We found that 95% of answers in Columbus named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was +6 percentage points from the national result of 89%, and +7 percentage points from the mid-market result of 88%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in Columbus
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 | 60% | 68% | 72% | -9 pts | -12 pts | #43 | #16 |
| FastExpert | 55% | 42% | 44% | +14 pts | +11 pts | #14 | #5 |
| Zillow | 50% | 56% | 57% | -6 pts | -7 pts | #36 | #12 |
| Other directories | 40% | 39% | 31% | +1 pts | +9 pts | #17 | #9 |
| HomeLight | 25% | 24% | 22% | +2 pts | +3 pts | #15 | #7 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 25% | 24% | 0 pts | +1 pts | #15 | #7 |
| Realtor.com | 20% | 17% | 19% | +3 pts | +1 pts | #20 | #7 |
| Google Business Profile | 15% | 17% | 15% | -2 pts | 0 pts | #22 | #11 |
| Local news | 15% | 15% | 12% | 0 pts | +3 pts | #19 | #11 |
| Brokerage websites | 10% | 9% | 10% | +1 pts | +1 pts | #22 | #7 |
| Social media | 0% | 3% | 3% | -3 pts | -3 pts | #31 | #11 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #39 | #15 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.6 individual agents per answer
Agent or team websites appeared in 60% of answers here, -12 percentage points below national's 72%. FastExpert appeared in 55% of answers here, +14 percentage points above same-size markets's 42%.
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 google.com (47), zillow.com (21), fastexpert.com (16).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 47 |
| zillow.com | 21 |
| fastexpert.com | 16 |
| homes.com | 8 |
| realtrends.com | 8 |
| homelight.com | 5 |
| realtor.com | 4 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 3 |
| expertise.com | 2 |
| ratemyagent.com | 2 |
| sell.realtor.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Agent or team websites was -12 percentage points at 60% here versus 72%.
- The local FastExpert share of 55% stood +11 percentage points from the national share of 44%.
- Other directories registered 40% locally and 31% nationally, a +9 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Columbus
| 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% | 4.4 | 2.4 | 2.0 | 85% | +15 pts | Local news (60%), Other directories (60%), FastExpert (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 100% | 3.2 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 88% | +12 pts | Zillow (100%), FastExpert (80%), Agent or team websites (40%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 8.0 | 4.8 | 3.2 | 99% | +1 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), FastExpert (60%), Other directories (60%) |
| Perplexity | 80% | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 83% | -3 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Homes.com (100%), HomeLight (60%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Agent or team websites, at 0% here versus 56% nationally (-56 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 80% here versus 42% nationally (+38 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Agent or team websites, at 100% here versus 64% nationally (+36 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Brokerage websites, at 40% here versus 17% nationally (+23 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 8.0.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 8% in Columbus, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Columbus 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 mid markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 95% | #9 of 50 | #3 of 20 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.6 | #24 of 50 | #9 of 20 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 8% | #23 of 50 | #8 of 20 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Columbus ranked between Chicago, IL and Kansas City, MO among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Columbus ranked between Indianapolis, IN and Sacramento, CA among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Columbus ranked between Louisville, KY and Austin, TX among the 50 markets.
Columbus market context
Population: 914,802
Median household income: $66,082
Median home value: $252,900
Per-capita income: $37,860
Owner-occupied homes: 44%
Homes with broadband: 94%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.8×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.7×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesColumbus 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 mid markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 914,802 | #13 of 50 | #1 of 20 |
| Median household income | $66,082 | #41 of 50 | #15 of 20 |
| Median home value | $252,900 | #37 of 50 | #11 of 20 |
| Per-capita income | $37,860 | #44 of 50 | #16 of 20 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 44% | #41 of 50 | #18 of 20 |
| Homes with broadband | 94% | #10 of 50 | #5 of 20 |
What this means for agents in Columbus
- Answers named 4.4 people or organizations on average here, versus 4.6 nationally. A consistent public identity is more useful when an answer presents a longer list.
- Agent or team websites appeared in 60% of Columbus answers, versus 72% nationally. We recommend keeping a bio, reviews, and recent sales current across those pages.
- A directory source appeared in up to 55% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
Questions asked in Columbus
- Who is the best real estate agent in Columbus, OH?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Columbus, OH?
- Top realtors in Columbus, OH
- Best listing agent in Columbus, OH to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Columbus, OH?
Columbus AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Columbus?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 95% of AI answers for Columbus, OH named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Columbus AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 60% of answers for Columbus, OH.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Columbus?
The four tools had 8% average pairwise overlap in Columbus, OH, 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.