For years now, fans of Andy Cohen's reality TV franchise Real Housewives have been entertained by the drama of the lives of some of the wealthiest moms and housewives in the United States, London, Dubai, Canada, and several other nations. The Real Housewives family is a collection of phenomenally wealthy people, but some are much richer than others.
There are several dozens of cast members who have come and gone in the several seasons and series of the brand. A list ranking the whole troupe of wives from richest to poorest would take hours to get through. But fans are curious about who is rolling in cash and who has to budget their lifestyle more appropriately. These are the "poorest" of the Real Housewives, and for the sake of time and space, this list focuses on the housewives with less than $50 million to their name. Yes, that is "poor" according to RH standards.
12 Kandi Burruss - $35 Million
This star of Real Housewives of Atlanta already made a name for herself before joining the show as a fairly successful singer. She was part of the female vocal group Xscape, which rose to fame in 1992. In addition to her salary on the show, Burruss has worked as a songwriter, music producer, and in other ventures. Sources vary but they estimate her net worth to be anywhere between $30 million and $35 million.
11 Heather Dubrow - $30 Million
Dubrow briefly enjoyed some success as an actress in the early 2000s, but she was far from being a household name or a box office magnet. Still, thanks to her marriage and sound financial planning, she is now the wealthiest of the Real Housewives of Orange County as of 2021.
10 Bethenny Frankel - $25 Million
Some people love her, some people can't stand her. But either way, she makes a healthy amount thanks to the show and has cashed in on her fame with best-selling cookbooks, novels, and a liquor line. Although her divorce was a financial setback, as all divorces are, she did not falter the way other housewives did.
9 Shannon Beador - $20 Million
Fans of the show were shocked when news broke that Beador's husband had cheated on her. Before their marriage hit the rocks the pair had garnered a $20 million net worth together. According to Celebrity Net Worth, she still has that $20 million.
8 Ramona Singer - $18 Million
Although every cast member is paid hundreds of thousands of dollars as a salary for the show, Real Housewives of New York will always have to deal with the hurdle of living in one of the most expensive cities on the planet. Singer can survive in the Big Apple thanks to the money she has made in the fashion industry.
7 Nene Leakes - $12 Million
Leakes has many different business ventures outside of her RHOA work. She runs a chain of fashion boutiques, is a successful author, acted in popular shows like Glee, and works regularly as a TV presenter and producer.
6 Sonja Morgan - $8 Million
Morgan is an interesting case because she quickly went deep into debt following her messy divorce. During that dramatic phase of her life, it was revealed she was several millions of dollars in debt. After forfeiting several of her assets, including some top-tier pieces of land and property, she has begun to climb back up the ladder of wealth. As of 2022, she is supposed to be worth at least $8 million.
5 Vicki Gunvalson - $7 Million
Gunvalson made her money before becoming an RH cast member. She started an insurance company called COTO Insurance in 1994. Fans of the show know that Gunvalson is not shy about bragging about her early financial success.
4 Phaedra Parks - $2 Million
Parks had a bit of a financial setback when her husband was sent to prison and she was forced to keep her family afloat on her own. She managed to do just fine and has $2 million to her name thanks to her work as a lawyer. She has represented many high-profile clients, including the late King of Pop Michael Jackson.
3 Melissa Gorga - $1.5 Million
Gorga and her husband make their money off of real estate. As of 2021, Gorga was reported to personally be worth $1.5 million. A respectable amount that most people would kill to have, but at the same time, she is no Kandi Burruss.
2 Tamra Judge - $800,000
Many of the Real Housewives cast pretend to be wealthier than they are. In a scene like theirs, one has to keep up appearances. For example, Peggy Taunus owed millions in back taxes in 2016, Danielle Staub has been upfront about her money problems, and Tamara Judge only has a personal net worth of $800,000.
1 Teresa Giudice - -$400,000
Of all the Real Housewives who can't back up their claims of financial prowess, none are more infamous than Teresa Giudice. The notoriously sharp-tongued wife went to prison in 2015, along with her husband, for bankruptcy, mail, and wire fraud. As a result of her crime and ensuing legal battle, and the loss of her husband's assets, Giudice quickly fell into debt. She still reportedly owes over $400,000. She remarried in 2022.
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