We found that 70% of answers in Portland named a specific agent, team, or brokerage. This was -19 percentage points from the national result of 89%, and -19 percentage points from the small-market result of 89%. Each city reflects 20 answers collected on two days, so small differences may be within noise.
Where AI looked in Portland
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% | 73% | 72% | +7 pts | +8 pts | #12 | #5 |
| FastExpert | 75% | 50% | 44% | +25 pts | +31 pts | #2 | #2 |
| Zillow | 70% | 62% | 57% | +8 pts | +13 pts | #10 | #6 |
| HomeLight | 30% | 18% | 22% | +12 pts | +8 pts | #11 | #2 |
| Google Business Profile | 20% | 15% | 15% | +5 pts | +5 pts | #15 | #7 |
| Brokerage websites | 15% | 11% | 10% | +4 pts | +5 pts | #13 | #7 |
| Homes.com | 10% | 24% | 24% | -14 pts | -14 pts | #50 | #18 |
| Realtor.com | 10% | 24% | 19% | -14 pts | -9 pts | #41 | #16 |
| Other directories | 5% | 17% | 31% | -12 pts | -26 pts | #48 | #16 |
| Local news | 0% | 8% | 12% | -8 pts | -12 pts | #49 | #17 |
| Social media | 0% | 4% | 3% | -4 pts | -3 pts | #43 | #17 |
| Yelp | 0% | 7% | 7% | -7 pts | -7 pts | #46 | #16 |
pts = percentage points; local average: 2.9 individual agents per answer
FastExpert was the largest gap in both comparisons: 75% here, +31 percentage points from national (44%) and +25 percentage points from same-size markets (50%).
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 (86), fastexpert.com (22), zillow.com (22).
| Platform | Citations |
|---|---|
| google.com | 86 |
| fastexpert.com | 22 |
| zillow.com | 22 |
| homelight.com | 6 |
| realtor.com | 4 |
| expertise.com | 3 |
| homes.com | 1 |
| sell.realtor.com | 1 |
Biggest local differences
- Compared with national results, FastExpert was +31 percentage points at 75% here versus 44%.
- The local Other directories share of 5% stood -26 percentage points from the national share of 31%.
- Homes.com registered 10% locally and 24% nationally, a -14 percentage points difference.
How each AI tool answered in Portland
| 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 | 60% | 4.0 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 85% | -25 pts | Agent or team websites (60%), Zillow (60%), FastExpert (40%) |
| ChatGPT | 60% | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 88% | -28 pts | FastExpert (100%), Agent or team websites (80%), Google Business Profile (80%) |
| Gemini | 100% | 11.0 | 6.2 | 4.8 | 99% | +1 pts | FastExpert (100%), Agent or team websites (80%), Zillow (80%) |
| Perplexity | 60% | 2.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 83% | -23 pts | Agent or team websites (100%), Brokerage websites (60%), FastExpert (60%) |
Google AI Mode: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Local news, at 0% here versus 38% 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 Zillow, at 80% here versus 30% nationally (+50 percentage points).
Perplexity: its largest source-mix difference from its national answers was Homes.com, at 40% here versus 92% nationally (-52 percentage points).
Across the four tools, the local share naming an agent or team ranged from 60% to 100%. Average names per answer ranged from 2.4 to 11.0.
Across the four tools, average pairwise overlap was 12% in Portland, compared with 7% nationally. At least one name overlapped across tools in 100% of comparable local answers, versus 83% nationally.
Portland 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 small markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Answers naming an agent or team | 70% | #50 of 50 | #18 of 18 |
| Individual agents per answer | 2.9 | #18 of 50 | #8 of 18 |
| Average tool-list overlap | 12% | #5 of 50 | #4 of 18 |
Markets nearest in the ranking
- For agent-or-team naming share, Portland was last among the 50 markets, behind Seattle, WA.
- For individual agents per answer, Portland ranked between Charleston, SC and Seattle, WA among the 50 markets.
- For tool-list overlap, Portland ranked between Omaha, NE and Hilton Head Island, SC among the 50 markets.
Portland market context
Population: 68,854
Median household income: $79,540
Median home value: $489,600
Per-capita income: $52,781
Owner-occupied homes: 47%
Homes with broadband: 92%
Home-value-to-income ratio: 6.2×
Household-to-per-capita-income ratio: 1.5×
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimatesPortland 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 small markets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 68,854 | #44 of 50 | #12 of 18 |
| Median household income | $79,540 | #21 of 50 | #8 of 18 |
| Median home value | $489,600 | #17 of 50 | #8 of 18 |
| Per-capita income | $52,781 | #16 of 50 | #8 of 18 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 47% | #34 of 50 | #13 of 18 |
| Homes with broadband | 92% | #26 of 50 | #10 of 18 |
What this means for agents in Portland
- 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 75% of local answers, versus 44% nationally. Consider reviewing directory listings for accuracy and consistency.
- Local news or social media appeared in 0% of local answers, versus 12% nationally. Consider developing useful local coverage beyond profile pages.
Questions asked in Portland
- Who is the best real estate agent in Portland, ME?
- Who should I hire to sell my home in Portland, ME?
- Top realtors in Portland, ME
- Best listing agent in Portland, ME to sell a house
- Which real estate agent should I use to buy a home in Portland, ME?
Portland AI search questions
How often did AI name an agent or team in Portland?
In Recasi's 2026 study, 70% of AI answers for Portland, ME named an agent or team. The national comparison was 89%.
Which source type appeared most often in Portland AI answers?
Agent or team websites appeared in 80% of answers for Portland, ME.
How much did AI tool lists overlap in Portland?
The four tools had 12% average pairwise overlap in Portland, ME, 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.