Average Real Estate Commission by State: October 2026
Last updated . All data pieces · Methodology
A listing appointment, or a buyer agreement handed over before the first showing, is usually what sends someone looking up the average commission in their state. The answer depends on more than location. Which side of the deal you're on, the price of the home, whether the seller agrees to cover the buyer's agent, and whether a number comes from an agent survey or from closed sales all move it. A single state average blends those together. It also hides how many agents stand behind it, and in many states that is only a handful.
The headline national figure in this piece is 5.46% of the sale price for both agents combined, from Clever Real Estate's August 2026 survey of 434 agents. It reflects what agents say is typical in their market, not what sellers paid at closing, and it assumes both sides are paid. We compiled 13 sources, with publication dates from October 2024 to October 2026 where dated, including survey raw data, SEC filings, brokerage and software-platform transaction data, a Federal Reserve staff note and academic research, and analyzed them under the index's published methodology.
We built the state table from Clever's raw state files rather than its article table, because the raw files carry per-state sample sizes. States need at least 5 respondents to appear, and states with 5 to 9 are marked for caution; both cutoffs are our editorial choice. Clever's state counts add up to 481, more than its 434 national respondents, and its file does not explain the difference. Since NAR's August 2024 practice changes, buyer-agent compensation offers no longer appear in MLS listings, and Redfin moved its commission reports from MLS listing data to a transaction sample.
Average Real Estate Commission by State: August 2026 Survey
This table gives the average total commission, with the listing and buyer sides, for every state where the survey had at least 5 respondents.
| State | Total commission | Listing side | Buyer side | Respondents | Reported total range | Sample note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. (all respondents) | 5.46% | 2.76% | 2.70% | 434 | 2.00–8.00% | National |
| Virginia | 6.00% | 3.08% | 2.92% | 16 | 5.00–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Michigan | 5.91% | 2.82% | 3.09% | 11 | 5.00–7.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Georgia | 5.74% | 2.89% | 2.85% | 31 | 3.00–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Minnesota | 5.74% | 3.03% | 2.70% | 11 | 4.00–7.50% | 10+ respondents |
| Arizona | 5.71% | 2.88% | 2.83% | 12 | 4.00–6.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Pennsylvania | 5.71% | 2.88% | 2.83% | 17 | 4.50–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Maryland | 5.69% | 2.94% | 2.75% | 12 | 4.50–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Ohio | 5.65% | 3.00% | 2.65% | 10 | 3.00–7.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Texas | 5.61% | 2.75% | 2.87% | 41 | 2.50–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| North Carolina | 5.59% | 2.79% | 2.81% | 19 | 3.00–7.60% | 10+ respondents |
| Indiana | 5.57% | 2.85% | 2.72% | 11 | 4.00–6.50% | 10+ respondents |
| Florida | 5.29% | 2.64% | 2.64% | 61 | 2.00–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| California | 5.08% | 2.57% | 2.51% | 50 | 2.00–7.50% | 10+ respondents |
| New Jersey | 5.07% | 2.61% | 2.46% | 14 | 4.00–6.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Illinois | 4.90% | 2.41% | 2.49% | 18 | 3.00–6.00% | 10+ respondents |
| New York | 4.62% | 2.41% | 2.21% | 25 | 2.00–8.00% | 10+ respondents |
| Missouri | 5.96% | 3.08% | 2.88% | 6 | 5.00–7.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Wisconsin | 5.90% | 3.19% | 2.71% | 7 | 4.40–7.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Alabama | 5.83% | 2.92% | 2.92% | 6 | 5.00–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Tennessee | 5.83% | 2.89% | 2.94% | 9 | 5.00–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Nevada | 5.79% | 2.93% | 2.86% | 7 | 5.00–6.50% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Washington | 5.71% | 3.00% | 2.71% | 7 | 5.00–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| South Carolina | 5.64% | 2.81% | 2.83% | 9 | 4.75–7.50% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Oregon | 5.56% | 2.94% | 2.61% | 9 | 5.00–7.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Idaho | 5.35% | 2.70% | 2.65% | 5 | 4.00–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| Colorado | 5.34% | 2.73% | 2.61% | 9 | 5.00–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
| District of Columbia | 5.34% | 2.72% | 2.63% | 8 | 4.50–6.00% | 5–9 respondents (caution) |
Source: Clever Real Estate, August 2026 agent survey raw data file (state rows, clean respondents). Agent-reported typical rates; as reported by Clever Real Estate, not independently verified. Clever operates an agent-referral service that advertises listing fees as low as 1.5%.
We found no defensible state figure for 24 states. Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oklahoma and West Virginia had 1 to 4 respondents, which Clever flags as a minimum sample. Alaska, Maine, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming had none. Clever's published article lists a rate for every state by using its regional average where state data is thin, so some values on that page differ from the state responses shown here.
