When former President Jimmy Carter died at age 100 on Dec. 29, his final resting place was the home he purchased in 1961 in Plains, Georgia, for his wife and children.
Carter, whose funeral is scheduled in DC on Jan. 9, served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. His presidency was characterized by his stance on human rights and controlling energy. Yet economic issues such as high inflation caused Carter to lose his bid for a second term.
Despite the opportunity to cash in on lucrative speaking engagements and board positions, Carter returned to his hometown and carved out a post-presidency marked by human rights advocacy through the Carter Presidential Center and living a frugal life in his family home. At his death, Carter’s net worth was a reported $10 million.
Jimmy Carter and His Humble Life
Carter was born and raised in Plains, a small, rural town in Georgia with a current population of 573 people, according to recent US Census Records Barring Carter’s time in the Naval Academy, along with his terms as governor of Georgia and as president, Plains was the only home Carter ever needed.
In 1960, Carter built a 4,000-square-foot, ranch-style home. Sitting on 2.4 acres of land, the property also includes a pond Carter used for fly fishing. His family–wife Rosalynn and three sons moved into the completed home in 1961. By 1967, the family welcomed their daughter, Amy to the home. The four-bedroom, three-bathroom residence is currently valued at $167,000, according to Realtor.
Following his presidency, Carter returned to the home in 1981. It was not uncommon for Carter and Rosalynn to have dinner with neighbors or be seen walking down the streets of Plains with the Secret Service in tow. The couple loved the town and their home so much that when Rosalynn died in November 2023, she was buried on their property. And as Carter approached his death, he announced that he would receive hospice care at the residence. Carter also plans to be buried on the property next to his wife.
Other plans for the property have already been cemented as well. The Carters donated the residence and the land to the National Park Service. According to E&E News, NPS will make the property a museum dedicated to preserving Carter’s life that is “a place for both refuge and recreation.”
