In 2021, 20% of home buyers were single women, whereas less than 10% were single men. Real estate statistics like this one are a critical part of understanding the ever-changing real estate market and the industry at large.
We’ve researched multiple sources to bring you 83 of the most compelling real estate stats from across the industry—covering everything from market performance, agent demographics, marketing, teams, brokerages, and more. If you want to understand the trends, you’ll first need to know the numbers.
JUMP TO:
- Real Estate Agent Statistics
- Real Estate Business & Income Statistics
- Real Estate Video Marketing Statistics
- Real Estate Brokerage Statistics
- Home Buying Statistics
- Real Estate Market Statistics
- Real Estate Social Media Marketing Statistics
- Other Real Estate Marketing Statistics
- Home Selling Statistics
- How Many Realtors in Each State?
Real Estate Agent Statistics
- More than 40% of active Realtors in the United States are located in California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona.
- Nearly 2% of the adult population in Florida has an active real estate license.
- The number of active Realtors in Arizona has grown by nearly 10% from 2020 to 2021.There are currently more than 3 million active real estate licensees in the United States.
- As of October 2021, there were 1.56 million members of the National Association of Realtors®(NAR).
- More than 65% of active Realtors are women.
- The median age of all Realtors in the United States is 52.
- 45% of Realtors have completed a bachelor’s or graduate degree.
- 20% of Realtors have had their license for a year or less.
- 82% of licensed Realtors own their primary residence.
- 37% of licensed Realtors own at least one secondary property.
- There are more than 1,100 local Realtor associations in the United States.
The Close Takeaway: The real estate industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Led by smart, entrepreneurial women, the real estate space is poised to continue on this path for years to come.
[READ MORE: Are Leadership Roles in Luxury Real Estate Still an Old Boys’ Club?]
Looking for a Realtor? These Four States Have Plenty!
- 68% of all real estate licenses in the United States are held by agents, the rest are held by brokers and associate brokers.
- The median experience level of licensed professionals in the real estate industry is five years.
- There are approximately 120 million occupied housing units (by renters and owners) in the United States.
The Close Takeaway: It’s no surprise that these populous U.S. states have a lot of Realtors, but the number of real estate professionals here relative to the rest of the country is surprising. If you’re looking for an opportunity as a Realtor, get to where business is happening!
[READ MORE: How to Become a Real Estate Agent in California in 5 Easy Steps]
Real Estate Market Statistics
- There are approximately 120 million occupied housing units (by renters and owners) in the United States.
- 92% of homes sold in the U.S.in 2021 were sold using an agent or a broker.
- The average listing price for a home in the United States has risen more than 32% since March 2020 to $374,900 as of June 2021.
- The median sales price for a home in the United States in 2021 has increased by 416% since 1980.
- U.S. homes spent a median of 31 days on market in 2021—the lowest median selling period in more than 15 years.
- The median days available (before a contract) was nine, also the lowest in more than 15 years.
- Interest rates have literally never been lower than in 2021—at one point hovering around 2.68% (as a national median).
- Gen X became the largest homebuying cohort last year, purchasing nearly one out of every four homes that sold in 2021.
- The number of homes sold in 2021 (to date) was up by nearly 10% over 2020 to 6.29 million as of September 2021.
The Close Takeaway: The real estate market in the United States was absolutely ON FIRE in 2021. Extreme demand, skyrocketing prices, a lack of inventory, and historically low interest rates have created unprecedented seller’s market conditions. Will they continue? Only time will tell.
[READ MORE: This Buyer Presentation Converts Leads to Clients in 15 Minutes]
Real Estate Business & Income Statistics
- Realtors typically make more than 95% of their annual income from real estate commissions.
- The median gross commission income for Realtors working 19 to 40 hours per week in 2021 is $43,300, down from $46,000+ in 2020.
- The median gross commission income for Realtors working 40 to 60 hours per week is $87,550.
- The median gross commission income for Realtors working more than 60 hours a week is $145,347.
- Realtors with 15 years of experience (or more) have a median gross income of $75,000.
- Realtors with 20 years of experience (or more) have a median gross income of $101,633.
- The median number of annual transactions for a licensed real estate agent is 10.
