Market rankings · California

Real estate agents and brokers in California

Every metro area, small-town market and county in California, ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate agents and brokers, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings: 51,532; 1,870 chain locations (4%)
Official establishments: 22,558; +17.3% since 2019
Household spending a year: $270.6B; On rent and homeowner costs
Listings per 10k households: 38.0; 24% above the U.S.
Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100): 96; 4% below the U.S.
Rank among states: #40 of 51; Market score 37 · Lower middle

A site report maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings around any address in California by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

California has 51,532 real estate agents and brokers on map listings as of September 2026. Chain locations make up 4% of them, against 4% across the U.S. Per 10,000 households, that is 38.0, 24% above the U.S. rate of 30.6.

At $19,977 per household (20% above the U.S. average), households in California spend about $270.6B a year on rent and homeowner costs. Housing spending per office is 4% below the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate agents and brokers take in.

Official counts show 22,558 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in California in 2023, up 17.3% from 2019. That is one for every 601 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 20.1% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 306 SBA-backed loans worth $104M have gone to businesses classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in California.

Among the 50 states and DC, California ranks #40 for real estate agents and brokers, with a Groundwork market score of 37 (lower middle). Of the 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the Merced metro area scores highest (79). Of the 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Bishop area scores highest (64).

Every market in California for real estate agents and brokers

Download the ranking (CSV)

Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in California, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.

Metro areas

Metro areas reaching California, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Merced, CA	79	158	18.4	166	+5.1%	#9 of 387
2Hanford-Corcoran, CA	76	64	14.5	214	+1.0%	#16 of 387
3Yuba City, CA	74	133	21.5	152	+3.3%	#23 of 387
4Visalia, CA	71	270	18.9	167	+2.4%	#36 of 387
5Bakersfield-Delano, CA	68	572	20.1	156	+2.3%	#47 of 387
6Stockton-Lodi, CA	65	683	27.8	125	+5.5%	#63 of 387
7Fresno, CA	62	925	25.0	129	+3.2%	#80 of 387
8Vallejo, CA	58	451	28.6	127	+0.6%	#106 of 387
9El Centro, CA	58	125	25.2	116	+1.1%	#107 of 387
10Salinas, CA	54	367	27.7	129	−1.5%	#138 of 387
11Redding, CA	51	197	27.7	116	−0.3%	#175 of 387
12Modesto, CA	51	560	31.5	105	+0.7%	#176 of 387
13Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	49	5,144	35.5	97	+3.5%	#191 of 387
14Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	47	3,333	37.8	95	+3.2%	#212 of 387
15Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	46	681	35.7	105	−0.4%	#220 of 387
16San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	45	2,725	40.1	110	−0.6%	#229 of 387
17San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	41	6,814	39.1	106	−2.4%	#264 of 387
18Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	41	1,021	36.4	104	−1.5%	#265 of 387
19Napa, CA	41	189	38.0	101	−3.3%	#266 of 387
20Chico, CA	41	271	32.5	97	−0.5%	#268 of 387
21Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	37	568	38.0	96	−1.4%	#309 of 387
22Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	37	389	40.1	96	−4.7%	#310 of 387
23San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	32	519	47.4	76	0.0%	#359 of 387
24San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	30	5,499	46.9	80	−0.6%	#371 of 387
25Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	29	18,884	42.0	86	−2.6%	#373 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching California, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Bishop, CA	64	12	14.9	215	−4.4%	#89 of 533
2Red Bluff, CA	61	47	19.0	160	−1.7%	#125 of 533
3Susanville, CA	51	14	15.1	199	−13.1%	#239 of 533
4Clearlake, CA	45	70	26.0	116	−0.6%	#333 of 533
5Ukiah, CA	43	78	22.4	139	−3.5%	#352 of 533
6Eureka-Arcata, CA	40	135	24.6	123	−3.4%	#384 of 533
Gardnerville Ranchos, NV-CA	34	102	46.9	75	+0.9%	#472 of 533
7Crescent City, CA	31	25	26.3	116	−4.4%	#496 of 533
8Truckee-Grass Valley, CA	30	228	53.2	66	−0.4%	#504 of 533
9Sonora, CA	29	77	33.9	96	−4.0%	#506 of 533

