Statistics
Real estate commission statistics (2026)
How much agents actually charge in every state, what the NAR settlement changed, and what consumers get wrong about choosing an agent. Updated 2026-03-21.
National avg rate
5.7%
On median home
$23,108
Post-settlement drop
-0.10%
States covered
51
National commission overview
The average total real estate commission in the United States is 5.7% of the sale price. On the median US home price of $405,400, that's $23,108 in total agent fees.
This splits between the listing agent (2.88%) and the buyer's agent (2.82%). Listing agent rates have held steady. Buyer agent rates dropped the most after the NAR settlement, falling from 2.87% to 2.82%.
| Fee component | Rate | Dollar amount |
|---|---|---|
| Listing agent commission | 2.88% | $11,676 |
| Buyer agent commission | 2.82% | $11,432 |
| Total commission | 5.7% | $23,108 |
Based on national median home price of $405,400. Source: Clever Real Estate agent survey, 4.1M existing home sales in 2025.
Commission rates by state
Rates range from 4.5% in Washington DC to 6.2% in Michigan. Higher-priced markets tend to have lower percentage rates because agents earn more per transaction. Click column headers to sort.
| Listing | Buyer | Commission $ | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington DC | 2% | 2.5% | 4.5% | $643,000 | $28,935 |
| New Jersey | 2.7% | 2.5% | 5.2% | $521,000 | $27,092 |
| Maryland | 2.77% | 2.64% | 5.41% | $415,000 | $22,452 |
| California | 2.73% | 2.74% | 5.47% | $833,000 | $45,565 |
| Indiana | 2.65% | 2.85% | 5.5% | $255,000 | $14,025 |
| Virginia | 2.75% | 2.75% | 5.5% | $444,000 | $24,420 |
| Alaska | 2.73% | 2.78% | 5.51% | $383,000 | $21,103 |
| Hawaii | 2.73% | 2.78% | 5.51% | $743,000 | $40,939 |
| Oregon | 2.73% | 2.78% | 5.51% | $505,000 | $27,825 |
| Illinois | 2.81% | 2.72% | 5.53% | $286,000 | $15,816 |
| North Carolina | 2.8% | 2.73% | 5.53% | $368,000 | $20,350 |
| Connecticut | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $415,000 | $23,116 |
| Florida | 2.75% | 2.82% | 5.57% | $412,000 | $22,948 |
| Maine | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $381,000 | $21,222 |
| Massachusetts | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $615,000 | $34,256 |
| New Hampshire | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $483,000 | $26,903 |
| Rhode Island | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $487,000 | $27,126 |
| Vermont | 2.9% | 2.67% | 5.57% | $388,000 | $21,612 |
| Arkansas | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $253,000 | $14,320 |
| Delaware | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $352,000 | $19,923 |
| Georgia | 2.8% | 2.86% | 5.66% | $366,000 | $20,716 |
| Kentucky | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $263,000 | $14,886 |
| Louisiana | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $249,000 | $14,093 |
| Mississippi | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $253,000 | $14,320 |
| West Virginia | 2.82% | 2.84% | 5.66% | $249,000 | $14,093 |
| New York | 2.93% | 2.76% | 5.69% | $576,000 | $32,774 |
| Colorado | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $582,000 | $33,232 |
| Idaho | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $485,000 | $27,694 |
| Montana | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $523,000 | $29,863 |
| Nevada | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $455,000 | $25,981 |
| Utah | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $548,000 | $31,291 |
| Wyoming | 2.98% | 2.73% | 5.71% | $484,000 | $27,636 |
| Pennsylvania | 2.97% | 2.8% | 5.77% | $283,000 | $16,329 |
| Arizona | 2.9% | 2.92% | 5.82% | $455,000 | $26,481 |
| New Mexico | 2.9% | 2.92% | 5.82% | $357,000 | $20,777 |
| Oklahoma | 2.9% | 2.92% | 5.82% | $244,000 | $14,201 |
| Iowa | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $228,000 | $13,315 |
| Kansas | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $279,000 | $16,294 |
| Minnesota | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $354,000 | $20,674 |
| Nebraska | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $289,000 | $16,878 |
| North Dakota | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $281,000 | $16,410 |
| South Dakota | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $320,000 | $18,688 |
| Wisconsin | 2.96% | 2.88% | 5.84% | $311,000 | $18,162 |
| South Carolina | 2.91% | 2.97% | 5.88% | $381,000 | $22,403 |
| Texas | 2.93% | 2.95% | 5.88% | $338,000 | $19,874 |
| Ohio | 3.1% | 2.8% | 5.9% | $241,000 | $14,219 |
| Washington | 2.75% | 3.15% | 5.9% | $630,000 | $37,170 |
| Missouri | 2.96% | 2.98% | 5.94% | $258,000 | $15,325 |
| Alabama | 2.96% | 3% | 5.96% | $281,000 | $16,748 |
| Tennessee | 2.95% | 3.1% | 6.05% | $380,000 | $22,990 |
| Michigan | 3.09% | 3.11% | 6.2% | $249,000 | $15,438 |
| National average | 2.88% | 2.82% | 5.7% | $405,400 | $23,108 |
Rates are averages based on 2024-2025 transaction data. Median home prices from Zillow Home Value Index. Commission dollar amounts calculated at each state's median price.
