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Looking for the most up-to-date statistics on the state of coworking spaces?
To save you time, we have curated a list of the best coworking statistics and have broken them down into simple snippets by category.
Top Coworking Growth Statistics
The number of coworking spaces worldwide is projected to reach almost 20,000 in 2020 (Allwork.Space)
The number of coworking spaces worldwide is expected to more than double by 2024, and surpass 40,000 (Allwork.Space).
By 2022, 13% of businesses outside the US will be using shared workspaces (Allwork.Space).
There were more than 3 million coworkers globally in 2019. This number is expected to nearly double by 2022 (smallbusinessgenius).
Prior to the pandemic, co-working spaces were the fastest-growing type of office space in commercial real estate. While they currently comprise less than 5% of the market, they’re expected to make up 30% by 2030 (CNBC).
Flexible space has been growing at an average annual rate of 23% since 2010 (JLL).
Today, the 10 largest providers of coworking and flexible office space comprise 36% of the market (Forbes).
New York and London are the world’s leading cities when it comes to new spaces opening up (smalbusinessgenius).
By 2022, China is forecast to become one of the largest markets for coworking spaces (GCUC).
Flexible workspaces account for 5% of office inventory but over 15% of space demand (JLL)
69% of companies plan to reduce traditional office space as they shift to flexible options (Knight Frank)
50% of companies expect to shutter 25% or more of traditional offices in coming years (IWG Global Workspace Survey)
WeWork and IWG account for nearly 50% of the global coworking market share (Coworking Resources)
IWG Global Workspace Survey polls 3000+ businesses across dozens of countries
Looking for more stats? Check out our other comprehensive guides below:
Covid-19 Impact On Coworking Spaces Statistics
The global coworking spaces market is expected to decline from $9.27 billion in 2019 and to $8.24 billion in 2020 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of -12.9%. The decline is mainly due to economic slowdown across countries owing to the COVID-19 outbreak and the measures to contain it (Apnews).
The number of people working remotely has grown by 44% in the last five years, with 7 million people (3.4% of the population) were working remotely in the USA before the arrival of COVID-19 (Apnews).
42% of the U.S. labor force now working from home full-time. 33 percent are not working – a testament to the savage impact of the lockdown recession. And the remaining 26 percent – mostly essential service workers – are working on their business premises (Stanford News).
A survey found that 48% or employees say they are more productive working from home, 57% would prefer to work from home in the future and 68% have other workers or students also working in their household (PR Newswire).
With increasing pressures on restaurant and retail spaces, many companies like DropDesk have explored converting these locations into coworking spaces.
Coworking Market & Revenue Statistics
On average, 40% of coworking spaces are profitable, according to responses to the second Global Coworking Survey (DeskMag).
72% of all coworking spaces become profitable after more than two years in operation (DeskMag).
The average size of a coworking space in North America is 9,799 sq./ft., with an average capacity of 100 people. This equates to roughly 100 sq./ft. per person (Coworking Insights).
Leasing space is the largest expense for independent coworking operators.
In June 2020, large companies accounted for 65% of WeWork’s customers (WSJ).
The global market value of flexible workspaces is at approximately $26 billion (Communion Cowork).
Coworking Space Demographic Statistics
65% of people working in coworking spaces are under the age of 40 years old (DeskMag).
The IT industry has the largest number of coworkers followed by PR, marketing, and remote sales teams (DeskMag).
Women make up 40% of the coworking demographic (AskWonder).
Freelancers make up the largest coworking demographic in the world (ErgonomicTrends).
55% of those using a coworking space still work in the same one they started out in (Whattobecome).
50% of small businesses take advantage of coworking perks like mailing addresses, meeting rooms, etc. without full memberships (Coworking Resources)
69% use coworking spaces for flexibility and to test new markets (Business News Daily)
82% of small business owners have expanded their professional network from coworking space interactions (Small Biz Labs)
25% of coworking members work in tech industries like software and app development (Deskmag)
13% work in consulting professions such as management or HR consulting (Deskmag)
11% are freelance designers, artists, or creatives (Deskmag)
Space Utilization Statistics
Fewer than one-fourth of coworking employees (22%) only work in a coworking space. This means that most employees use coworking as a supplement to their workspace, not as their sole work location (Clutch).