Counties

Counties in California, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)	Population growth	U.S. rank
1Yuba County, CA	88	23	8.0	397	+8.2%	#2 of 2,176
2Kings County, CA	70	64	14.5	214	+1.0%	#213 of 2,176
3Colusa County, CA	69	8	10.6	299	−0.1%	#236 of 2,176
4Merced County, CA	69	158	18.4	166	+5.1%	#253 of 2,176
5Glenn County, CA	65	14	14.3	212	−2.6%	#354 of 2,176
6Madera County, CA	65	105	23.1	140	+7.4%	#370 of 2,176
7Tulare County, CA	62	270	18.9	167	+2.4%	#484 of 2,176
8Inyo County, CA	61	12	14.9	215	−4.4%	#511 of 2,176
9Tehama County, CA	61	47	19.0	160	−1.7%	#528 of 2,176
10Kern County, CA	60	572	20.1	156	+2.3%	#565 of 2,176
11Yolo County, CA	58	179	23.3	151	+3.1%	#656 of 2,176
12Amador County, CA	58	52	32.3	104	+3.2%	#664 of 2,176
13Mariposa County, CA	57	17	22.6	138	−1.2%	#699 of 2,176
14San Joaquin County, CA	57	683	27.8	125	+5.5%	#705 of 2,176
15Lassen County, CA	54	14	15.1	199	−13.1%	#814 of 2,176
16Trinity County, CA	54	10	17.9	161	−2.3%	#825 of 2,176
17San Benito County, CA	53	85	41.3	93	+8.6%	#913 of 2,176
18Fresno County, CA	52	820	25.3	127	+2.6%	#954 of 2,176
19Imperial County, CA	52	125	25.2	116	+1.1%	#960 of 2,176
20Solano County, CA	50	451	28.6	127	+0.6%	#1,055 of 2,176
21Lake County, CA	49	70	26.0	116	−0.6%	#1,114 of 2,176
22Mendocino County, CA	48	78	22.4	139	−3.5%	#1,158 of 2,176
23Sacramento County, CA	47	1,721	30.1	116	+2.0%	#1,230 of 2,176
24Monterey County, CA	45	367	27.7	129	−1.5%	#1,323 of 2,176
25Humboldt County, CA	45	135	24.6	123	−3.4%	#1,326 of 2,176