- 71% of Realtors specialize in residential real estate.
- Realtors earning $100,000 or more in gross commission income are more than twice as likely to use advanced technology tools like a CRM than agents who earn less.
The Close Takeaway: There’s a clear correlation between how much you work and how much you make in the real estate industry. If you want to be a top producer, you need to put in the time.
[READ MORE: Real Estate Broker vs Agent: A Head-to-Head Analysis]
Real Estate Social Media Marketing Statistics
- 74% of Realtors use Facebook for business purposes.
- 56% of Realtors use LinkedIn for business purposes
- More than 30% of Realtors report closing at least one transaction a year as a direct result of their use of social media.
- Americans now spend, on average, more than an hour a day on Facebook and Facebook-connected platforms.
- Facebook Live watch times have, on average, quadrupled since 2020.
- The average American Facebook user clicks on eight ads per month, and that number increases to 10 ads a month for women.
- 60% of agents surveyed by The Close list active social media as more important than a website.
The Close Takeaway: There’s never been a more important time to be on social media. If you need help with your social media, consider working with a real estate marketing company like Artur’in to automate and streamline your social media content and management.
[READ MORE: 15 Social Media Mistakes All Agents Should Avoid]
Real Estate Video Marketing Statistics
- Nearly 80% of active listing agents use drone photography and videography to market their listings.
- More than one out of every five commercial drone shoots are now done for real estate purposes.
- 73% of homeowners say they’re more likely to list with a Realtor who uses video to sell property.
- Homes with drone photography as a part of the marketing plan sell, on average, 68% faster than those without.
- Recent sellers reported only 10% of their agents effectively used video to market their property.
- 78% of real estate professionals surveyed by The Close say that video is important to making agents stand out on social media.
The Close Takeaway: If video isn’t a component of your real estate marketing strategy, you’re leaving money on the table. If you’re not sure where or how to get started, companies like Animoto make your video marketing easy and something you can do in just a couple of minutes a day, straight from your phone.
[READ MORE: 11 Real Estate Videos Smart Agents Are Using + Examples]
Other Interesting Real Estate Marketing Statistics You Need to Know
- In 2021, 68% of home sellers reported finding their agent via a referral from friends or family.
- In 2021, the typical Realtor earned 34% of their commission income via repeat clients and referrals.
- 70% of licensed real estate professionals have a website.
- On average, the third most viewed page on a real estate agent website is the “About Us” page.
- 69% of recent home sellers surveyed said that they would gladly write a review for their sales agent, if requested.
- When asked about the most important trait they look for in an agent, prospective home sellers chose “professional reputation” more than any other trait.
- Less than 1% of homebuyers reported finding their new home via print advertising.
The Close Takeaway: If you have to make choices in the way you spend your marketing time, spend it creating media that will attract new business, but also nurture your existing relationships.
[READ MORE: 6 Emails to Send to Clients to Drive Repeat & Referral Business]
Real Estate Brokerage Statistics
- There are currently more than 107,000 brokerages operating in the United States.
- 32% of all real estate licenses in the United States are held by brokers or associate brokers.
- A typical real estate agent stays at a brokerage for five years.
- Real estate brokers and associate brokers close a median of 13 annual transactions.
- 45% of brokers report that “keeping up with technology” is the biggest challenge their agents face.
The Close Takeaway: Competition in the real estate brokerage space is stiff! If you’re looking to make a change to where you hang your license, start with our popular guide to the best real estate companies to work for to find the perfect fit.
[READ MORE: 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Real Estate Brokerage]
Home Selling Statistics
- More than 5.64 million existing homes are projected to sell in 2021.
- More than 800,000 newly constructed homes are projected to sell in 2021.
- The median available days on market for a home in the United States in 2021 was less than 10.
- The typical FSBO home sold for 17% less than a home listed with a Realtor.
- Homes listed for sale on a Thursday typically sold for more (and faster) than homes listed on any other day of the week.
Who is Selling? A Home-Seller Statistical Snapshot
- The typical home seller in the United States is 45 years old.
- The typical home seller has owned their home for eight years.
- The typical size of a U.S. home sold in the last year was 1,900 square feet.
