Published on Wednesday, May 20, 2026
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Midwest cities lead national rankings as locally owned flexible workspace providers dominate secondary markets.
Independent coworking operators are most concentrated in smaller and midsize cities, with Midwest markets leading the nation in share of locally owned flexible workspace, according to a new CoworkingCafe analysis.
The report shows that in top-performing markets, independent operators account for roughly 70% to 80% of coworking inventory, far outpacing national brand penetration and reinforcing the region's outsized role in the evolution of flexible office space.
St. Paul, Minnesota, ranks first nationally, where independent coworking operators make up approximately 80% of the total inventory. The market stands out not only for its scale of local ownership but also for its relatively balanced mix of startup activity, small-business density and lower-cost office fundamentals that support independent expansion.
Wichita, Kansas, follows closely at about 79%, while Baltimore ranks third at roughly 77%, underscoring strong performance across both the Midwest and select secondary East Coast markets. Other high-ranking cities include Des Moines, Tulsa and Cincinnati, all of which report independent operator shares above 70%.
The Midwest accounts for seven of the top 15 markets in the analysis. Secondary markets in the South and parts of the Midwest also appear frequently in the upper tier, reflecting a broader shift in coworking demand toward cities with lower barriers to entry and more localized tenant bases.
At the other end, independent coworking operators hold a significantly smaller share in larger, more competitive office markets.
Miami ranks last among the cities analyzed, with locally owned operators accounting for just 19% of coworking space. Plano, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina, also sit near the bottom of the rankings, reflecting stronger dominance by national coworking brands in higher-profile office corridors.
The spread between top and bottom markets is substantial, ranging from roughly 80% independent share in leading Midwest cities to under 20% in the lowest-ranked metros.