Former child beauty pageant star Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson has bought her first home at just 21, realestate.com.au reports. Thompson, who found fame at age five on the reality show Toddlers & Tiaras before starring in her own spin-off, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, purchased the Colorado property with boyfriend Dralin Carswell.
Thompson has since left the spotlight for a life in Denver. According to the report, the purchase marks a major turning point for her after she claimed her mother drained her childhood fortune.
"We are officially homeowners"
Thompson announced the purchase on Facebook, where she shared that she was already planning bathroom renovations.
"We are officially HOMEOWNERS! This may not seem like much to some, but it means the world to us." — Alana Thompson, on Facebook
In the same post, Thompson wrote that there had been "so many emotions, so much patience, and so many moments wondering if it would finally happen, and now we get to say this home is OURS." She added: "Here's to building our future and making memories in a place we can call our own."
A purchase after years of financial turmoil
The report says the property purchase follows years of bitter financial turmoil and family estrangement. Despite an estimated net worth of between $US100,000 ($152,000) and $US500,000 ($760,000), Thompson has said she never saw the majority of her TV earnings.
During an episode of Mama June: Family Crisis, Thompson confronted her mother, June Shannon, after discovering her Coogan account held just $US10,000 ($15,200) after more than a decade on TV. Thompson also claimed her mother pocketed $US35,000 ($53,200) of her earnings from Dancing With the Stars: Juniors in 2019.
Thompson told People in 2025 that she considered suing her mother but concluded it would be futile. "By law, she at least put 20 per cent in my account. And the other 80, she said that she used to take care of me," she said.
Savings set aside in a protected account
Thompson's older sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Efird, took custody of Thompson when she was 16 and set up a second protected account to shield her more recent earnings. Thompson said she had not yet drawn on it. "I'm in the mindset of, if I don't actually need it, I might as well just let it save up," she said. "And when I do actually need it, it'll be there for me."
Nursing studies in Denver
Thompson moved to Denver in 2023 to study nursing at Regis University, where she works as a pediatric patient care technician. She aims to graduate as an intensive care nurse in 2027. "When I graduate I'll be the only one in my family with a degree," she said.
For Australian buyers weighing their own first purchase, APF's first home buyer guide and LVR and LMI explainer cover how deposits and lenders mortgage insurance work locally.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or property investment advice.