Change in Survey Commission Rates: February to August 2026
This table compares Clever's two 2026 surveys for the nation and for each state with 10 or more respondents in August, with the February sample size shown for each state.
| Geography | Total, Feb 2026 | Respondents, Feb 2026 | Total, Aug 2026 | Respondents, Aug 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. | 5.70% (listing 2.88%, buyer 2.82%) | 533 | 5.46% (listing 2.76%, buyer 2.70%) | 434 |
| Virginia | 5.50% | 12 | 6.00% | 16 |
| Michigan | 6.20% | 22 | 5.91% | 11 |
| Georgia | 5.66% | 32 | 5.74% | 31 |
| Minnesota | 6.14% | 7 | 5.74% | 11 |
| Arizona | 5.38% | 8 | 5.71% | 12 |
| Pennsylvania | 5.77% | 15 | 5.71% | 17 |
| Maryland | 5.41% | 11 | 5.69% | 12 |
| Ohio | 5.90% | 15 | 5.65% | 10 |
| Texas | 5.88% | 59 | 5.61% | 41 |
| North Carolina | 5.52% | 23 | 5.59% | 19 |
| Indiana | 5.50% | 10 | 5.57% | 11 |
| Florida | 5.57% | 59 | 5.29% | 61 |
| California | 5.47% | 57 | 5.08% | 50 |
| New Jersey | 5.20% | 15 | 5.07% | 14 |
| Illinois | 5.54% | 27 | 4.90% | 18 |
| New York | 5.69% | 30 | 4.62% | 25 |
Source: Clever Real Estate, February 2026 and August 2026 agent survey raw data files; national listing and buyer splits from Clever's 2026 survey article. As reported by Clever Real Estate, not independently verified.
The two surveys drew different respondents, so the larger state moves may reflect who answered as much as any change in what sellers paid.
Commission Rates in Closed Transactions: 2024–2026
This table compiles rates paid on closed deals as published by software platforms and by brokerage groups like those covered in our residential brokerages section. Each sample covers only that company's own deals or customers.
| Source | Measure | Side | Earlier figure | Latest figure | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redfin | Average buyer's agent commission | Buyer | 2.36% (Q3 2024) | 2.42% (Q3 2025) | Thousands of transactions per quarter from Redfin agents' listings and partner-agent deals; excludes most deals where Redfin agents represented the buyer |
| Anywhere Real Estate, franchise group | Average homesale broker commission rate | Per side | 2.41% (Q3 2024) | 2.41% (Q3 2025) | Company earnings release filed with the SEC |
| Anywhere Real Estate, owned brokerage group | Average homesale broker commission rate | Per side | 2.36% (Q3 2024) | 2.37% (Q3 2025) | Company earnings release filed with the SEC |
| Paperless Pipeline | Average buyer-side rate, same 377 brokerages | Buyer | 2.64% (before Aug 2024 changes) | 2.69% (after) | Customer brokerages, Jan 2024–Sep 2026 |
| Paperless Pipeline | Average listing-side rate, same 377 brokerages | Listing | 2.58% (before Aug 2024 changes) | 2.54% (after) | Customer brokerages, Jan 2024–Sep 2026 |
Sources: Redfin, Q3 2025 commission report; Anywhere Real Estate Q3 2025 earnings release; Paperless Pipeline Brokerage Data Snapshot. Redfin and Paperless Pipeline figures are as reported by each company, not independently verified. Redfin is a brokerage; Paperless Pipeline sells back-office software to brokerages and reports data from its customers. Compass completed its acquisition of Anywhere on January 9, 2026, and no later Anywhere commission rate was found. No Redfin commission report for a 2026 quarter was found.
Buyer's Agent Commission by Home Price: 2025–2026
This table shows how the buyer-side rate changes with sale price in the two transaction datasets that publish price tiers. The two sources use different tier boundaries and periods.
| Source and period | Sale price tier | Average buyer-side commission |
|---|---|---|
| Redfin, Q3 2025 | Under $500,000 | 2.52% |
| Redfin, Q3 2025 | $500,000–$999,999 | 2.32% |
| Redfin, Q3 2025 | $1 million and above | 2.22% |
| Paperless Pipeline, last 12 months to Sep 2026 | Under $250K | 2.82% |
| Paperless Pipeline, last 12 months to Sep 2026 | $250K–$500K | 2.73% |
| Paperless Pipeline, last 12 months to Sep 2026 | $500K–$1M | 2.52% |
| Paperless Pipeline, last 12 months to Sep 2026 | $1M–$2M | 2.38% |
| Paperless Pipeline, last 12 months to Sep 2026 | $2M+ | 2.19% |
Sources: Redfin, Q3 2025 commission report; Paperless Pipeline Brokerage Data Snapshot (Jan 2024–Sep 2026). As reported by each company, not independently verified. Paperless Pipeline states its data reflects its customer brokerages, not the entire U.S. market.
