The latest CoworkingCafe analysis looks at where independent coworking operators are gaining their strongest foothold across the U.S.

The study analyzed 73 U.S. cities with populations above 200,000 and ranked them by the share of coworking operators that are independently owned (defined as companies with less than four coworking spaces within a single city).

While larger brands still account for nearly 60% of the coworking markets analyzed, the report shows that locally owned operators are carving out a strong presence in cities where remote-work demand, manageable business costs and active entrepreneurial communities create room for independent flex spaces to grow. Main findings below.

St. Paul, MN, ranks #1 for independent coworking. Indie operators make up 80% of the city’s coworking market, with eight of its 10 providers locally owned. St. Paul also has a strong remote-work base, with more than 20% of local workers teleworking, compared to the national average of 13.3%.

At #2, Wichita, KS, where indie operators represent 67% of the coworking market, with eight local providers among the city’s 12 coworking businesses. Baltimore, MD, has the largest independent coworking market among the top 15. Ranking third overall, Baltimore counts 21 independent coworking operators, representing 62% of its local market. Nearly 18% of its workforce is working remotely.

Density wise, St. Petersburg, FL, has more than four independent operators per 100,000 residents, the highest concentration. It also has the highest remote-work rate among the top performers, at 21%, while its self-employment rate of 6.2% exceeds the national benchmark of 5.9%.

The Midwest stands out as the strongest region for indie coworking. Seven of the top 15 cities are in the Midwest.

CoworkingCafe’s Q1 2026 report found the U.S. coworking market grew to 9,136 spaces nationwide, up 3.2% quarter-over-quarter, with Los Angeles (351), Dallas-Fort Worth (337), and Chicago (336) leading by location count.

The report also highlighted continued fragmentation beyond major brands like Regus, HQ, Industrious, Spaces, and WeWork, which together control just 23% of the national market.

National square footage stood at 163.94M sqft, up 2.9% compared to Q4 2025. For those tracking it, this still represents just 2.28% of the total US office space… with loads of space to grow into.