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

• U.S. REITs contributed the equivalent of an estimated 2.4 million full-time jobs to the economy in 2018 generating $148.2 billion of labor income.
• REIT activities resulted in the distribution of $128.9 billion of dividend income in 2018.
• REITs invested $60.9 billion in new construction and routine capital expenditures to maintain existing property in 2018.

Public REITs own more than 520,000 properties across the U.S. Equity and mortgage REITs combined own nearly $2 trillion in gross real estate assets. Private REITs own an additional $1 trillion in gross assets bringing the total REIT ownership value to $3 trillion in the U.S.

Listed REITs have an equity market capitalization around $1.3 trillion.