There are 2,130,616 licensed real estate agents in the United States in 2026. California leads with 441,315 agents, followed by Florida (311,607) and Texas (213,570). Roughly 65% are women, the median age is 55, and the average agent closes 10–12 transaction sides per year. Median annual income sits around $56,000 per BLS data, though income varies enormously by state, experience level, and full-time vs part-time status. NAR membership has declined modestly post-settlement to roughly 1.4 million.
The US real estate market has more licensed agents than ever recorded — and the post-NAR-settlement era has reshaped almost every economic data point about who they are, what they earn, and how they work. This is the most comprehensive breakdown of US real estate agent statistics for 2026, drawing on our proprietary database of 2,130,616 licensed agents across all 50 states, combined with the latest NAR Member Profile data, Bureau of Labor Statistics labor data, and industry research.
Every figure in this report is sourced. Where exact 2026 numbers aren't yet available, we've used the latest published data with the appropriate caveats. The state-by-state agent counts in Section 2 come from our own deduplicated compilation of state licensing boards, Realtor.com, Homes.com, RE/MAX.com, and real estate association directories — a dataset most published industry reports lack at this granularity.
1. Total US Real Estate Agent Count
There are 2,130,616 licensed real estate agents in the United States as of 2026, based on our deduplicated compilation across all 50 states. This figure represents licensed individuals authorized to act as real estate agents — it does not include unlicensed assistants, transaction coordinators, or non-agent real estate professionals.
It's important to distinguish between three commonly confused numbers:
- Licensed agents (~2.13 million) — Anyone with an active state real estate salesperson or broker license
- NAR members / Realtors (~1.4 million) — Licensed agents who pay annual dues to the National Association of Realtors and abide by the Code of Ethics
- Active full-time agents (estimated 1.2–1.4 million) — Agents closing transactions at full-time activity levels in a given year
The gap between licensed agents and active full-timers is the most underreported statistic in real estate. License retention is high because state renewal fees are modest and many people maintain a license without using it. The result: aggregate license counts overstate the actual operating agent population by roughly 30 to 40 percent.
2. Real Estate Agents by State (Complete 2026 Data)
Below is the full state-by-state breakdown of US real estate agents in 2026, ranked from largest to smallest. The data is drawn from our proprietary compilation of state licensing boards, Realtor.com, Homes.com, RE/MAX.com, and association member directories, deduplicated by email so each individual appears only once.
This is the most complete state-level picture publicly available. If you're publishing research, building market sizing models, or planning state-specific outreach, these numbers can serve as your baseline. You're welcome to cite this data with attribution to RealEstateAgentList.Net.
| # | State | Agent Count | % of US Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 441,315 | 20.7% |
| 2 | Florida | 311,607 | 14.6% |
| 3 | Texas | 213,570 | 10.0% |
| 4 | Georgia | 82,182 | 3.9% |
| 5 | New York | 78,132 | 3.7% |
| 6 | North Carolina | 75,957 | 3.6% |
| 7 | New Jersey | 74,950 | 3.5% |
| 8 | Ohio | 62,991 | 3.0% |
| 9 | Virginia | 61,309 | 2.9% |
| 10 | Arizona | 60,399 | 2.8% |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | 58,666 | 2.8% |
| 12 | Illinois | 56,860 | 2.7% |
| 13 | Colorado | 52,529 | 2.5% |
| 14 | Michigan | 41,984 | 2.0% |
| 15 | Maryland | 39,209 | 1.8% |
| 16 | Tennessee | 38,006 | 1.8% |
| 17 | Washington | 31,214 | 1.5% |
| 18 | South Carolina | 29,345 | 1.4% |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 26,297 | 1.2% |
| 20 | Missouri | 25,759 | 1.2% |
| 21 | Minnesota | 21,866 | 1.0% |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 19,996 | 0.9% |
| 23 | Indiana | 18,521 | 0.9% |
| 24 | Nevada | 18,297 | 0.9% |
| 25 | Connecticut | 17,721 | 0.8% |
| 26 | Oregon | 17,478 | 0.8% |
| 27 | Louisiana | 16,821 | 0.8% |
| 28 | Alabama | 16,517 | 0.8% |
| 29 | Utah | 14,973 | 0.7% |
| 30 | Kentucky | 13,050 | 0.6% |
| 31 | Idaho | 12,309 | 0.6% |
| 32 | Oklahoma | 12,263 | 0.6% |
| 33 | Kansas | 9,811 | 0.5% |
| 34 | Arkansas | 8,761 | 0.4% |
| 35 | Iowa | 8,664 | 0.4% |
| 36 | Hawaii | 7,297 | 0.3% |
| 37 | New Mexico | 7,171 | 0.3% |
| 38 | Delaware | 7,180 | 0.3% |
| 39 | Mississippi | 6,936 | 0.3% |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 5,526 | 0.3% |
| 41 | Nebraska | 5,238 | 0.2% |
| 42 | Montana | 4,743 | 0.2% |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 4,001 | 0.2% |
| 44 | Maine | 3,561 | 0.2% |
| 45 | West Virginia | 3,495 | 0.2% |
| 46 | South Dakota | 2,459 | 0.1% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 2,468 | 0.1% |
| 48 | Alaska | 2,394 | 0.1% |
| 49 | North Dakota | 2,058 | 0.1% |
| 50 | Vermont | 1,698 | 0.1% |
The concentration is striking: California, Florida, and Texas alone account for roughly 45 percent of all US real estate agents. Add the next four states (Georgia, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey) and you've covered 60 percent of the entire industry in just seven states. The bottom 25 states combined hold under 10 percent of total agents.
