The Duggar Family Members Who Have Moved Away From Arkansas
Jill Dillard and her husband, Derick Dillard, have put a lot of emotional space between themselves and the Duggar family in recent years. Now, the pair is planning to put physical space between themselves on the supersized, Arkansas-based brood. Jill and Derick will be moving thier family to Virginia and then Rhode Island, assuming Derick’s career plans in the Marine Corps pan out. While they might seem like family pioneers, they actually aren’t. Several of Jill’s siblings have already left the family’s home state. We’ve collected everyone who has moved away so far.
Josh Duggar was the first to leave Arkansas
Josh Duggar, the now-disgraced eldest son of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was, naturally, the first to attempt to leave the state of Arkansas. Before his 2015 sex abuse scandal, he and his wife, Anna Duggar, moved with their children to Washington, D.C., for a job. Josh briefly worked with the Family Research Council. His time there ended when his sex abuse and then cheating scandals broke.
Josh moved back to Arkansas with his wife and children. He worked at his now-infamous car lot until his 2021 arrest. The family stayed close to the Duggar family compound until he was sentenced to more than 12 years behind bars for possessing and receiving child pornography. Technically, you could say Josh doesn’t currently live in Arkansas. He’s being housed at FCI Seagoville in Seagoville, Texas, until at least 2032.
Jinger Vuolo was the first of the family to make the move permenant
Jinger Vuolo made quick work of leaving Arkansas, and she has never looked back. After her 2016 wedding, Jinger moved to Texas. She and Jeremy Vuolo even looked to be setting down roots in Laredo, where Jeremy served as a pastor. That changed in 2019, though. After welcoming their first child and even buying a house in Texas, the couple upped and moved to California, so Jeremy could pursue further religious education.
The couple has been living in Los Angeles since 2019, and have been homeowners in the city since 2022. They seem so set on making the state their home that they even upgraded their living arrangements in 2024. They purchased a $2 million house before welcoming their third child.
Justin Duggar and Jana Duggar moved for their spouses
Justin Duggar, one of the younger boys, is a bit of a mystery. He is, however, the youngest Duggar to get married to date. Justin announced his courtship just before turning 18, and announced his engagement within weeks of becoming a legal adult. Once the ring was on Claire Spivey’s finger, Justin set out of Arkansas and rarely seems to return.
Justin and Claire married in February 2021, and set up thier life in Texas, where Claire’s family is located. Rumor has it that Justin was likely living with the Spivey family for months before popping the big question. Since getting married, they have opted to stay out of the spotlight, but we do know they have purchased a home in Texas. Claire and Justin do not appear to have children yet. They are almost never pictured with the Duggar family at events, either.
Justin and Jinger weren’t the only Duggars to leave Arkansas to follow a spouse. Jana Duggar did the same in 2024. The eldest daughter of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar shocked the world when she married Stephen Wissmann in a surprise ceremony in August 2024. The pair now live in Nebraska, where the Wissmann family is based. Still, it seems Jana spends a pretty large chunk of her time with the Duggars in Arkansas.
Jackson Duggar is currently living away while at college
While Justin, Jinger, Jana, and now Jill have made or will be making permanent changes to their living arrangements, one Duggar son is temporarily spending time out of state. Often forgotten, the youngest son, Jackson Duggar, is currently studying in California.
The 21-year-old Jackson is currently attending West Coast Baptist College in Lancaster, CA. He is living on campus while he studies to become a pastor. The youngest of Michelle and Jim Bob’s sons shared the news during an appearance on the Jinger and Jeremy Podcast late last year. It is unclear where the young adult will settle after completing his schooling. It’s possible he could return home, or he might forge his own path in an entirely new state.