Research on Commissions After the NAR Settlement: 2025–2026
NAR's practice changes took effect on August 17, 2024, ending compensation offers on the MLS and requiring a written buyer agreement before touring, with compensation that NAR says must be "objectively ascertainable and not open-ended." This table compiles independent research and surveys on whether rates moved after that date.
| Source | Data | Period | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Duarte and David Zhang, Rice University (SSRN working paper) | Empirical study of the post-settlement market (data described in the paper) | Published June 2025 | Commission rates show no significant change after the settlement; buyers became two percentage points more likely to forgo formal representation |
| Cotality and ResiClub agent survey (reported by Inman) | 213 agents | February–March 2026 | Roughly two-thirds reported no significant shift in commission levels since the settlement |
| Consumer Policy Center | Mystery-shopper interviews with 281 buyer agents in 26 metro areas | July–September 2025 (report released November 2, 2025) | 95% quoted a rate between 2.5% and 3%; quoted rates were highly similar within each metro area |
| Federal Reserve staff note (FEDS Notes) | CoreLogic MLS listings covering about half of U.S. listings | 1995–2023 (published May 12, 2025) | Average advertised buyer-agent rate fell from about 3% in the late 1990s to about 2.7%; metro differences were "largely idiosyncratic" and negatively correlated with house prices; state buyer-agreement and rebate-ban policies had no significant effect on advertised rates |
Sources: SSRN; Inman; Consumer Policy Center; Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; National Association of Realtors settlement FAQs. The Federal Reserve note predates the settlement changes and is included for long-run and geographic context.
What the Commission Data Means for Buyers and Sellers
State survey averages are a starting point for a commission conversation, not a measure of what any seller paid, and readers comparing agents can weigh them alongside our guide to choosing a residential brokerage or agent. The next Clever survey and any transaction-based reports covering 2026 are the releases to watch.
Sources
- Clever Real Estate. "Average Real Estate Agent Commission Rates: 2026 Survey." Updated October 1, 2026. https://listwithclever.com/average-real-estate-commission-rate/
- Clever Real Estate. "Average Realtor Commission Survey, August 2026" (raw data, CSV). August 2026. https://listwithclever.com/wp-content/uploads/clever-real-estate-august-2026-average-realtor-commission-survey.csv
- Clever Real Estate. "Average Realtor Commission Survey, February 2026" (raw data, CSV). February 2026. https://listwithclever.com/wp-content/uploads/clever-real-estate-february-2026-average-realtor-commission-survey.csv
- Redfin. "The Average Buyer's Agent Commission has Risen Slightly Since New NAR Rules Went Into Effect." December 8, 2025. https://www.redfin.com/news/commissions-q3-2025/
- Redfin. "Real Estate Agent Commissions Hold Steady Following New Rules." October 31, 2024. https://www.redfin.com/news/buyers-agent-commission-october-2024/
- Anywhere Real Estate Inc. Third-quarter 2025 earnings release (SEC filing). 2025. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1398987/000139898725000113/anywhererealestatepressrel.htm
- Compass, Inc. Form 8-K (completion of acquisition of Anywhere Real Estate Inc.). January 9, 2026. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1563190/000156319026000019/comp-20260109.htm
- Paperless Pipeline. "What 328,000 closed transactions say about brokerages in 2026" (Brokerage Data Snapshot, Jan 2024–Sep 2026). 2026. https://www.paperlesspipeline.com/__l5e/assets-v1/970fdb09-da77-4085-9fbb-68538c7d49e2/brokerage-data-snapshot-2026.pdf
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. "Commissions and Omissions: Trends in Real Estate Broker Compensation" (FEDS Notes). May 12, 2025. https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres/notes/feds-notes/commissions-and-omissions-trends-in-real-estate-broker-compensation-20250512.html
- Jefferson Duarte and David Zhang (SSRN). "Measuring the Impact of the NAR Settlement." June 2025. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5279352
- Inman. "Agent commissions show 'stickiness' nearly 2 years after NAR settlement." March 30, 2026. https://www.inman.com/2026/03/30/agent-commissions-show-stickiness-nearly-2-years-after-nar-settlement/
- Consumer Policy Center. "Buyer Agents Willing to Cut Rates for Home Sellers But Not For Buyers." November 2, 2025. https://consumerpolicy.org/mystery-shopper-interviews-with-buyer-agents-reveal-unwillingness-to-negotiate-rates-with-home-buyers-but-willingness-to-lower-rates-if-home-sellers-insist/
- National Association of Realtors. "NAR Settlement FAQs." Accessed October 22, 2026. https://www.nar.realtor/the-facts/nar-settlement-faqs
Figures are shown as published by the sources named under each table. How we source and correct: editorial and corrections policy. Spotted an error? Contact us.