Coworking Expansion Accelerates In Top US Office Markets

Coworking expansion surges in major US markets as flexible office demand grows in Manhattan, Chicago, Los Angeles, and beyond.

May 29, 2025

Nina Dale

Nationally, coworking space accounts for 2% of the total US office inventory, totaling approximately 59.2M SF across 7,823 locations.
Manhattan leads in SF, with 7.5M SF of coworking space—2.3% of its total office stock.
Chicago boasts the highest market share, with 2.4% of its office space dedicated to coworking, closely followed by Los Angeles and Atlanta at 2.3% each.
Other top coworking markets include Denver, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas–Fort Worth, Washington, DC, and Houston, all with above-average coworking footprints.

Key Takeaways

The Big Picture

As the US office market evolves in response to hybrid work models, coworking remains a resilient and growing segment. Total national coworking space reached nearly 59.2M SF in May, holding steady at 2% of the country’s leasable office supply, reports Commercial Search. The data reflects a sustained appetite for flexibility, especially in major metropolitan hubs.

Bar chart showing coworking space (in MSF) and percentage of shared office space in February 2024 across top US office markets. Manhattan leads overall, with strong showings from Chicago, Los Angeles, and Dallas–Fort Worth.

Chicago took the lead in the market share, with 2.4% of its office space—or 3.4M SF—dedicated to coworking across 280 locations. Los Angeles holds a 2.3% coworking share with 4M SF across 303 sites, the highest location count nationwide.

Manhattan leads in coworking square footage with 7.5M SF across 278 locations, making up 2.3% of its total office inventory. Atlanta mirrored that percentage with just over 2M SF spread across 244 locations.

Other Strongholds

Several other markets are outperforming the national average:

Denver: 2.2% (1.5M SF, 239 locations)
San Francisco: 2.1% (1.9M SF, 135 locations)
Boston: 2.0% (2.8M SF, 221 locations)

Markets like Dallas–Fort Worth (1.7%), Washington, DC (1.7%), and Houston (1.8%) remain important hubs, despite slightly lower shares compared to national leaders.

Bar chart showing coworking space (in MSF) and percentage of shared office space in April 2024 across major US metros. Manhattan leads in square footage, Chicago in share, and Los Angeles has the most locations.

Why It Matters

Flexible office space has moved from a niche option to a mainstream asset class. Cities with strong coworking ecosystems better support startups, remote teams, and enterprises needing flexibility in today’s shifting office landscape. The continued growth of coworking demonstrates its strategic value in enhancing urban office market resilience.

What’s Next

Expect the sector to keep growing in major metros, especially as office landlords seek new leasing strategies and occupiers demand flexibility. Markets like Chicago, Los Angeles, and Manhattan are likely to continue leading the way, but secondary markets with growing tech and startup scenes could emerge as coworking’s next frontier.