Why Ozark Fans Are Confused About Ruth's Living Situation

Spoilers for Ozark season 3 to follow.

Ruth Langmore (Julia Garner) is Ozark's most fiery character. She knows what she's worth, and it appears she's tired of people gaslighting her. That's one of the many reasons why Ruth decides to part ways with Team Byrde at the end of Ozark season 3. Fans have come to care for her quite a bit, which is why many have questions about her living situation.

Ruth continues to live in a beat-up trailer despite not only having a stable job but likely getting paid well to be Marty Byrde's (Jason Bateman) all-star jack-of-all-trades. Since Marty and Wendy (Laura Linney) live in a nice house close to the water, it would only be right if Ruth went from an old house on wheels to, well, a nicer home. She's the Byrde family's number one employee and the Byrdes rake in cash, even if countless dollars are being laundered.

Fans are rightfully confused about Ruth's situation, but there's a logical reason why she continues to live in a trailer home.

A Reddit user named BigPen1812 recently kicked off a conversation about why Ruth doesn't upgrade her home. "Ruth is seen as the lieutenant for the Bryd family operation," the user wrote. "We know the Byrds are extremely wealthy. In the position that Ruth has been in, she's got to be making a good chunk of change herself. But does anybody still question why she remains in the same dingy trailer since Season One? I figure she could at this point, upgrade to a nicer property. Does the place have sentimental value to her? Would it be too risky for her to buy a house like Marty's, considering it may red flag some of that dirty money passing through?"

All of those concerns are valid, but another user raised a more psychological point. "In one episode she tells her dad she's going to buy a house and he goes off on her telling her 'don't forget who you are' that would be my guess," they suggested. This theory also holds weight, as Ruth and the Byrde family come from different backgrounds. Ruth wanted a normal life, but her father made her feel bad about such a desire.

Another user points to the red flags that buying a new home could raise: "Typical hippy and known country girl starts working for Marty for a summer and magically has enough money to get a house," they wrote. "Yeah the fbi will be all over that." It's a good point — she isn't the FBI's top target, but there's no reason for Ruth raise a red flag by moving.

Ruth is on the Byrdes' payroll, and as far as the FBI is concerned, she's a legitimate employee. Of course, she might be saving her money because she doesn't know how long these paychecks are going to last, as the family always appears to be in some type of hot water — and it's only getting worse. There's also the fact that Ruth deals with a lot on Ozark, from the death of loved ones to issues with the Kansas City mob. All those distractions likely make it pretty hard to focus on herself.

Upgrading her living situation simply might not be her top priority (joining Team Darlene had to come first). And, for all it's worth, Ruth already upgraded her car. As she seems to spend a good majority of her time at work, a car appears to be a more practical and affordable purchase for Ruth's particular situation.

There are countless reasons why Ruth still lives in a trailer home. For better or worse, she has yet to upgrade her living situation, but that could always change in Ozark season 4.