As Modern Family is set in suburban Los Angeles, it is expected that the characters who live there would be wealthier than the average American. In fact, most large houses in the area can range from half to several million dollars, a fact that Phil Dunphy is obviously acquainted with.
Then again, it's not like all the characters have their own homes, least of all the kids, so estimating their value becomes a lot more complicated (explaining why they are ranked low on this list.) Taking into account real estate, careers, dependents, and a few other factors, here are the richest characters in Modern Family.
Lily Tucker-Pritchett
Lily is only a baby at the beginning of the series, but as the story progresses, she begins to take her place as one of the main characters. Of course, being a preteen at the end means that she doers not have any money of her own, except what her fathers give her, presumably.
Regardless, Lily is obviously smart, far more than all her cousins (except Alex), implying that she will grow up to do great things. This doesn't necessarily mean things that will make her rich, but it's all up in the air for now.
Luke Dunphy
Though Luke starts off as this adorable, but awkward, child, his development over the course of the show is... unpredictable, to say the least. He is clearly great with people, considering that he knows how to make friends very easily, but can he also influence people? The answer to this is a resounding yes.
Having practiced on his father for most of his life, Luke is petty shrewd at concocting elaborate plans to get himself in (and out of) trouble, so it stands to reason that he should be able to get a great job after his stint at UOregon.
Manny Delgado
Manny is almost as intelligent as Alex, but has a completely different approach towards life. He is polite, chivalrous, and sensitive (and often way too much) but he has a good heart. One thing that sets him apart from his cousins is his limitless courage — no matter how many times he is rejected or denied something, he still perseveres until he succeeds.
Manny has a predilection towards capitalism, having indulged in trading stocks as well as attempting to gamble professionally; therefore, it's only a matter of time before he strikes gold.
Haley Dunphy
Claire's oldest daughter is exactly like her, as much as they both constantly refuse the very possibility of such a comparison. As such, Haley is blessed with her mother and grandfather's business skills: she procures a coveted job right after she gets out of school.
She is currently in the position of style editor for Nerp, an internet brand created by Nicole Rosemary Page. For some reason, though, Haley has a habit of relying a little extra on her parents, which they find exhausting as they only want her out of the house.
Cameron Tucker
It's a wonder how Cam gets anything done, given his frivolous spending habits: antique pen collection, ikebana, and so many others that are a perennial source of anxiety for his husband.
Once Lily is old enough, he decides that he wants to contribute to the household as well, especially after Mitch quits his high-paying job, and becomes a music teacher turned high school football coach. In the final season, Cam is given a chance to start his career anew, with his Missouri job acceptance coming in at the last minute.
Phil Dunphy
While Phil is a great dad to his kids, his work isn't as promising as his wife's. Still, a real estate agent in the L.A. area would earn quite massive amounts of money, at least over the couple of decades that he has spent in this profession.
He has sold people nearly all kinds of property, from tiny houses for new couples to massive bungalows with landscaped gardens. Since Claire had chosen to be a housewife and raise three kids for some of their marriage, it fell to Phil to manage the finances for all of them, a feat he performs rather well.
Mitchell Pritchett
The problem with Mitch is that he's a total mama's boy, but as a lawyer, he's no slouch whatsoever. He apparently graduated summa cum laude at both Cornell and Columbia Universities, which is nothing short of impressive, before becoming a lawyer.
Although Cam has become the breadwinner recently, Mitch had enough saved to put a down payment on their home as well as a nest egg for Lily's college tuition. Further, and most importantly, he is going to inherit a sizeable amount from his wealthy father at some point.
Alex Dunphy
For an IQ of her level, there was no doubt that Alex would have a comfortable, if not a luxurious, life. She is scouted straight out of university, and one of her jobs is so high-paying that she gets access to the extremely fancy Prescott hotel/residential complex, which her family obviously takes advantage of.
Also, at one point, Alex is on the hunt for a personal assistant, for which Jay offers the services of Margaret, but the fact that she has the finances to hire someone to work for her is quite promising.
Claire Dunphy
Like Cam, Claire gets the career-bug late in life, and immediately seeks the respite of a nice, calming office workspace after dealing with the hell that is her household. She works at her father's company, Pritchett's Closets & Blinds, and Jay even grants her his position after he opts to retire.
Nevertheless, Claire's ardent zeal and borderline OCD-behavior leads her to score the perfect profession, after a few inevitable hiccups: a Senior Vice-President of Organize 'Em.
Jay & Gloria Pritchett
Taking one look at Jay and Gloria's house is enough to safely assume that they are by far the richest characters in the entire show. In fact, the artwork hanging on their walls is probably more expensive than Phil's Winnebago.
Further, Claire and Mitch discuss the possibility of a reduced inheritance now that Manny and Fulgencio Joe are in the picture, suggesting that they have high expectations. And Gloria might be rolling in it now, but she wasn't always so affluent: she has worked hard all her life, and her life with Jay is her reward.