Show all 58 counties

Counties in California, ranked for real estate agents and brokers by Groundwork market score, continued
Market	Score	Listings	Per 10k households	Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)	Population growth	U.S. rank
26Stanislaus County, CA	45	560	31.5	105	+0.7%	#1,337 of 2,176
27Riverside County, CA	45	2,909	37.5	93	+5.0%	#1,343 of 2,176
28Shasta County, CA	44	197	27.7	116	−0.3%	#1,380 of 2,176
29San Bernardino County, CA	44	2,235	33.1	102	+1.9%	#1,384 of 2,176
30Calaveras County, CA	44	74	40.1	83	+2.8%	#1,394 of 2,176
31Alameda County, CA	41	1,888	31.6	129	−2.6%	#1,513 of 2,176
32Sutter County, CA	41	110	33.0	100	−0.7%	#1,533 of 2,176
33Sonoma County, CA	40	681	35.7	105	−0.4%	#1,592 of 2,176
34Placer County, CA	40	1,021	64.6	60	+8.9%	#1,624 of 2,176
35Santa Clara County, CA	38	2,640	40.0	111	−0.9%	#1,687 of 2,176
36Butte County, CA	38	271	32.5	97	−0.5%	#1,693 of 2,176
37Siskiyou County, CA	37	50	26.2	112	−4.5%	#1,742 of 2,176
38Del Norte County, CA	36	25	26.3	116	−4.4%	#1,793 of 2,176
39Contra Costa County, CA	36	1,828	44.1	92	+0.3%	#1,810 of 2,176
40Ventura County, CA	35	1,021	36.4	104	−1.5%	#1,851 of 2,176
41San Mateo County, CA	34	1,063	40.2	109	−2.5%	#1,892 of 2,176
42Napa County, CA	34	189	38.0	101	−3.3%	#1,899 of 2,176
43Santa Barbara County, CA	34	568	38.0	96	−1.4%	#1,901 of 2,176
44Tuolumne County, CA	33	77	33.9	96	−4.0%	#1,939 of 2,176
45Santa Cruz County, CA	32	389	40.1	96	−4.7%	#1,967 of 2,176
46San Luis Obispo County, CA	32	519	47.4	76	0.0%	#1,976 of 2,176
47El Dorado County, CA	32	412	54.1	70	+0.6%	#1,979 of 2,176
48San Francisco County, CA	30	1,535	42.2	99	−5.6%	#2,021 of 2,176
49San Diego County, CA	30	5,499	46.9	80	−0.6%	#2,027 of 2,176
50Los Angeles County, CA	29	13,115	38.4	92	−3.0%	#2,050 of 2,176
51Marin County, CA	29	500	48.5	89	−2.9%	#2,051 of 2,176
52Orange County, CA	28	5,769	53.3	73	−1.1%	#2,081 of 2,176
53Nevada County, CA	28	228	53.2	66	−0.4%	#2,084 of 2,176
54Plumas County, CA	23	37	45.9	69	−5.9%	#2,132 of 2,176
55Mono County, CA	22	34	59.2	61	−5.4%	#2,144 of 2,176
Modoc County, CA	Not scored	7	21.4	136	−2.9%
Sierra County, CA	Not scored	0	0.0	n/a	−4.0%
Alpine County, CA	Not scored	1	23.0	158	−11.6%

Markets with fewer than 5 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many real estate agents and brokers are in California?

Map listings as of September 2026 show 51,532 real estate agents and brokers in California. 1,870 of them (4%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokerages, commercial brokers included. Official counts show 22,558 businesses with payroll classed as offices of real estate agents and brokers in 2023, up 17.3% from 2019.

How much do households in California spend on rent and homeowner costs?

About $270.6B a year, or $19,977 per household. That is 20% above the U.S. average (an index of 120, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 51,532 real estate agents and brokers on map listings, housing spending per office is 4% below the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate agents and brokers take in. It is estimated from the incomes of the 13,548,091 households in California and national spending patterns by income.

How does California compare with the U.S. for real estate agents and brokers?

California has 38.0 real estate agents and brokers per 10,000 households, 24% above the U.S. rate of 30.6. The index of housing spending per office is 96, where 100 is the U.S. At the U.S. ratio of real estate agents and brokers to household spending, California would have about 49,642, against 51,532 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 601 households, against one for every 788 across the U.S. The official count rose 17.3% from 2019 to 2023, against +20.1% for the U.S.

Which market in California has the highest market score for real estate agents and brokers?

Among 25 scored metro areas in or partly in California, the Merced metro area scores highest, at 79 (high). Among 10 scored small-town markets in or partly in California, the Bishop area scores highest, at 64 (upper middle). Among 55 scored counties in California, Yuba County scores highest, at 88 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.

What is the Groundwork market score?

The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. California scores 37 for real estate agents and brokers (lower middle), #40 of the 50 states and DC.

How can I see the market around a specific site?

Run a Groundwork site report on an address in California. It maps the real estate agents and brokers on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.

Real estate66,358 listings
Property management5,517 listings
Mortgage brokers and lenders8,697 listings
Home inspectors612 listings

Screening a site or an acquisition in California?

A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.

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