The 'Home Improvement' Cast Ranked By Net Worth
The sitcom Home Improvement will forever hold a special place in the heart of anyone nostalgic for 90s television. The show ran for eight seasons from 1991 to 1999. Starring Tim Allen, the sitcom became a staple in millions of households in the 90s.
Not only did the show allow Allen to become a successful film actor, but it helped turn Jonathan Taylor Thomas into a teen idol. Much of the show's cast made a very good living thanks to their time on the show - and reruns have only consolidated that. But which cast member has the highest net worth?
Updated July 3, 2023: Despite previous estimates that Zachary Ty Bryan and Patricia Richardson had net worths of $4 million and $20 million, respectively, both seem to have raked in a few more bars.
8 Taran Noah Smith - $300 Thousand
Taran Noah Smith appeared in almost all of Home Improvement's 204 episodes over its eight seasons. That wasn't all his only gig, though. In addition to Home Improvement, Smith guest-starred on projects like Ebbie, Little Bigfoot 2: The Journey Home, and 7th Heaven. Smith attended the University of South California film school before dropping out a few months later. He later opened his own vegan restaurant, farm, and non-dairy cheese manufacturer called Playfood with Heidi. He was later involved in a lawsuit where he attempted to gain control of his trust fund from his parents. Smith eventually gained control of the trust fund, granting him access to $1.5 million. However, today, he's thought to be worth $300 Thousand.
7 Debbe Dunning - $4 Million
Debbe Dunning is best known for her role as Heidi on Home Improvement. Before her television breakthrough, she'd been a pageant queen, and even came away as the winner of Miss Burbank 1984. Debbe would go on to work as a model, and was signed by the Judith Fontaine Modeling & Talent Agency. In addition to her work on Home Improvement, she's been featured on Married with Children, Baywatch, Silk Stalkings, and Boy Meets World. More recently, she's starred in her very own Western lifestyle show,Debbe Dunning's Dude Ranch Roundup.
6 Earl Hindman - $4 Million
Earl Hindman was most famous for playing Wilson W. Wilson, Jr., Tim Allen's next door neighbor on Home Improvement. Only ever appearing partially concealed, the actor went on to win the aptly titled "Heard but Not Seen" award at the TV Land Awards. Earl's other work over the years included roles in The Ultimate Degenerate, Who Killed Mary Whats'ername?, 3 Men and a Baby, and The Ballad of the Sad Café, and Final. Hindman passed away in December 2003.
5 Zachery Ty Bryan - $5 Million
Zachary Ty Bryan's career began in Denver, Colorado when he appeared in both print and television ads. During his time as Tim Allen's on-screen son on Home Improvement, Bryan won several awards for his role, including three Young Artist Awards. Like co-star Taran Noah Smith, he also featured in a number of other popular shows in addition to Home Improvement, including two episodes on the show that propelled Will Smith to superstardom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and two episodes on Kristen Bell's Veronica Mars. Despite his impressive net worth, as noted by The Hollywood Reporter, he's previously been accused of fraud by friends for a tech startup in the agriculture space. Bryan has denied the claims, and chalked the situation up to a risky investment that didn't go to plan.
4 Richard Karn - $10 Million
During Richard Karn's time in the later seasons of Home Improvement, his salary came to a whopping $150,000 per episode, earinng him over $3 million in just one season. However, that isn't the only factor contributing to his handsome net worth today. In addition to parts on Boy Meets World and That 70's Show, he also spent several years as the host of Family Feud. And, if that wasn't enough, he's also made some pretty good real estate decisions over the years. Back in 1996, Karn shelled out $1.1 million for a 6,000 square-foot mansion in Studio City, California in 1996 - a home estimated to be worth around $6 million today.
3 Jonathan Taylor Thomas - $12 Million
Jonathan Taylor Thomas was one of the most famous teen actors in the 90s. His role on Home Improvement made him a household name - and beyond the show, he even voiced young Simba in the Disney film The Lion King. This certified his status as a teen idol, and two years later, he voiced another famous Disney character in The Adventures of Pinocchio. Since then, he's also starred alongside Chevy Chase in Man of the House, and featured in Tom and Huck. He has since retired from show business, millions in tow.
2 Patricia Richardson - $25 Million
Patricia Richardson starred as Tim Allen's wife in Home Improvement, and walked away when her on-screen husband did. Executives from ABC reportedly offered her an eye-watering $30 million to do a ninth season, but, like Allen, she turned the offer down, so the series was canceled. Richardson later said that family commitments had played a role in her choice, and that on top of being a single mom, she also needed to care for a sick parent. She certainly has kept that at the forefront of her career, too. Since leaving Home Improvement, Richardson has served on the Board of Directors for an organization called Cure PSP - a research organization dedicated to illnesses including among others progressive supranuclear palsy. Richardson's father passed away from PSP in 2005.
1 Tim Allen - $100 Million
Undoubtedly the highest-paid Home Improvement alum, Tim Allen is said to have earned $1.25 million per episode. To this day, that salary keeps in the top 10 highest salaries ever paid to a TV actor. Plus, over the years he's had plenty more high-paying gigs to keep that net worth cushy. From Toy Story to The Santa Clause film franchise, Tim 'The Tool Man' Taylor comes in at Home Improvement's cast member with the highest net worth - and we're not surprised, one bit.
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