- The typical home seller bought their home using a mortgage.
- The typical home seller will cash out 30% of their purchase price in proceeds from a sale in 2021.
The Close Takeaway: Home prices have appreciated dramatically in the last 24 months; sellers are realizing more equity than ever before.
[READ MORE: How to Get Listings: 21 Luxury Listing Agents Spill Their Secrets]
Home Buying Statistics
- More than 20% of homebuyers in 2021 were single females.
- Less than 10% of homebuyers in 2021 were single men.
- 34% of home purchases in 2021 were made by first-time homebuyers.
- The median age of a first-time home buyer in the United States in 2021 was 33.
- The median age of a repeat home buyer in the United States in 2021 was 56.
- The median household income for a first-time home buyer in the United States in 2021 was $86,500.
- Repeat U.S. homebuyers in 2021 earned a median household income of $112,500.
- 11% of homebuyers in 2021 purchased multi-generational homes due to children above the age of 18 moving back home, for cost-saving, or to care for their aging parents.
- 3% of homebuyers in 2021 were active-duty service members.
- 29% of homes purchased in 2021 had a sale price of more than 100% of the asking price.
- 41% of buyers report their first step in the home buying process was looking at homes online, while only 19% of buyers contacted a real estate agent as their first step.
- The typical buyer in 2021 visited eight homes before making a purchase.
- In 2021, the typical first-time homebuyer financed 93% of their home’s purchase price, compared to 83% for repeat home buyers.
- 28% of first-time homebuyers reported using a gift or a loan from family or friends for some or all of their downpayment.
- 60% of Realtors report that in 2021, lack of inventory was the most important factor limiting potential clients from making a purchase, overtaking 2020’s “finding the right property in the right price range”.
- Nearly 60% of home buyers under the age of 29 don’t expect to be in their home for more than 10 years before selling again.
The Close Takeaway: As interest rates continue to stay low, wages begin to rise in certain sectors of the economy, and buyers are increasingly educated about their options for home ownership, we should expect to see a continued diversification of real estate buyers in 2022.
[READ MORE: 15 Powerful Timesavers Top Buyers’ Agents Use to Close Deals Faster]
How Many Realtors in Each State?
State| Number of Realtors | |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 17,840 |
| Alaska | 1,923 |
| Arizona | 54,579 |
| Arkansas | 10,482 |
| California | 212,279 |
| Colorado | 29,701 |
| Connecticut | 19,478 |
| Delaware | 4,317 |
| Florida | 212,772 |
| Georgia | 47,378 |
| Hawaii | 10,587 |
| Idaho | 11,903 |
| Illinois | 51,381 |
| Indiana | 19,923 |
| Iowa | 8,167 |
| Kentucky | 12,802 |
| Louisiana | 16,402 |
| Maine | 5,644 |
| Maryland | 28,730 |
| Massachusetts | 26,981 |
| Michigan | 35,939 |
| Minnesota | 22,553 |
| Mississippi | 7,145 |
| Missouri | 25,525 |
| Montana | 5,624 |
| Nebraska | 5,337 |
| Nevada | 20,558 |
| New Hampshire | 6,975 |
| New Jersey | 31,635 |
| New Mexico | 7,590 |
| New York | 63,339 |
| North Carolina | 54,907 |
| North Dakota | 2,175 |
| Ohio | 37,050 |
| Oklahoma | 13,468 |
| Oregon | 18,894 |
| Pennsylvania | 38,612 |
| Rhode Island | 5,819 |
| South Carolina | 24,755 |
| South Dakota | 2,230 |
| Tennessee | 33,758 |
| Texas | 146,258 |
| Utah | 19,377 |
| Vermont | 1,901 |
| Virginia | 37,438 |
| Washington | 23,679 |
| West Virginia | 3,211 |
| Wyoming | 2,556 |
| District of Columbia | 3,130 |
| Puerto Rico | 806 |
| Guam | 565 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | 365 |
Over To You
Was there a real estate statistic we didn’t cover that you’d like to hear about? Leave us a comment below. Let’s keep the conversation going!
