Key Takeaways

  • The coworking industry continued to expand, with total U.S. space rising to 166 million square feet in the second quarter of 2026 from 141.29 million square feet a year earlier, according to a report from CoworkingCafe, a Yardi company, covering Q2 2026 and the same period in 2025.
  • Shared space pricing was generally stable but showed divergence: the median monthly rent for open-plan desks and dedicated desks in the U.S. fell to $219 from $225 a year earlier, while the median hourly rate for meeting rooms held at $45.
  • Peter Kolaczynski, director of commercial data at Santa Barbara, California-based Yardi, expects coworking to continue growing. "It's still relatively small, but over the next five to seven years, coworking will account for a growing share of office space," he told CFO Dive.

Deep Dive

The U.S. coworking market has grown steadily this year, driven mainly by demand in mid-sized cities, with growth concentrated in smaller space formats—as reported by Facilities Dive, a sister publication of CFO Dive.

Kolaczynski noted that flexible office space appeals to freelancers, small businesses, and even large enterprises, and requires lower capital investment. Companies can use it to provide office space for remote employees without committing to long-term leases. "You don't have to take on big expenses like tenant improvements; that's the advantage," he added, noting that flexibility and the lack of long-term commitments are key selling points.

Despite rising popularity, coworking currently accounts for only 2.34% of total U.S. office inventory. Kolaczynski said the shift to remote and hybrid work in recent years has hit the U.S. office market, pushing up vacancy rates, but the market has recently begun to stabilize. He observed that office buildings purchased at lower prices are being repositioned and reused, which could lower rental costs for users. "We've seen the value of office space broadly impaired," he said.