Early Life and Rise to Fame
Jenelle Lauren Evans, born on December 19, 1991, in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and raised in Oak Island, North Carolina, became a household name through her candid portrayal of young motherhood on MTV’s reality television. At 13, she relocated with her family to North Carolina, where she was primarily raised by her mother, Barbara Evans, after her parents’ divorce.
Jenelle’s tumultuous teenage years were thrust into the spotlight when she appeared on the second season of 16 and Pregnant in 2010, documenting her pregnancy with her first son, Jace Vahn Evans, born August 2, 2009, with ex-boyfriend Andrew Lewis. Her story continued on Teen Mom 2 from 2011, where she gained notoriety as the show’s “party girl,” often clashing with her mother over Jace’s custody and her own legal troubles.
Personal Life and Relationships
Jenelle’s personal life has been marked by high-profile relationships and controversies. She has three children: Jace, Kaiser Orion Griffith (born June 30, 2014, with ex-fiancé Nathan Griffith), and Ensley Jolie Eason (born January 24, 2017, with ex-husband David Eason). She was briefly married to Courtland Rogers from 2012 to 2014, a union that ended amid legal issues and a pregnancy loss. In 2015, she began dating David Eason, marrying him in 2017. Their relationship was fraught with drama, including Eason’s 2019 killing of their dog Nugget, which led to Jenelle’s firing from Teen Mom 2 and a temporary loss of custody of her children.
In February 2024, Jenelle filed for separation from Eason, citing his “erratic” behavior and substance abuse. The split culminated in a dramatic divorce party on June 12, 2025, at Spearmint Rhino in New York City, where Jenelle smashed a piñata modeled after Eason’s face, themed “I Do, I Did, I’m Done.” The event, featuring a divorce cake and “Adios Mother F****r” shots, symbolized her closure after eight years of marriage. She has since relocated to Las Vegas, focusing on co-parenting her children.
Jenelle’s relationship with her son Jace has been particularly challenging. After years of custody battles with her mother, Barbara, Jenelle gained full custody in March 2023. However, Jace’s multiple runaway attempts in 2023 and allegations of abuse by Eason led to Child Protective Services involvement and Jace’s return to Barbara’s care.
Career and Ventures
Jenelle’s primary income stemmed from her Teen Mom tenure, where she reportedly earned $75,000 annually in the early seasons, escalating to an estimated $300,000 per season by 2019. In 2015, she claimed to have made over $500,000 from the franchise. After her 2019 firing, she pivoted to social media and entrepreneurial ventures. With 3.1 million Instagram followers and 3 million on TikTok, she promotes products like menstrual underwear. Her OnlyFans account, launched in 2022, has been lucrative, earning her $44,486.36 in two months in 2024 from OnlyFans, Facebook, and TikTok combined, including $16,222 from two weeks on OnlyFans alone.
Jenelle attempted various businesses, including JE Cosmetics, which folded in 2021, a clothing line, and a podcast, The Jenelle Evans Podcast, which produced only three episodes between 2021 and 2022. She authored a memoir, Read Between the Lines: From the Diary of a Teenage Mom, in 2017 and launched a YouTube channel, Off the Grid Adventures, chronicling her family life. In 2024, she returned to Teen Mom: The Next Chapter, earning $17,364.75 for the season. Recently, she ventured into mushroom coffee, aiming to promote healthier lifestyle choices after personal health struggles.
Legal and Financial Challenges
Jenelle’s career has been overshadowed by legal issues, including arrests for drug possession, assault, and parole violations between 2010 and 2012. She entered rehab in Malibu in 2011. Financially, she and Eason face a $46,406 North Carolina state tax lien from 2020, which remains unpaid. Legal fees from custody battles and Eason’s child abuse charges have further strained her finances, contributing to a reported “financial crisis” in 2024.
Net Worth in 2025
As of 2025, Jenelle Evans’ net worth is estimated at $30,000, a significant decline from earlier figures ranging from $500,000 to $5 million, reflecting her legal troubles, failed ventures, and diminished MTV income. However, her recent earnings from OnlyFans and Teen Mom: The Next Chapter suggest potential for financial recovery.
Legacy and Current Relevance
Jenelle Evans remains a polarizing figure, known for her unfiltered portrayal of motherhood, relationships, and personal struggles. Her journey from 16 and Pregnant to a headline-making divorce party underscores her resilience amid adversity. While her net worth reflects financial setbacks, her social media presence and return to reality TV indicate she’s far from fading into obscurity. As she navigates co-parenting and new ventures in Las Vegas, Jenelle continues to captivate audiences with her dramatic life story.