Lowest commission states
Highest commission states
NAR settlement impact on commissions
The National Association of Realtors reached a $418 million settlement in March 2024, with new rules taking effect on August 17, 2024. The settlement ended the practice of listing buyer agent compensation on the MLS and required buyers to sign representation agreements before touring homes.
Total commission rates dropped 0.10 percentage points. Buyer agent fees took the biggest hit.
Before settlement
5.8%
Total rate ($23,513 on median home)
After settlement
5.7%
Total rate ($23,108 on median home)
Total rate drop
-0.10%
Buyer rate low (Q3 '24)
2.36%
Sellers who negotiate
37%
Settlement timeline
March 2024
NAR announces $418 million settlement agreement with home sellers
August 17, 2024
Settlement takes effect. MLS organizations stop displaying buyer agent compensation offers. Buyer representation agreements become mandatory.
Q3 2024
National average buyer agent rate drops to 2.36%, the lowest on record
Q4 2024
Rates begin recovering as market adjusts. Sellers resume offering buyer agent compensation off-MLS.
Q1 2025
V-shaped recovery largely complete. Total rates recover toward 5.70%, down modestly from 5.80% pre-settlement.
May 2025
Federal Reserve publishes commission trend analysis confirming modest long-term rate decline
Real estate industry statistics
The real estate industry has a structural oversupply of agents relative to transactions.
1.6M
Licensed real estate agents in the US
71%
Active agents sold zero homes last year
2.6
Average transactions per agent per year
$55,800
Median agent income
4.1M
Existing home sales in 2025
$1.6 trillion
Total transaction volume (2025)
With 1.6M licensed agents and only 4.1M home sales, most agents complete fewer than 3 transactions per year. The top 10% handle a disproportionate share of all transactions. A random referral has about a 70% chance of connecting you with an agent who hasn't closed a deal in the past year.
How consumers choose agents
There's a gap between what consumers say they value in an agent and how they actually choose one. Most put very little effort into the decision.
47%
of homebuyers hire the first agent they talk to
What consumers say matters most when choosing an agent
Source: NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Respondents could select multiple factors.
How consumers find their agent
| Method | % of buyers |
|---|---|
| Referral from friend, family, or neighbor | 38% |
| Online search or matching service | 19% |
| Used the same agent again | 27% |
| Open house or yard sign | 4% |
The transparency gap
74% of consumers say they'd use agents more with detailed service breakdowns. 79% of home searches start on mobile.
Calculate your commission
See exactly what you'd pay in commission at your home price. Compare buyer vs seller costs and see how referral platform fees affect your agent.
Open Commission CalculatorMethodology and sources
Commission rates come from the Clever Real Estate agent survey (February 2026, 533 agents across all 50 states). Median home prices use Zillow Home Value Index data, updated monthly. Transaction volume and agent counts come from NAR annual reports and state licensing boards.
Rates shown are averages. Actual commission rates vary by agent, market conditions, home price, and negotiation. Pre-settlement rates use 2023 full-year data as the baseline. Post-settlement rates reflect Q1 2026 averages.
This page is updated quarterly. Last update: 2026-03-21.
Commission statistics FAQ
Related resources
Commission Rates by State
Detailed guides with city-level data, negotiation tips, and NAR settlement impact for each state.
Commission Calculator
Interactive tool to estimate your exact costs as a buyer or seller.
NAR Settlement Explained
Full breakdown of what changed for buyers and sellers in 2024.
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