The average utilization of assigned seats is 60% globally, excluding vacant seats, while the global average meeting room utilization is just 30% (CBRE).
The North American average is currently 150-175 sq. ft per person. Open office spaces for tech companies typically use even less at 125-175 sq. ft. per person. International offices get even more efficient at around 100 sq. ft per person (Robin Powered).
70% of spaces saw an uptick in remote workers using space post-COVID (IWG Global Workspace Survey)
25% of workers using a coworking space now go in 2 days a week, versus 5 days pre-COVID (IWG Global Workspace Survey)
46% go into a coworking location 1-2 days per week (IWG Global Workspace Survey)
Design & Layout Statistics
The average coworking space devotes 50% of its layout to open desk space, 25% to meeting rooms, and rest to other amenities (Cushman & Wakefield)
64% have an open floor plan with long benches and shared tables (Deskmag)
51% include private office spaces for teams and calls (Deskmag)
The average coworking space is around 6,000 – 10,000 sq ft globally (CBRE)
58% of spaces use movable walls or furniture for reconfigurable layouts (Deskmag)
Over 75% include central hubs for community gatherings and events (CBRE)
60% incorporate biophilic elements like plants, natural light, and materials (CBRE)
The average space size in the US is about 14,000 sq ft (Coworking Resources)
Spaces in Asia average 3,500 sq ft given real estate constraints (CBRE)
62% of desks in coworking spaces are fixed assigned desks, 30% are flex desks, 8% are reservable desks (Statista)
Average assigned desk size is 50 x 60 inches, while flex desks average about 30 x 60 inches (Coworking Insights)
Desk prices average $275/month in the US, $387/month in Europe, $265/month in Asia (Coworking Insights)
Membership Models & Amenities
89% of spaces offer meeting rooms members can reserve (Deskmag)
73% have a kitchen area with free tea/coffee (Deskmag)
51% offer wellness amenities like yoga classes or nap pods (The Instant Group)
64% of spaces offer monthly memberships with 24/7 access (Coworking Resources)
41% have part-time and virtual memberships for more flexibility (Coworking Resources)
Daily drop-in rates average around $25-40 per day in the US (Various sources)
Coworking Benefits Statistics
A company can save as much as 30% on the operational cost alone by working from a coworking space (Economic Times).
A majority of landlords (approximately 72%) believe that working with coworking spaces yields positive results for both their building and their communities (Colliers).
83% of individuals working from coworking spaces feel less isolated and lonely (Hbr).
Smallbiz conducted a survey that shows that 82% of respondents have expanded their professional network since joining a coworking space (Small Business Labs).
The benefits of using a coworking space are compelling enough for 37.93% of small to medium-sized businesses, 27.12% of startup teams, and 16.61% of freelancers to use them (Work Social).
According to GCUC’s survey, 84% of coworkers say working in a coworking hub makes them more motivated (GCUC).
71% say coworking improves their work-life balance (Coworker)
61% join for the community aspect (Coworking Insights)
72% say it reduces loneliness (Coworker)
82% have expanded their professional network (Small Business Labs)
Property Owner Statistics
72% see coworking partnerships as a way to improve asset performance (Colliers)
45% view it as a way to provide more flexibility for tenants (Colliers)
38% use it to activate underutilized space in their buildings (Colliers)
Sustainability
Coworking spaces use on average 25% less power than traditional offices (GCUC)
62% of spaces implement sustainability initiatives like recycling, greener commuting, etc. (Deskmag)
The average coworking space produces 25-50% less greenhouse gas emissions (BREEAM)
Coworking Challenges
58% of coworking space operators say fluctuations in membership are a top challenge (Deskmag)
Noise and lack of privacy are cited as the top complaints among coworking members (Coworking Insights)
47% struggle with not having enough meeting rooms or event space (Coworker)
Hybrid Work Impact
50% of companies expect to reduce office footprint due to hybrid workforce needs (JLL)
45% of the workforce expected to use a combination of office, coworking, and home (PwC)
72% of companies utilize coworking spaces to accommodate hybrid teams (IWG Global Workspace Survey)
Technology
57% of spaces have apps to book spaces, connect with members, etc. (Deskmag)
70% enable members to access spaces using mobile apps and digital cards (Industrious)
23% provide digital mailboxes and business address services (Deskmag)
