Sean Hannity is 63 years old in 2025, commanding a $300 million net worth and earning a $40 million annual salary as America’s top conservative voice. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 245 pounds, the Long Island native was married to Jill Rhodes for 26 years before their 2019 divorce. Today, he’s engaged to Fox News host Ainsley Earhardt after a Christmas 2024 proposal. From paperboy to prime-time king, Hannity’s journey blends grit, controversy, and unbreakable influence.
Early Life: Irish Roots & the Making of a Media Rebel
Born on December 30, 1961, in New York City, Sean Patrick Hannity grew up in Franklin Square, Long Island, as the youngest of four in a strict Irish-American household. His father, Hugh Hannity, was a WWII veteran and family court officer; his mother, Lillian Flynn Hannity, worked as a stenographer and prison guard. This blue-collar upbringing shaped his distrust of elites and love for self-reliance.
At age 12, Hannity was already hustling as a paperboy for the New York Daily News, folding papers in the garage before dawn. “Work wasn’t a choice—it was survival,” he later reflected. His height of 5 feet 11 inches and sturdy frame emerged early, and by high school, he was playing tennis and training in martial arts—earning a brown belt he still maintains with four weekly sessions.
Education & First Radio Gig: No Degree, All Drive
Hannity attended Sacred Heart Seminary and St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary, then briefly enrolled at Adelphi University and New York University—but left without a degree. Instead, he jumped into radio in 1989 at UC Santa Barbara’s KCSB-FM. His unfiltered takes on gay rights and AIDS sparked outrage; the show lasted just 40 hours before cancellation. With ACLU support, he fought back and won—a defining First Amendment victory.
By the early ’90s, he was on air in Alabama and Atlanta, where he met Jill Rhodes, a political columnist. They married in 1993, blending careers and family. Their son Patrick was born in 1998, daughter Merri Kelly in 2001—both star athletes, carrying on the family tennis tradition.
Key Insight: Hannity’s lack of a college degree didn’t stop him. He earned an honorary doctorate from Liberty University in 2018—a symbolic nod to his alignment with evangelical conservatism.
Career Explosion: Fox News, Radio Empire & $40 Million Salary
In 1996, Fox News launched with Hannity & Colmes. Sean’s fiery debates opposite liberal Alan Colmes made him a star. By 2009, he went solo with Hannity—now a 9 PM powerhouse averaging 2.5 million nightly viewers in 2025. His radio show, The Sean Hannity Show, launched September 10, 2001, and now reaches 13.5 million weekly listeners across 500+ stations.
Salary Breakdown (2025): $25 million from Fox, $15 million from Premiere Networks radio syndication. A 2019 contract extension locked in nine figures. His net worth of $300 million includes book royalties (four NYT bestsellers), real estate, and media ventures.
Real Estate Empire: 877 Properties & $89 Million Portfolio
Hannity quietly built a real estate juggernaut—877 properties across seven states, valued at $89 million in 2018. Many were purchased through shell companies and financed with HUD loans for low-income housing. Critics called it hypocritical; tenants faced aggressive evictions. Yet, Florida’s 2025 property boom added $13 million in gains after his full-time move.
He now broadcasts from a custom studio in Naples, minutes from Mar-a-Lago—strategic proximity to President Trump, with whom he speaks nightly.
Married, Divorced, Now Engaged: Love Life at Age 63
Hannity and Jill Rhodes divorced in 2019 after 26 years, announcing it publicly in 2020. “We remain best friends and devoted parents,” they said. Since 2019, he’s been dating Ainsley Earhardt, co-host of Fox & Friends. Their romance began quietly—spotted at a 2019 Trump wedding—then deepened during COVID, with Earhardt broadcasting from his basement.
On Christmas Day 2024, Hannity proposed in a Florida church. “Love isn’t scripted—it’s the unedited reel,” Earhardt said in a rare joint interview. The couple blends families, plays tennis together, and keeps faith central.
Physical Stats & Fitness: 5’11”, 245 lbs, Brown Belt Warrior
At 5 feet 11 inches and 245 pounds, Hannity carries a solid, imposing frame. He trains in martial arts four days a week and plays competitive tennis with his kids. “Discipline is survival,” he says. He’s carried concealed for decades and surrounds his properties with armed security—a reflection of his “prepare for anything” mindset.
Controversies, Influence & 2025 Updates
Hannity’s career isn’t without storms. He promoted birtherism, Seth Rich conspiracies (settled for millions), and 2020 election claims central to Fox’s $787 million Dominion settlement. Yet, his influence endures. A 2024 Pew study found Hannity viewers 20% more likely to vote GOP in swing states.
In November 2025, his “Operation Dirtbag” segments highlighted Florida’s arrest of 150 migrant predators—driving a 25% YOY increase in deportations, per DHS. His X posts now reach 7 million followers.
Sean Hannity: Full Biography Timeline (1961–2025)
| Biography Milestone | Key Details and Insights |
|---|---|
| Birth & Family | Born Dec. 30, 1961, NYC; Irish-American; youngest of 4; parents Hugh (WWII vet) & Lillian (stenographer). |
| Childhood Job | Paperboy in Franklin Square; delivered NY Daily News; built work ethic. |
| Seminaries | Sacred Heart & St. Pius X; Catholic foundation evolved into evangelical support. |
| College | Adelphi & NYU (no degree); honorary doctorate from Liberty University (2018). |
| First Radio | 1989, KCSB-FM; 40-hour run canceled over LGBTQ+ comments; won with ACLU. |
| Early Stations | 1990s: WVNN (AL), WGST (Atlanta); met Jill Rhodes (1991). |
| Fox News Debut | 1996: Hannity & Colmes; mastered debate format. |
| Radio Launch | Sept. 10, 2001: The Sean Hannity Show; now 500+ stations. |
| First Book | 2002: Let Freedom Ring (NYT #1); dictated while driving. |
| Solo TV Show | 2009: Hannity premieres; 2.5M viewers in 2025. |
| Marriage & Kids | Married Jill (1993); Patrick (1998), Merri (2001); both tennis stars. |
| Freedom Concerts | 2003–2010: Raised $30M+ for vets; only 10% to charity (IRS data). |
| Trump Alliance | 2016: Early endorser; nightly calls; ratings +40%. |
| Divorce | 2019 (announced 2020); remained co-parents. |
| Dating Earhardt | 2019–present; proposed Christmas 2024. |
| Florida Move | 2024: Full-time Naples studio near Mar-a-Lago. |
| Net Worth Peak | 2025: $300M; $40M salary; $89M real estate. |
| Martial Arts | Brown belt; trains 4x/week; concealed carry advocate. |
| Recent Impact | Nov. 2025: “Operation Dirtbag” boosts FL deportations 25%. |
Legacy: Why Hannity Still Matters in 2025
At age 63, with a $300 million empire and a new fiancée, Sean Hannity isn’t slowing down. He mentors his son in media, plans a 2026 book on post-Trump conservatism, and keeps shaping policy from his Florida studio. His story—married once, divorced, now engaged—proves reinvention is possible at any stage.
In a divided America, Hannity remains a voice for millions. Love him or challenge him, his impact is undeniable.
