The coworking space industry started 2025 with mostly positive business results. More than half of operators surveyed worldwide rated the state of their workspace business as good by the beginning of the year. Only a minority reported facing a difficult situation.
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More Members, More Revenue, More Profit
In the previous months, the business situation generally improved. Most coworking spaces gained more new members than they lost. As membership numbers increased, so did revenues—and for most, profits as well. However, about one in six coworking space operators surveyed reported a decline in profitability.
In Major Cities, Business Is Strong—in Small Towns, Less So
The current business situation was closely tied to the size of the city where coworking spaces were located. Operators in cities with over a million residents were the most likely to view their situation positively. As city size decreased, their outlook became increasingly negative—especially in very small towns.
Current business situation of coworking spaces (early 2025)
More Profitable Coworking Spaces Than Before Covid
A similar trend appeared in profitability over the past twelve months. Most recently, 54 percent of coworking space businesses were profitable, while 18 percent reported losses. In cities with over a million residents, nearly two-thirds were in the black. In towns with fewer than 20,000 people, however, only about one in five coworking space operators reported a profit—though about half at least managed to break even.
Profitability of Coworking Spaces Over the Years
Profitability was shaped not only by external factors but also by the goals of the operators themselves. In cities with over a million residents, nearly half of coworking spaces aimed to maximize profit. In smaller towns, the focus tended to be on more modest gains. More spaces there also operated as non-profits, and more businesses overall set their sights on simply covering their operating costs through revenue.
Growth matters, and so does community—but not everywhere in the same way
Other goals also varied by location size. While coworking space companies in cities with over a million residents focused primarily—though not exclusively—on growth, those in smaller towns placed greater emphasis on building supportive communities for their members and making a positive social impact beyond the coworking space itself. In these places, collective social objectives often outweighed individual or purely economic ones.
Other long-term objectives of coworking spaces (early 2025)