SOURCES:
Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO), National Association of Realtors, Realtor.com, Real Estate Agent U, Contactually, Real Estate Express, Hootsuite, Carrot, RIS Media, U.S.Association of Unmanned Aerial Videographers, Autel Robotics, 60% of Real Estate Pros Say Social Media Is More Important Than a Website (+ Survey Results)
good sugession is given
https://falaya.com/
Hi – do you have any statistics on what careers real estate agents were doing prior to becoming an agent?
Hi Karen –
I don’t have data speaking to that specifically, but that’s an interesting topic to look into!
Thanks!
Chris
This is great information. Thanks!
I would like to see more statistics about investors vs owner occupied homes.
Hi Dawn –
We’ll definitely consider that for the next update!
Chris
What are your sources for these statistics so I can use them in my social media? Thanks!
Hi Liz –
Feel free to quote The Close on social, or any of the master sources we listed at the end of the article.
Thanks!
Chris
VERY INTERESTING!
That’s a lot of work guys. Thank you.
Several days of social media posts in this article:
i.e. “The median number of annual transactions for a licensed real estate agent is 10. In 2021, I closed 47.”
Love this article. THE CLOSE has become my favorite email information! You rock!
Brenda, Wichita KS
P.S. Kansas is missing from the State Totals for number of Realtors 🙂
Love the interesting facts portion. Very informative article all together and well written. Thank you.
Thanks,awesome
Thanks for sharing this statistics
That’s what we’re here for!
chris
Chris,
Just came across your interesting Article packed with great Statistics.
I am writing an eBook about Realtors and want to know if you can recommend any Book, Report, Study etc. that throughly investigates Stats about Realtors and Real Estate careers; e.g., entry stats, longevity, drop out rates etc. especially at retirement time when many Realtors cannot afford to quit.
Hi Thomas –
Thanks for the question. The National Association of Realtors is really the only body that does those sorts of studies at the level of detail that you’re looking for, that’s where I would start!
Good Luck!
Chris
Very useful
Thanks for such a wonderful blog, the article is very informative!
You bet, that’s what we’re here for.
Chris
Amazing facts. I am a real estate digital marketer based outside US. Your data has really helped me understand my clients (realtors) and their concerns better. Thanks again!!
Absolutely, that’s what we’re here for. Glad to have you!
Great article. Truly awesome stats. I have one question. How are realtors doing now against companies like REDFIN which seems to believe they will disrupt the real estate market by making it easier to buy and sell a home online. They have been in business for 16 years and I have yet to lose any business to them. In fact, I should thank them. They have dropped the ball with the few they have attracted to their website making it easier for me to sell myself and my business practices.
Hi Ken –
Thanks for the question. Honestly, I think the jury is still out on this one. I know, it seems like a decade and a half should be enough time to make a determination, but here’s my thinking: Redfin (and the like) have much smaller market penetration than people think. They are in select, identified markets and make up a relatively small proportion of the agent population.
Also, I think it’s hard to determine (at least at this point) whether or not their transactions can be credited as “lost transactions” for other Realtors, since the real estate market has been so tumultuous in the last 10 years – there could be a natural ebb and flow of transactions anyway that is contributing to the up and down of numbers.
Bottom line is, I personally believe there is room in the industry for these companies, room that doesn’t threaten the traditional model, but both of these stipulations are subject to change. With Zillow dipping its toes in the brokerage market, that could turn the industry on its head, and a company like Redfin – one that already has disruption built into its backstory – is certainly going to see some upside there.
But, only time will tell. I will certainly be watching closely, hope you will too!
Chris
Question: What percentage of homeowners are likely to sell their home each year?
Hi Peter –
Great question. I don’t know what the national average is, but your local MLS data paired with your local tax records may be able to tell you that for your particular market!
Chris
Hi Do you have an article covering more about the Bay Area: San Jose, Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, Fremont, etc? Thank you!
Hi Jessie –
Thanks for the question. We aren’t doing market-level statistics at the moment, but will take your suggestion under advisement!
Thanks!
Chris
Great information! Thanks for sharing.
Happy to help!
Chris
Great article. With so many real estate shoppers using Save or Favorite features on mls websites or with aggregators like Zillow, what is considered a good save rate or favorite rate for a listing? Save/ views = save rate
Are there other metrics to help determine the performance of your listing that provide insights into likelihood to sell quickly etc. ?