For B2B vendors targeting realtors, this concentration reshapes go-to-market strategy. A campaign focused on the top 5 states reaches almost half the market with a fraction of the targeting complexity. For state-specific outreach, our state-by-state databases are organized to match these counts exactly.
3. Top States and Bottom States: What the Distribution Tells Us
The top 10 states are dominated by population centers and high-transaction-volume markets. California's #1 position reflects both its population and its high home values — even modest transaction counts produce significant commission pools. Florida's #2 position is driven by population growth, strong investor interest, and the snowbird/retiree market. Texas's #3 position reflects sustained domestic migration and rapid metro growth in DFW, Houston, and Austin.
The bottom states (Vermont, North Dakota, Alaska, Wyoming, South Dakota) all share two characteristics: low population and rural geography. The per-capita picture flips that ranking: Hawaii has roughly one licensed agent per 200 residents, one of the highest densities in the country, driven by tourism-related real estate activity and a small total population.
Population-Adjusted Insights
Looking at agents per 1,000 residents reveals a different story. Florida, Hawaii, Colorado, and Arizona consistently rank near the top in agents-per-capita, while states like Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio fall lower despite having sizable absolute counts. Per-capita density correlates with vacation/second-home markets, in-migration rates, and the cost of housing — markets where commission opportunities are richer attract more agents into the licensed pool.
4. Demographics: Age, Gender, and Experience
The US real estate agent population skews older and more female than most licensed professions. According to NAR Member Profile data and Bureau of Labor Statistics figures:
- Gender: Approximately 65 to 67 percent of agents are women, holding steady for the past decade
- Median age: ~55 years old (NAR), making real estate one of the older licensed professions in the country
- Age distribution: Roughly 30% are 65 or older; only ~4% are under age 30
- Median years of experience: 8–9 years for the typical licensed agent
- Education: Over 70% have at least some college education; about 30% hold a bachelor's degree or higher
- Race/ethnicity: The agent population is gradually diversifying but still skews white relative to the overall US workforce
The age distribution has significant implications for how vendors should market to agents. The median agent in 2026 is in her early 50s, has been licensed for nearly a decade, and is far more likely to respond to clear, professional, value-focused outreach than to gimmicky social-media-first marketing. B2B outreach strategy for realtors needs to account for this demographic reality.
5. Income: What Real Estate Agents Actually Earn
Real estate agent income is one of the most misunderstood statistics in the industry, primarily because the gap between mean and median is enormous, and gross commission income looks very different from net take-home pay.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data:
- Median annual income (agents): approximately $56,000
- Median annual income (brokers): approximately $65,000
- Top 10% of agents: earn over $175,000 annually in gross commissions
- Bottom 10%: earn under $30,000 annually, often part-time
These figures are before brokerage splits, marketing expenses, MLS dues, association fees, self-employment taxes, vehicle costs, and other deductions. Net take-home for a typical agent is meaningfully lower than the gross commission income shown above. Top performers typically have lower expense ratios because they negotiate more favorable splits.
State-level variation is enormous. Agents in high-cost markets like California, New York, and Massachusetts earn higher gross income but face higher expense bases. Agents in lower-cost states often net more relative to local cost of living. The post-NAR-settlement environment has put downward pressure on commission rates in some markets, though aggregate impact data is still being collected.
6. Part-Time vs Full-Time Agents
One of the most consequential statistics for B2B marketers is the ratio of part-time to full-time agents. Industry surveys suggest that 30 to 40 percent of licensed agents work part-time or treat real estate as a secondary income source. Many maintain an active license without closing transactions in a given year.
