Instagram follower counts can feel like a mystery, but there's an unseen formula behind it.
Fame is just part of the equation.
There's also hotness, demographics of fans, how long you've been famous, recent drama, your connections, your family, your pets, engagement, and more.
So which Real Housewives are dominating the game?
Plenty of them.
Below, you can see who is doing especially well — and who is absolutely wiping the floor with the other Housewives.
1. Meghan King Edmonds
1 million followers. She may have only appeared in a few seasons of the show with very little drama during that time, but her personal life has exploded with drama since her departure. She’s also one of the hottest Real Housewives of all time, which never hurts on Instagram.
2. Vicki Gunvalson
1.1 million followers. Vicki is the OG of the OC, and helped get the entire franchise off of the ground. If it weren’t for the general demogrpahics of her fans and how polarizing she is, she’d probably have a lot more followers.
3. Denise Richards
1.1 million followers. Denise is not the only legit movie star to ever appear in the franchise. She also happens to be pretty relatable … except for her personal history … and her finances.
4. Shannon Beador
1.3 million followers. Shannon has been keeping it real from the start, which certainly contributed to her Instagram appeal.
5. Heather Dubrow
1.5 million followers for this former Real Housewife. Not a day goes by that a fan doesn’t openly wonder when Heather will return to RHOC.
6. Tamra Judge
1.7 million followers for this (now former) Real Housewife of Orange County. With 12 seasons under her belt, Tamra can boast nearly as much time on screen as Vicki. She also has what we will respectfully call a GMILF vibe that has not hurt her follower count in the slightest.