Though Kailyn Lowry and Amber Portwood might receive more tabloid coverage, by most metrics, Chelsea Houska is the most popular star in the Teen Mom universe.
She has a massive following on social media, and though her life is mostly devoid of the intense drama that has made the show such a success, many fans say Chelsea is the reason they continue to tune in week after week.
So has all of that popularity translated to big bucks for the mother of three?
Well, yes and no …
If you’ve seen the pictures of the South Dakota farmhouse that Chelsea has been building, you know she’s not exactly hurting for cash.
But considering the fact that she’s been anchoring a popular TV show for over a decade, and her husband is also a regular on the series, Houska’s net worth is considerably lower than you might anticipate.
A new report from the UK tabloid The Sun puts Chelsea’s net worth at $200,000.
Obviously, that’s a considerable chunk of change, especially in the context of Covid-plagued Middle America.
But considering earlier reports indicated that Chelsea pulls in an annual salary of $500,000 from her appearances on the show, we expected her to be worth a bit more.
Salary, of course, is not the same as net worth — in fact the two numbers are quite far apart for most people.
But Chelsea’s Teen Mom earnings don’t tell the full story of her financial situation.
For starters, her husband, Cole DeBoer, is appearing in more episodes than ever these days.
His earnings per episode are likely slightly lower than Chelsea’s, but they’re still in the low- to mid-six figures range.
On top of that, Cole is one of the few Teen Mom baby daddies who actually has a job outside of the show!
And these two are not the only earners in the house.
Chelsea’s daughter Aubree is also compensated for her appearances.
Insiders report that the 11-year-old already has $50,000 saved for her future college tuition.
Obviously, that wouldn’t count toward Chelsea’s net worth, but the fact is, there’s a ton of money pouring into that household, and you’d think that would make it easier for everyone in the family to save.
And Teen Mom 2 isn’t Chelsea’s only source of revenue these days.
Houska also has her own fashion line, and like the rest of the franchise stars, she pulls in several thousand a month from sponsored content.
In fact, Chelsea is perceived to be so well off that she was recently labeled an “out-of-touch snob” by fans who were upset by the price f a diaper bag she was selling.
Needless to say, the criticism was more than a little harsh.
Chelsea is doing well, of course, but she’s far from fabulously wealthy.
It just goes to show that appearances can be deceiving in terms of financial status.
Chelsea is currently pregnant with her fourth child, and while the DeBoers are pulling in some lofty salaries these days, those no telling how long the reality TV earnings will keep rolling in.
Fortunately, Chelsea and Cole are responsible parents, and we’re sure they’re saving up for a rainy day.