This affects every B2B vendor's targeting math. If you're selling tools, services, or referral partnerships to agents, the difference between targeting "all 2.13 million licensees" and "the active 1.2–1.4 million full-timers" is the difference between bloated lists with low engagement and tighter lists with higher conversion. Smart vendors use transaction volume — for example, our database includes a "Recently Sold Count" field — as a proxy for active full-time status when segmenting outreach campaigns.
7. Transaction Volume: How Many Deals Per Year
The median real estate agent closes 10 to 12 transaction sides per year, according to NAR Member Profile surveys. A "side" is one side of a transaction — buyer's agent and seller's agent each get credit for one side. The mean is significantly higher than the median because top performers skew the average heavily.
The "zero transactions" share is the most surprising figure for newcomers to industry data. A meaningful share of licensed agents close no transactions in any given year, either because they're maintaining a license for personal/family use, are on hiatus, or have effectively exited the field without surrendering the license. This is part of why aggregate license counts overstate working population.
8. Brokerage Concentration: The Big Players
Despite the industry's reputation for fragmentation, brokerage affiliation is actually fairly concentrated at the top. The largest US brokerages by licensed agent count include:
- Keller Williams Realty — Historically the largest by agent count
- eXp Realty — Cloud-based, virtual-first model; rapid growth
- RE/MAX — Long-established global franchise model
- Coldwell Banker — Anywhere Real Estate subsidiary
- Compass — High-end metro markets, tech-focused
- Century 21 — Anywhere Real Estate subsidiary
- Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices — HomeServices of America
Independent brokerages — typically small local firms — collectively account for roughly half of all licensed agents. That fragmentation is a structural feature of US real estate: barriers to opening a brokerage are low, local market knowledge matters more than national brand for many segments, and many veteran agents prefer independent or boutique affiliations to the big franchise networks.
9. Technology Spending: A $7 Billion+ Market
The average real estate agent spends roughly $3,000 to $5,000 per year on tools, services, and marketing — and top producers spend substantially more. Aggregated across the active agent population, this is a $7 billion-plus annual market for B2B vendors.
Common spending categories include:
- CRM software (Follow Up Boss, kvCORE, Lofty, Top Producer, etc.)
- Lead generation services (Zillow Premier Agent, Realtor.com pro, etc.)
- MLS dues and association fees ($500–$1,500/year typical)
- Transaction management software
- Photography, videography, and listing media
- Signage, business cards, and printed marketing
- Personal branding and website development
- Coaching and training programs
- Mailers and direct outreach
For SaaS founders, agencies, and service providers, the implications are concrete: agents are accustomed to subscribing to multiple tools, the budget exists, and the channel for reaching them with targeted offers is well-established. Buying a comprehensive realtor email list remains one of the most cost-effective ways to reach this market at scale.
10. Industry Trends: 2025–2026 in Context
Several macro shifts are reshaping the agent population and economics:
Post-NAR-settlement effects (2024+): The August 2024 implementation of the NAR settlement changed how buyer agent compensation is structured. Early data suggests buyer's agent commission rates have compressed in some markets, written buyer agreements have become more common, and some marginal agents have exited the field. Aggregate downward pressure on agent count is real but modest so far.
Team models continue growing: Solo-agent practice is slowly giving way to team structures, where one lead agent operates with several team members handling different transaction roles. Roughly a quarter of NAR members now report being part of a team.
AI adoption is uneven: Top-producing agents have aggressively adopted AI tools for lead qualification, content creation, and client communication. Mid-tier and part-time agents adopt slowly. The productivity gap between AI-adopters and non-adopters is widening.
Brokerage consolidation continues: Large national brokerages and franchises continue acquiring independent firms. Cloud-first models like eXp and Real continue gaining share at the expense of traditional office-based franchises in many markets.
Generational succession: The median agent age of 55 means the industry faces a real generational handoff over the next decade. New agent licensure has slowed in 2024–2026, raising questions about who will replace retiring agents in the back half of this decade.
Need the Underlying Data?
Every statistic in this report draws on our compiled US real estate agent database — 2,130,616 records across all 50 states with 24 fields per record, including office address, brokerage, license number, transaction count, and contact information.
Get the Full Database →Methodology and Sources
State-by-state agent counts in Section 2 come from RealEstateAgentList.Net's proprietary 2026 compilation, deduplicated by email across state licensing boards, Realtor.com, Homes.com, RE/MAX.com, and real estate association directories. National aggregate figures (NAR membership, demographic data, transaction volumes) draw on the latest published NAR Member Profile reports. Income figures cite Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. Brokerage agent counts reflect publicly disclosed figures from brokerage parent companies.
Data for 2026 is current as of publication. Statistics are revised periodically as new figures become available. Citation: Please credit RealEstateAgentList.Net when referencing the state-by-state breakdown or aggregate license count.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many real estate agents are there in the US in 2026?
