When 19 Kids and Counting (then a lower number, of course) first premiered on TLC, the Duggar family was practically marketed as being frugal minimalists. Their kids shared clothing with hand-me-downs, Michelle Duggar often shared cheap and easy meals to feed a crowd, and the family shopped at thrift stores and enjoyed making things at home whenever possible. But working on a reality TV show earned the family a decent living, not to mention Jim Bob Duggar's earnings from ventures outside TLC.
The family wound up amassing more wealth than fans may have expected, although it doesn't seem to have been shared evenly among the large family. Here's how much Jim Bob Duggar is worth and where his money came from.
Jim Bob Duggar Makes Money Through Real Estate
In the earlier years of their time on TLC, the Duggars often worked on projects around the house. Sometimes, Jim Bob took some of the kids to rental properties with him. One episode had the kids emptying trash out of a vacant property, then working on repairs and operating power tools.
In what some called "shady" real estate deals, Jim Bob apparently earned plenty of cash—money that some sources allege he is using to fund Josh Duggar's legal defense.
But long before those legal issues came up, Jim Bob was earning money through flipping both commercial and residential properties. His property portfolio was apparently the family's primary income when 19 Kids and Counting was just beginning.
Fans of the show may also recall that early on, the Duggars build their massive family compound (from a kit, no less) on a budget. Originally, the family lived in a very small home that didn't accommodate their growing family.
Then, with the popularity of their reality show appearances, the Duggars began to earn more money—most of which was apparently managed by Jim Bob, and Jim Bob alone.
Sources Allege That Jim Bob Duggar Pocketed The Kids' Earnings
Multiple sources have alleged that Jim Bob Duggar pocketed all of the kids' earnings from their reality series 19 Kids and Counting. But viewers hoped that with Counting On, the now-grown Duggar kids, at least, might be able to manage their own paychecks.
But after Jill Dillard filed suit to try and get her money from Counting On, it became clear that not every Duggar kid was receiving the money they were owed.
There's been speculation that Jim Bob simply pocketed all the earnings from the series, whether the money was actually for his work or the kids', and doled out what he thought was fair.
Looking at the Duggar children's net worths, it seems feasible that Jim Bob did, in fact, pocket the money. After all, many of the married Duggar daughters work with brands on social media, and while some of their husbands do work, Jinger Vuolo, for example, doesn't rely on her husband's soccer career earnings.
Now that they're married, fans might assume that the adult Duggars don't receive any financial help from their parents, but there have been conflicting accounts.
On one hand, it's assumed that Jim Bob and Michelle are helping Anna Duggar to care for her kids while Josh is in prison. On the other hand, the fact that Jill Dillard went to court to get paid from Counting On suggests that something isn't quite right in the family finances.
Jim Bob, however, has an impressive net worth that rivals that of many other reality TV stars.
How Much Is Jim Bob Duggar Worth?
Despite his opportunities for public speaking and book deals dropping off steeply after Josh Duggar's arrest and conviction, Jim Bob Duggar is still sitting pretty, finance-wise.
The Duggars as a whole earned millions of dollars over their reality TV run, but most of the family has modest net worths.
Jim Bob, however, is worth roughly $3.6 million, according to TheRichest and various other sources. But there might be more to the story than the bottom line net worth figures; multiple sources suggest that Jim Bob's real estate "empire" holds the family's earning power.
Losing their reality TV income was definitely a blow to the Duggars' finances; The Sun says it's an $850K per year loss. But that doesn't mean Jim Bob can't continue to make money through real estate.
The Sun gives his real estate empire a $6.2M value based on the purchase prices of all the Duggars' recorded property and homes. That seems to include the $1.38M home they apparently netted nearly a million dollars for, post-flip.
Clearly, even though he's no longer a reality TV personality, Jim Bob Duggar has the financial means to continue supporting his family—including his many grandkids.