The 10 Richest Hunger Games Characters, Ranked

Few teen movies show such a dramatic divide between the rich and the poor as The Hunger Games. In a world where residents of the Capitol wear couture, eat themselves sick at parties and watch mass murder for entertainment, the poorest people of Panem are left to starve and sacrifice their children for the hope of more food.

As the seat of its power, most of Panem’s riches are concentrated in the Capitol. However, not everybody with money is a politician. Terrible though it may be, the nation’s wealthiest residents all benefit financially from the annual Hunger Games in ome way or another.

10 Cinna

As the man behind the Girl On Fire and one of Katniss’ best mentors, Cinna’s talents know no bounds. The Capitol-born stylist turns District 12 from a national joke to a symbol of hope with unique, flammable designs, culminating in Katniss’ spectacular shapeshifting wedding dress in Catching Fire.

Unsurprisingly, wealthy clientele soon comes flocking. As Effie explains to Katniss early in the same movie, “Everyone in The Capitol’s wearing him.” Cinna’s fortunes are at an all-time high thanks to his work with Katniss, but this also happens to be his downfall. Seized and killed by Peacemakers for pulling one stunt too many, Cinna’s fashion career ended way before its time.

9 Cashmere & Gloss

Even before they competed in the Games, Cashmere and Gloss were already pretty wealthy. The two siblings originated from District 1, home to Panem’s luxury goods industry, where they trained as Career Tributes, volunteered, and eventually won consecutive Games.

Their riches only grew from there. As victors, the pair were gifted monthly stipends described as enough to “easily provide for a family for a year.” Just over a decade has passed when they fight in the Third Quarter Quell (where both meet their end), so these payments never got the chance to accumulate like their older fellow victors. But combined with their good looks, charisma, and popularity in the Capitol, it’s safe to assume they were rolling in riches before they died.

8 Haymitch Abernathy

Haymitch isn’t the most obvious contender for Panem’s rich list. Traumatized by his time in the Second Quarter Quell — in which he was the last survivor of 48 tributes — he is first introduced to audiences as a “paunchy, middle-aged” man who relies on alcohol to cope.

But he certainly has the money to support the habit. There are 24 years between his victory and The Hunger Games, meaning he’s received 288 monthly stipends of victor funds, not to mention a luxurious home in Victor’s Village. While he spends a considerable sum on liquor, he isn’t really the type to live it up in the Capitol, so probably retained a lot of that wealth. However, his financial prospects are probably limited by his reluctance to play along with Capitol politics.

7 Effie Trinket

Effie is the most fashionable character in The Hunger Games, and nothing screams money like her wardrobe. As a tribute escort, her job is to represent the wealth and power of the Capitol while selecting competitors for the new Games. Her taste for the finer things (mahogany tables included) is evident in everything from her hair to her shoes, and she is openly horrified to discover how it felt to live without in Mockingjay: Part 1.

Generally speaking, Capitol residents are the most affluent citizens in Panem. Effie grew up there, so must have access to plenty of cash, but her designation to District 12 — the poorest, smallest, and least-respected District — suggests she isn’t up there with the richest of the bunch.

6 Mags Flanagan

Another recipient of the monthly fund supplied by the Capitol, Mags is just a supporting character (albeit one of the best). However, book fans will also know from The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes that as the victor of the 11th Hunger Games, she was the first to embark upon a victory tour and receive a home in District 4’s Victor’s Village after the initiative was introduced by President Snow.

These are all staples for any victor, but what sets Mags apart is her age. When she volunteers to take Annie Cresta’s place in the Third Quarter Quell, she is the oldest surviving victor and has spent 64 years reaping the financial benefits of winning the Games, making her much richer than most of her contemporaries.

5 Seneca Crane

It’s tough to remember, considering the fact President Snow forces him to eat poisoned berries at the end of The Hunger Games for letting both Katniss and Peeta win, but Seneca was once of the Capitol elite. As Head Gamemaker, he is responsible for producing the biggest event of the year and making it as bloody and entertaining as possible.

A job this important definitely warrants a big salary. However, it’s safe to assume Seneca wasn’t making this money for long. Gamemakers ultimately have to appease Snow, and Seneca only lasts one movie before losing his job (and his life) to the president’s wrath. It’s implied in Catching Fire when Plutarch Heavensbee replaces him that the position has a high turnover rate, meaning the amount one can earn is ultimately limited.

4 Caesar Flickerman

Television presenter is the obvious occupation for someone as smooth and outgoing as Caesar. Hosting live coverage of both the build-up and competition for each year’s Hunger Games, he’s one of the most famous faces in Panem and known by name to citizens all the way out in District 12.

Just like in the real world, this celebrity status is sure to come with a generous wage, especially considering his vital role in spreading President Snow’s propaganda. His appearance alone is proof of his wealth — he is always dressed in the most extra Capitol finery, and clearly undergoes regular beauty treatments. Caesar looks even more extreme in the books; Katniss notes that he has looked the same for over 35 years, and that kind of dedication to eternal youth takes some money.

3 Finnick Odair

Attractive, flirtatious, and deadly, Finnick won his Hunger Games at just 14 years old. His charms made him a “Capitol darling” and useful tool to President Snow, who prostitutes him out to wealthy Capitol citizens with the threat of killing those Finnick loved if he refused.

While this is all for Snow’s gain, Finnick plays his own game. He tells Katniss how he collects his own form of currency from his sexual partners — secrets — but he also has plenty of the usual sort. Like all victors, he receives monthly winnings from the Games and has lots of sponsors once he’s forced back into the arena. Finnick fits the ideal Capitol celebrity mold to a tee, so it’s tough to believe he’d be anything but wealthy.

2 Plutarch Heavensbee

Plutarch is the second and last Head Gamemaker introduced in the movies. While he orchestrates one of the most complex arenas described in Games history and is originally thought to be one of Snow’s many lackeys, it’s later revealed that he plays a key role in the plot to overthrow the Capitol.

He may not have financially benefited from his role as Gamemaker for long, but Plutarch is still one of the wealthiest men in Panem. No poor man could reach Snow’s inner circle without arousing suspicion. There’s also the fact that it takes a lot of money to fund a rebellion.

1 President Snow

The tyrannical President Snow oversees everything and sits at the heart of the Capitol’s exploitation. While several Districts scrounge for money and food, he has the means to live in a palace, control the media and strike down his enemies.

But book fans know this wasn’t always the case. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes reveals that Snow’s family was once prestigious but lost all its wealth, leaving him with a hunger to prove himself. He definitely found nefarious ways to do so, raking in fortunes from prostituting former victors and poisoning his rivals, and ultimately establishing himself as the most powerful man in Panem.

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