It should come as no surprise that the Jim Bob Duggar is worth a lot of money.
But what many fans may not realize is that not all of the Duggar fortune comes from their reality TV empire.
After all, television audiences are fickle, and future success can be hard to predict.
Jim Bob is well aware of this, and since it’s part of his belief system that God favors the wealthy, the Duggar patriarch is doing everything he can to stay in his creator’s good graces by keeping his pockets fat — by whatever means necessary:
The Counting On Clan
For several years, the Duggars’ reality shows were popular fixtures on the TLC schedule.
Looking to the Future
But those profits had to be divided many different ways, and the family was always cognizant of the fact that current success is no guarantee of future success.
Living Large
Financially, the Duggars certainly aren’t struggling. Despite having many, many mouths to feed, Jim Bob and Michelle own several properties in Arkansas, including the 7,000-foot “compound” in which they reside.
The Plane Truth
The Duggars have also purchased two private aircraft. JB and Michelle’s son John David is a licensed pilot.
Jim Bob Moneybags
All told, Jim Bob is estimated to be worth roughly $3.5 million.
Always Hustling
A sizable chunk of change, but when you consider the size of his brood (now up to 20 with recent adoptee Tyler), it’s easy to see why the pious patriarch isn’t resting easy, especially now that his TLC series has been canceled as a result of his family’s many scandals.
Irons in the Fire
Those who know him best say Jim Bob is up at dawn tending to his various business ventures — and he doesn’t take days off.
Hidden Treasure
Reality TV personality and real-life villain Jim Bob Duggar shows off his Amish straw hat while cosplaying as a “farmer” during a home video.
Counting On Big Bucks
The sweetest plum, of course, was reality TV. The most popular Duggars were supposed to receive between $25,000 to $40,000 an episode, but we now know that Jim Bob was pocketing all that cash.
Ups and Downs
That stream dried up when 19 Kids and Counting was canceled in 2015 amidst the Josh Duggar sex scandals, but the family bounced back with Counting On.
Adding Up
The Duggars filmed 229 episodes of 19 Kids & Counting, and but only 96 episodes of Counting On, meaning as a family, they earned over $11 million from their reality TV work. According to Jill Duggar, the kids never saw a dime, and Jim Bob kept all that cash.
Flipping Out
Real estate has also proven massively lucrative for Jim Bob, and the patriarch starts using his sons as free labor while they’re still in their teens.
Growing Up, Cashing In
But he also helps them learn the business. For example, when Jason Duggar was just 16, Jim Bob helped hi, purchase a $33,000 three-bedroom house in Prairie Grove, Arkansas so that the boy could renovate it and sell it for much more.
Going Too Far?
Over the course of the past two years, Jim Bob has earned the ire of his neighbors, who have accused him of attempting to buy up most of the land in Tontitown, Arkansas in order to ensure maximum political clout.
Jim Bob vs. The People
Jim Bob spent several years fighting for the right to rezone 23 acres of land in order to turn the tract into a “luxury RV park,” a project most of his neighbors opposed.
Bestsellers
While the Duggar men focus on flipping houses and cars, the Duggar women turned their attention to writing memoirs. Both Jinger and Jill have signed lucrative book deals.
Speaking Out
Several members of the Duggar clan (all of them female) are still in demand as public speakers, often earning up as much as $25,000 for a single engagement.
Sponsored Content
And of course, the Duggar daughters are wildly popular on social media, where they often earn big bucks by endorsing brands such as Chick-Fil-A, Promised Land Milk, IHOP, and Old Navy.
The Next Generation
In 2019, the youngest Duggar daughters launched a new venture by releasing their first album as singing group The Duggar Girls.
The Beginning of the End
That project was derailed — along with every other Duggar venture — when eldest son Josh was arrested on child pornography charges.
The Truth Comes Out
It turned out that Jim Bob played a role in creating the culture of abuse that enabled Josh to get away with so much for so long. These days, the Duggars are only marketable to those who are willing to criticize the family.
A Modicum of Justice
Jim Bob is still rich, of course, but in a satisfying twist, Jill — one of the daughters he abused and neglected — is making a career out of exposing the ugly truth about her father.
Josh, meanwhile, will spend the bulk of the decade behind bars, where he belongs. Here’s hoping Jill can find a way to get rich by destroying her monstrous brother and father!