It’s been more than a year since TLC officially canceled the Duggar family’s long-running show, Counting On. After Josh Duggar was arrested (and later convicted) on charges related to child pornography, there was no coming back to reality TV for the 19 Kids and Counting family, and that means that plenty of fans are curious about how Jim Bob, Michelle, and their adult children are bringing in money without those big paychecks from the show.
Fortunately for the Duggars, Counting On wasn’t their only source of income — not even close. In fact, according to Celebrity Net Worth, the family is worth an estimated $3.5 million these days, which isn’t too shabby for folks who got fired from their reality TV gig.
But where is that money coming from to begin with? Here’s everything we know about how the Duggars earn their cash.
Real Estate
The Duggars are known for owning a lot of real estate, especially patriarch Jim Bob Duggar, but his children have gotten in on it, too. In fact, Jana sold a property she owned in April 2022 for a profit of more than $100k — and that’s just one example. Jim Bob is thought to have more than $6 million in real estate holdings, both commercial and residential.
Car Dealerships
Though Josh (obviously) isn’t running Wholesale Motorcars anymore, that wasn’t the family’s only dealership. According to The Sun, Jedidiah and James operate Champion Motorcars, which sells used vehicles, much like Josh’s dealership did.
Real Estate Agents
As Michelle revealed in a 2020 Instagram post, multiple members of the family are licensed real estate agents, giving them that line of work to fall back on. She, Jim Bob, Joseph, and Jeremiah all have their licenses to help clients buy and sell real estate.
Construction
Some of the older Duggar sons, including Jason, have started their own construction business called Build Master Construction. We’ve seen the guys flipping houses and even working on new construction homes, so there’s no doubt this is helping to keep the family coffers filled.
Flipping Houses
Joy-Anna and Austin don’t have to worry about where their money is coming from. These two have been flipping houses together for years and seem to be completely financially independent of Jim Bob and Michelle, so it’s likely they weren’t hurt too much by the end of Counting On.
Working as a Pastor
Though we don’t know what his salary is, Jessa’s husband, Ben Seewald, supports their family by working as a pastor. As far as we know, Jessa doesn’t work outside the home, and they are currently renovating a home on the property of Ben’s church, so it’s possible they won’t have a mortgage to worry about.
Working as a Lawyer
As we know now, Jill and Derick went a long time without being properly paid for their work on Counting On, but fortunately, that’s not something they have to worry about anymore. Recently, Derick got sworn in as an attorney in Arkansas and has already found a job in his new field, so these two seem to be taken care of.
Social Media Income
In court documents filed as part of a former Duggar lawsuit, Jinger and Jeremy revealed that she was the breadwinner in their family by far. They estimated that she brings in about $200,000 a year in social media partnerships, and we’ve seen some of the other sisters, including Jill and Jessa, share ads on their pages as well.
Book Deals
Jinger and Jeremy have brought in money from their two books. The first, The Hope We Hold, was a memoir focusing on their lives apart and together, while they more recently released a faith-based children’s book called You Can Shine So Bright.
Flying Planes
John and Abbie both have their pilot’s licenses, and John owns at least one plane. According to The Hollywood Gossip, it would seem that they also make money by flying and by renting out their aircraft, so we can’t imagine that they were too reliant on TLC income.
RV Park Express
The Hollywood Gossip also reported that John and Abbie opened up a campground called RV Park Express in Arkansas — yet another way for them to make money on real estate that he was holding onto. Reportedly, the lot opened up in June 2020, though this isn’t something they’ve announced publicly.
A Flight Instructor
John isn’t the only member of the family into planes. His brother Jeremiah, who recently got married, is a pilot, too, and according to what he’s posted on Instagram, he works as a flight instructor on top of also being a contractor.
