senate aide for Senator John Cornyn
These roles were brief, as Vance soon transitioned into the venture capital world.
Venture Capital & Tech Industry Involvement
Vance joined Peter Thiel’s Mithril Capital as a principal, and later worked with Steve Case’s Revolution LLC, focusing on “Rise of the Rest”, which invests in startup ecosystems outside Silicon Valley. His connections with conservative tech figures helped elevate his political profile.
Media Presence and Film Adaptation
Between 2017–2018, Vance was a CNN contributor. In 2020, Hillbilly Elegy was adapted into a Netflix film directed by Ron Howard, starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close. The film brought renewed attention to his story during the Trump era.
JD Vance Images 2025
JD Vance Personal Life
Born | James Donald Bowman August 2, 1984 (age 40) Middletown, Ohio, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Usha Chilukuri (m. 2014) |
Children | 3 |
Relatives | Nate Vance (cousin) |
Residence | Number One Observatory Circle |
Education |
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Entry into Politics and Senate Career
Despite opposing Donald Trump in 2016, Vance embraced Trumpism by 2020. In 2022, he won the Ohio Senate seat, defeating Democrat Tim Ryan. He served from 2023 to 2025, becoming a vocal supporter of Trump’s nationalist and anti-elite agenda.