James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. His father, James Earl Carter Sr., was a successful businessman and invested in farmland. Meanwhile, his mother, Bessie Lilian, worked as a nurse at the Wise Sanitarium where Carter was born.
From 1937 to 1941, young Carter attended the local high school. Following his passion for military service, he fulfilled his dream in 1943 by gaining admission to the Naval Academy, inspired by his father’s service in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps during World War I.
In Phil Donahue and Marlo Thomas’ book, What Makes a Marriage Last, Carter mentioned feeling a strong connection with his wife, Rosalynn, soon after they met. After Carter completed his studies at the Naval Academy, the young couple got married in 1946. Upon retiring from the Navy, Carter devoted himself to his family, which now included his wife, four children, and the family business. In 1961, he built a ranch-style house for his family in Georgia, which is now valued at approximately $210,000. According to The Washington Post, Carter returned to this home after his presidency, opting not to capitalize on his White House tenure for financial gain. He said, “I don’t see anything wrong with it; I don’t blame other people for doing it. It just never was my ambition to be wealthy.” Despite selling off the peanut business and facing significant debt, Carter managed to live comfortably with the help of his $217,000 annual pension.
In fiscal year 2019, the General Services Administration revealed that Carter’s expenses amounted to $456,000—significantly lower than the budgets allocated for other former presidents, such as George H. W. Bush at $952,000, and even lower compared to Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush, who each incurred costs of $1 million.
Moreover, Carter has been frequently spotted buying his clothes from the nearby Dollar General store. Even when he travels, he prefers to fly on commercial flights rather than private ones. After his presidency, Carter also engaged in teaching at Emory University and taught Sunday school at a local Baptist church.