Hi Olivia –
Fantastic question. Unfortunately, there is no universal answer. This is in part because different platforms count “views” differently. Some platforms may count a half a second page visit as a “view”, while others may require more time, or a click, or some sort of interaction. Plus, the metrics may vary from market to market. For instance, markets like New York City or Miami are going to get a lot of views on listings from people who have no interest in actually buying, they are just there to entertain themselves, whereas views from more rural markets may be a more serious indicator of interest.
My big takeaway here is that I think this is a valuable conversation, and if you want to utilize these metrics, you’re going to need to start tracking for yourself. Record the data, see what trends emerge for you and your market!
Good luck!
Chris
Too bad agents can’t drop a tracking pixel into their MLS data that syndicates to many thousands of sites. 😉
I know right? Sometimes NAR makes it feel like they don’t even care about agent’s IP.
Hello Chris,
Great article. Thank you!
Hi Myra –
Happy to help!
Chris
thanks for sharing the good post.
Love this article. So useful! Question, you say on #18. On average, the third most viewed page on a real estate agent website is the “About Us” page. Do you know what’s the first and second most viewed page? Feel free to post the source for the data and I can research myself too. Thanks!
Hi Pat –
The source for this statistic was a National Association of Realtors report. It is a paid report, so I can’t put a link to it here, but I will try and find the specific page!
As for the other two pages, the first most visited was the homepage, and I believe the second most visited was property search (if you have an IDX feed on your site).
Thanks!
Chris
Ahh ok, thanks!
Wow, amazing explained. you really did great work. .You have covered so much of insights in this post
Kavita –
So glad the article was helpful!
Chris
There are over 1.5 million real estate agents in the USA and two third of the US agents use facebook for their work and conversion process and the average down payment for a new home is $60K and this gonna slow down due to the outbreak covid-19 and the future development depends upon the technology platform and everyone will be dependent on the android and ios app development services as well as web development to improve their sales. Visit for more services options for development.
https://www.teamtweaks.com/web-development-company-in-chennai
Good info!
Chris
Thank you
Kapildev –
No problem, that’s what I’m here for.
Chris
I live in Los Angeles but I grew up in Columbus Ohio I am not at all surprised that Columbus Ohio made the list. There is plenty to do and is a wonderful place to raise a family.
Mozelle –
Agreed!
Chris
Perspective stats for the CRMLS area of California.
This is for residential Closed sales.
15647 Closed 2/20
14232 Closed 2/19
+1415
6112 Closed 3/1/2020 to 3/11/2020
5767 Closed 3/1/2019 to 3/11/2019
+345
What about the statistics for Joplin and Carthage Missouri areas/
Hi Kim –
Thanks for the comment, we’ll look into that area!
Chris
Thanks for putting top notch content in article.
Kavita –
That’s what we’re here for, glad to help.
Chris
Great stats.
Nashville and Knoxville Tennessee stats please. Thanks
Hi Ali –
Unfortunately I don’t have market specific stats for the Nashville and Knoxville area. Are you an agent working in those spots?
Chris
What percentage of homes entering the market are owner/tenant occupied? I work in the home staging industry and specialize in working with occupied listings.
Your pictures really make Denver look terrible.
Denver is a beautiful town! Not gonna lie, there is a significant portion of the year where there are no leaves on the trees, but it doesn’t detract from the beauty of that spot.
Chris
We live in Colorado and the sate has gone completely to shit. Dem-O-Rats.
Hey Dale,
Trying to keep our comment section civil so please dial it down a bit for the future. What changes do you think have affected the real estate market in Colorado?
There are approximately more than 121.6 million occupied housing units in the United States, according to the 2017 American Housing Survey (link is external). A typical owner-occupied house is built in 1978; the typical renter-occupied home was built in 1974. Typical home size is 1,500 sq. ft. A house owner is 55 years old and has lived in the current home for 14 years. Zillow clone app can boast of having a database of 110 million U.S. homes for rent and sale. So, it will help to kick-start real estate business without moving a muscle. Visit for more info:
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