We found that 95% of answers in Chicago named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was +6 percentage points from the national result of 89%, and +6 percentage points from the large-market result of 89%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in Chicago
This table compares the source types found in this market's answers. A source type can appear in more than one answer, so shares describe answer-level presence rather than a rank of individual websites. The two rank columns show how the local share compares with the study's 50 markets and its size class.
| Source type | Here | Same-size markets | National | Vs. size | Vs. national | Rank / 50 | Rank / size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agent or team websites | 80% | 75% | 72% | +5 pts | +8 pts | #10 | #4 |
| FastExpert | 60% | 38% | 44% | +22 pts | +16 pts | #8 | #1 |
| Zillow | 60% | 51% | 57% | +9 pts | +3 pts | #18 | #3 |
| Brokerage websites | 30% | 8% | 10% | +22 pts | +20 pts | #1 | #1 |
| Other directories | 30% | 38% | 31% | -8 pts | -1 pts | #26 | #8 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 23% | 24% | +2 pts | +1 pts | #14 | #1 |
| Realtor.com | 20% | 13% | 19% | +7 pts | +1 pts | #19 | #1 |
| Local news | 15% | 12% | 12% | +3 pts | +3 pts | #18 | #3 |
| HomeLight | 10% | 25% | 22% | -15 pts | -12 pts | #43 | #12 |
| Google Business Profile | 5% | 11% | 15% | -6 pts | -10 pts | #44 | #10 |
| Social media | 5% | 2% | 3% | +3 pts | +2 pts | #13 | #1 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #38 | #10 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 3.5 individual agents per answer
Brokerage websites was the largest gap in both comparisons: 30% here, +20 percentage points from national (10%) and +22 percentage points from same-size markets (8%).
Selected public platforms cited
These raw citation counts are limited to public platforms; personal, team, and brokerage domains are not listed. The highest local counts were zillow.com (23), google.com (22), fastexpert.com (14).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| zillow.com | 23 |
| google.com | 22 |
| fastexpert.com | 14 |
| homes.com | 10 |
| realtrends.com | 6 |
| expertise.com | 4 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 4 |
| realtor.com | 4 |
| homelight.com | 2 |
| linkedin.com | 1 |
| upnest.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Brokerage websites was +20 percentage points at 30% here versus 10%.
- The local FastExpert share of 60% stood +16 percentage points from the national share of 44%.
- HomeLight registered 10% locally and 22% nationally, a -12 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Chicago
| Tool | Share naming an agent/team | Avg. names per answer | Individual agents per answer | Teams per answer | National share | Difference | Top 3 source types |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google AI Mode | 100% | 7.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 85% | +15 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Local news (60%), Brokerage websites (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 100% | 4.4 | 3.6 | 0.8 | 88% | +12 pts | FastExpert (100%), Zillow (100%), Agent or team websites (60%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 7.8 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), FastExpert (40%), Other directories (20%) |
| Perplexity | 80% | 2.0 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 83% | -3 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Homes.com (100%), FastExpert (80%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Brokerage websites, at 40% here versus 2% nationally (+38 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 100% here versus 42% nationally (+58 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Agent or team websites, at 80% here versus 64% nationally (+16 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 80% here versus 49% nationally (+31 percentage points).
Across the four tools, the local share naming an agent or team ranged from 80% to 100%. Average names per answer ranged from 2.0 to 7.8.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 11% in Chicago, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Chicago in the 50-market study
These positions use the 50 markets in this study and the markets in the same size class; tied values are ordered by market name for a stable comparison.
| Measure | Here | Among 50 markets | Among large markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 95% | #8 of 50 | #2 of 12 |
| Individual agents per answer | 3.5 | #6 of 50 | #3 of 12 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 11% | #7 of 50 | #1 of 12 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Chicago ranked between Baltimore, MD and Columbus, OH among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Chicago ranked between Phoenix, AZ and Baltimore, MD among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Chicago ranked between Hilton Head Island, SC and San Jose, CA among the 50 markets.
Chicago market context
Population: 2,711,226
Median household income: $77,902
Median home value: $334,100
Per-capita income: $50,086
Owner-occupied homes: 46%
Homes with broadband: 89%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 4.3×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.6×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesChicago Census context in the study
These Census estimates add local context; ranks use the same 50 study markets and size class, with ties ordered by market name.
| Measure | Here | Among 50 markets | Among large markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,711,226 | #3 of 50 | #3 of 12 |
| Median household income | $77,902 | #22 of 50 | #7 of 12 |
| Median home value | $334,100 | #32 of 50 | #7 of 12 |
| Per-capita income | $50,086 | #21 of 50 | #5 of 12 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46% | #36 of 50 | #7 of 12 |
| Homes with broadband | 89% | #45 of 50 | #11 of 12 |
What this means for agents in Chicago
- Answers named 5.4 people or organizations on average here, versus 4.6 nationally. A consistent public identity is more useful when an answer presents a longer list.
- A directory source appeared in up to 60% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Google Business Profile appeared in 5% of answers here, versus 15% nationally. We recommend keeping its reviews and profile details current.
Questions asked in Chicago
- Who is the best real estate agent in Chicago, IL?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Chicago, IL?
- Top realtors in Chicago, IL
- Best listing agent in Chicago, IL to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Chicago, IL?
Chicago AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Chicago?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 95% of AI answers for Chicago, IL named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Chicago AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 80% of answers for Chicago, IL.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Chicago?
The four tools had 11% average pairwise overlap in Chicago, IL, versus 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable answers.
Read the full study
See the 50-market report for national results and all 50 local comparisons.