Survey Reveals Fans' Favorite RHONJ Housewife And It's Not Even Close

"The Real Housewives of New Jersey" has followed the lives and dynamics of the same cast for four seasons straight. However, one of those cast members has been around slightly longer than the rest, and based on a Nicki Swift survey, it seems that when it comes to "RHONJ" fans, a constant presence is key!

Since early 2021, cast changes have been the order of the day in the Real Housewives universe. From shocking shakeups in "Real Housewives of Orange County," to the surprising news of a "Real Housewives of New York" reboot, Bravo has made a point of switching it up. However, "RHONJ" is almost revered for keeping the same cast several seasons in a row, and it certainly seems to work for viewers! According to TV Deets, the show's eleventh season had an average of more than 1 million live viewers per episode, and season twelve's finale episode saw over 1.1 million people tune in. 

Given the continued success of "RHONJ," it's pretty clear that having a consistent cast has had a positive impact on ratings. Even with a seemingly tenured cast, some housewives are more tenured than others. As a new survey shows, after more than a decade since from her first appearance on the show, one cast member continues to come out tops with fans.

In a sample of 574 Nicki Swift readers asked who their favorite RHONJ star was, there was clear consensus. With 173 votes, Teresa Giudice received more than 30% of the vote. As the OG of "Real Housewives of New Jersey," she's had a starring role on the show for more than a decade. In that time, Giudice has made her mark — so much so that she's become almost synonymous with the show and she knows it. As Us Weekly reported in 2019, she's previously said, "if I leave ... it's not going to be a show anymore." 

Giudice beat out her co-stars by a significant portion, but that's not to say her fellow housewives aren't popular in their own right. In second place is Giudice's sister-in-law, Melissa Gorga, with 19.69% of the votes. She's closely followed by Dolores Catania, who, with 111 votes, tailed Gorga by just 0.35%. Not far behind is Margaret Josephs, who secured 100 votes from Nicki Swift readers. 

Unfortunately, that means Jackie Goldschneider ranks in last, with just 77 readers in the sample picking her as their favorite. Given that Goldschneider has a history of feuding with Giudice, that might explain the disparity. However, having joined the cast in season 9, she is a relative newbie to the show compared to her co-stars. Would the addition of a new face help Goldschneider climb higher up the ranks? In the franchise revered for its long-standing housewives, that might be the case!