We found that 95% of answers in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zillow | 70% | 51% | 57% | +19 pts | +13 pts | #9 | #1 |
| Agent or team websites | 65% | 75% | 72% | -10 pts | -7 pts | #38 | #11 |
| Other directories | 50% | 38% | 31% | +12 pts | +19 pts | #10 | #2 |
| FastExpert | 35% | 38% | 44% | -3 pts | -9 pts | #38 | #7 |
| Homes.com | 25% | 23% | 24% | +2 pts | +1 pts | #25 | #4 |
| HomeLight | 20% | 25% | 22% | -5 pts | -2 pts | #29 | #9 |
| Realtor.com | 15% | 13% | 19% | +2 pts | -4 pts | #31 | #6 |
| Brokerage websites | 10% | 8% | 10% | +2 pts | +1 pts | #28 | #4 |
| Google Business Profile | 10% | 11% | 15% | -1 pts | -5 pts | #39 | #8 |
| Local news | 10% | 12% | 12% | -2 pts | -2 pts | #31 | #7 |
| Social media | 5% | 2% | 3% | +3 pts | +2 pts | #21 | #5 |
| Yelp | 5% | 7% | 7% | -2 pts | -2 pts | #33 | #8 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.3 individual agents per answer
Other directories appeared in 50% of answers here, +19 percentage points above national's 31%. Zillow appeared in 70% of answers here, +19 percentage points above same-size markets's 51%.
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 (62), zillow.com (19), homes.com (17).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 62 |
| zillow.com | 19 |
| homes.com | 17 |
| realtrends.com | 13 |
| fastexpert.com | 9 |
| homelight.com | 5 |
| realtor.com | 5 |
| yelp.com | 4 |
| realestate.usnews.com | 2 |
| expertise.com | 1 |
| ratemyagent.com | 1 |
| upnest.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, Other directories was +19 percentage points at 50% here versus 31%.
- The local Zillow share of 70% stood +13 percentage points from the national share of 57%.
- FastExpert registered 35% locally and 44% nationally, a -9 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Philadelphia
| 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 | 80% | 4.2 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 85% | -5 pts | Agent or team websites (60%), Zillow (60%), Local news (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 100% | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 88% | +12 pts | Agent or team websites (80%), Zillow (80%), Other directories (40%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 10.6 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 99% | +1 pts | FastExpert (80%), Other directories (80%), Zillow (60%) |
| Perplexity | 100% | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 83% | +17 pts | Homes.com (100%), Agent or team websites (80%), Zillow (80%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 0% here versus 29% nationally (-29 percentage points).
ChatGPT: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was FastExpert, at 0% here versus 42% nationally (-42 percentage points).
Gemini: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Other directories, at 80% here versus 24% nationally (+56 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Brokerage websites, at 0% here versus 17% nationally (-17 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 2.4 to 10.6.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 1% in Philadelphia, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 20% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Philadelphia 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% | #13 of 50 | #3 of 12 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.3 | #40 of 50 | #9 of 12 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 1% | #49 of 50 | #11 of 12 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Philadelphia ranked between Omaha, NE and Phoenix, AZ among the 50 markets.
- For individual agents per answer, Philadelphia ranked between Memphis, TN and San Antonio, TX among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Philadelphia ranked between New York, NY and Dallas, TX among the 50 markets.
Philadelphia market context
Population: 1,579,706
Median household income: $61,953
Median home value: $243,100
Per-capita income: $38,905
Owner-occupied homes: 52%
Homes with broadband: 89%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.9×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.6×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesPhiladelphia 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 | 1,579,706 | #6 of 50 | #6 of 12 |
| Median household income | $61,953 | #45 of 50 | #12 of 12 |
| Median home value | $243,100 | #40 of 50 | #11 of 12 |
| Per-capita income | $38,905 | #38 of 50 | #10 of 12 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 52% | #26 of 50 | #5 of 12 |
| Homes with broadband | 89% | #46 of 50 | #12 of 12 |
What this means for agents in Philadelphia
- Answers named 5.0 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 50% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Zillow, Homes.com, or Realtor.com appeared most often here at 70%, compared with 57% nationally. We recommend reviewing the corresponding public profiles for complete, current details.
Questions asked in Philadelphia
- Who is the best real estate agent in Philadelphia, PA?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Philadelphia, PA?
- Top realtors in Philadelphia, PA
- Best listing agent in Philadelphia, PA to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Philadelphia, PA?
Philadelphia AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Philadelphia?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 95% of AI answers for Philadelphia, PA named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Philadelphia AI answers?
Zillow appeared in 70% of answers for Philadelphia, PA.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Philadelphia?
The four tools had 1% average pairwise overlap in Philadelphia, PA, versus 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 20% of comparable answers.
Read the full study
See the 50-market report for national results and all 50 local comparisons.