There are 2,130,616 licensed real estate agents across the United States in 2026, distributed across all 50 states. This figure is based on a deduplicated compilation of state licensing boards, Realtor.com, Homes.com, RE/MAX.com, and real estate association member directories. Of these, approximately 1.4 million hold active membership in the National Association of Realtors and are entitled to use the Realtor trademark, while the remainder are licensed agents who choose not to maintain NAR membership.
Which state has the most real estate agents?
California has the most real estate agents in the United States with 441,315 licensed professionals, more than any other state. Florida is second with 311,607 agents, followed by Texas at 213,570. These three states alone account for roughly 45 percent of all US real estate agents, reflecting both their large populations and high transaction volumes. New York, Georgia, North Carolina, and New Jersey round out the top seven states, each with over 70,000 licensed agents.
What is the average income of a real estate agent?
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual income for real estate agents in the United States is approximately $56,000, while real estate brokers earn a median of around $65,000. However, income varies dramatically by experience, location, and whether the agent works full-time. The top 10 percent of agents earn over $175,000 annually, while many part-time agents earn under $25,000. Net income after expenses, taxes, brokerage splits, and association fees is typically lower than gross commission income.
How many real estate agents are women?
Approximately 65 to 67 percent of US real estate agents are women, according to NAR Member Profile data. Real estate is one of the most female-dominated licensed professions in the country. The percentage of women has remained relatively stable over the past decade, though the share of women in brokerage ownership and team leadership roles has grown more slowly than overall female participation in the workforce.
What percentage of real estate agents work part-time?
Industry data suggests that roughly 30 to 40 percent of licensed real estate agents work part-time or treat real estate as a secondary income source. Many hold their license active without closing transactions in a given year. The active full-time agent count is meaningfully smaller than the total licensed population, which is why some industry analysts use transaction volume rather than license count as the better indicator of the true working agent population.
How many transactions does the average agent close per year?
The median real estate agent closes approximately 10 to 12 transaction sides per year, according to NAR Member Profile surveys. The mean is significantly higher because top performers skew the average — the top 10 percent of agents close more than 30 sides annually. A meaningful share of licensed agents close zero transactions in a given year, reflecting the high concentration of activity among full-time professionals.
Is the number of real estate agents growing or shrinking?
The total licensed agent count has been roughly stable to slightly declining in 2025 and 2026 following the post-settlement market changes that took effect in August 2024. NAR membership specifically declined from approximately 1.5 million pre-settlement to around 1.4 million by late 2025. New license issuance has slowed in many states as fewer aspiring agents enter the field amid commission compression and a slower transaction environment.
What is the average age of a real estate agent?
The median age of a real estate agent in the United States is approximately 55 years old, according to NAR Member Profile data. Real estate has historically attracted second-career professionals, which keeps the median age higher than most licensed professions. Roughly 30 percent of agents are over the age of 65, while only about 4 percent are under 30, creating a known generational succession challenge for the industry.
How much do real estate agents spend on tools and services?
The average real estate agent spends approximately $3,000 to $5,000 per year on tools, services, and marketing, with top producers often spending substantially more. Common spending categories include CRM software, lead generation services, MLS dues, association fees, transaction management software, photography, signage, and personal branding. The total US real estate agent technology and services market is estimated at over $7 billion dollars annually.
Which brokerage has the most agents?
Keller Williams has historically been the largest US brokerage by agent count, though eXp Realty has grown rapidly through its cloud-based, virtual brokerage model and is now in close competition. RE/MAX, Coldwell Banker, Compass, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices round out the top brokerages by agent affiliation. Independent brokerages collectively account for roughly half of all licensed agents, reflecting how decentralized the industry remains.
What's the difference between a realtor and a real estate agent?
Every Realtor is a real estate agent, but not every real estate agent is a Realtor. The term Realtor is a registered trademark of the National Association of Realtors, used only by licensed agents who pay annual NAR dues and agree to abide by the NAR Code of Ethics. There are roughly 2.13 million licensed real estate agents in the US, of which approximately 1.4 million are NAR members entitled to call themselves Realtors. The remaining 700,000-plus licensed agents are not Realtors despite being legally licensed to sell real estate.
How many new real estate agents are licensed each year?
Approximately 250,000 to 300,000 new real estate agents are licensed in the United States each year, though this figure has declined modestly since 2023 amid market headwinds. License issuance is heavily concentrated in California, Florida, and Texas, which together account for over a third of all new licenses annually. The first-year attrition rate is high — industry estimates suggest 75 to 85 percent of new agents leave the field within five years of licensure.