REITs make key contributions the U.S. Economy, according to EY:

• U.S. REITs contributed the equivalent of an estimated 3.5 million full-time jobs to the economy in 2023 generating $278 billion of labor income.
• REIT activities resulted in the distribution of $110.8 billion of dividend income in 2023.
• REITs invested $120.9 billion in routine capital expenditures to maintain existing property and new construction in 2023.

Public REITs own 580,000 properties across the U.S. as of year-end 2023. Equity and mortgage REITs combined own roughly $2.6 trillion in gross real estate assets. Private REITs own an additional $1.5 trillion in gross assets bringing the total REIT ownership value to more than $4 trillion in the U.S. as of year-end 2023.

Listed REITs have year-end 2023 equity market capitalization around $1.4 trillion.