- Office visits across the US rose 8.3% year-over-year in June 2025, making it the fourth-busiest month for in-office activity since the start of the pandemic, despite having fewer working days.
- Miami and New York City continue to lead the return-to-office (RTO) movement, with foot traffic in both cities now within 5% of pre-pandemic levels.
- Nationwide, office foot traffic remains 27.4% below June 2019, with San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago trailing most significantly.
Volatility, Then Momentum
Office foot traffic surged back in June following a surprising dip in May, according to Placer.ai’s latest office index data, reports Commercial Search. Visits dropped 1.1% between April and May—despite historical trends showing stability during that period—but jumped 8.3% year-over-year in June. This marks a return to the upward trajectory seen in March (+5.8%) and April.
Placer.ai’s R.J. Hottovy called the May slowdown “noteworthy” and attributed part of it to one fewer workday, though he noted past years didn’t show similar dips. June’s rebound suggests that, despite some recent fluctuations, the broader RTO trend is strengthening.
June Ranks High Despite Fewer Days
With only 20 working days, June still ranked as the fourth-busiest post-pandemic month for office visits. It trailed only October 2024, July 2024, and April 2025, which each had 22 workdays. Tighter return-to-office mandates from employers are helping drive this upward trend, even as companies continue to navigate hybrid work preferences.
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City-By-City Breakdown
Some cities are nearly back to pre-pandemic office activity:
- Miami: down just 4.2% vs. June 2019
- New York City: down 5.3%
- Atlanta, Dallas, Houston: each more than 20% below 2019 levels
Meanwhile, lagging metros include:
- San Francisco: down 44.6%
- Los Angeles: down 42.5%
- Chicago: down 39.5%
- Boston and DC: down ~34% each
Despite low baselines, San Francisco saw an 11.3% year-over-year improvement in June—second only to Houston’s 17.2% rebound.
Why It Matters
The rebound in office visits points to a slow but continuing shift back to in-person work in many regions. This trend is driven by corporate mandates and a need to justify large office footprints. However, national averages still sit far below 2019 levels, and performance varies widely by city.
What’s Next
Employers are expected to continue fine-tuning RTO policies in the second half of 2025. They are balancing productivity, employee preferences, and real estate costs. Placer.ai’s data will be one to watch as the post-pandemic workplace evolution continues.
