There are now 313 billionaires in the country, the largest number ever - and a huge jump over the 262 counted last year, according to Forbes magazine, which Thursday released its annual ranking of the 400 richest Americans.

The biggest billionaire of all was again Microsoft Corp. founder Bill Gates, whose $48 billion in estimated wealth was up $2 billion from 2003.

Locals on the list:

• Carl H. Lindner Jr., 85, and family, whose $1.8 billion worth from investments puts them at No. 124 on the list.

• Richard T. Farmer, 69, whose $1.4 billion fortune from Cintas Corp. puts him at No. 203.

• Clayton Lee Mathile, 63, of Dayton, at No. 124 with a fortune of $1.8 billion. He sold the Iams pet food company to Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble.