Neighborhood coworking space
Lease a small space and rent desks and meeting rooms to freelancers and remote workers by the month or hour.
- $20k-80k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
36,864 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.1% in a year
NAICS 561110 “Office administrative services”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
A shared workspace in a small commercial unit or upper floor, with hot desks, a few dedicated desks, a meeting room, fast internet, coffee and a printer. You lease the space and rent it out on flexible terms.
Your first three steps
- Check demand by talking to local freelancers and remote workers, and note what existing coworking spaces charge in your area
- Shortlist a few small commercial spaces and ask landlords about lease terms, zoning and permitted use
- Pre-sell founding memberships at a discount to cover part of your setup costs before you sign
Who pays
Freelancers, remote employees, small startups and local professionals who want an alternative to working from home.
How it makes money
Monthly memberships for hot or dedicated desks, plus hourly or daily fees for the meeting room and day passes.
Skills that help
- Welcoming and good with people
- Local marketing and networking
- Basic budgeting and lease management
Watch out for
- A commercial lease is a big commitment and may need a personal guarantee, so have a lawyer review it
- Check zoning, certificate of occupancy, fire code and ADA accessibility with your city or county
- General liability and property insurance, and check what your state requires for a local business license and sales tax
- Empty desks in the early months, so keep a cash buffer for rent
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: neighborhood coworking space
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a coworking space?
As an estimate, startup costs are typically around $20,000 to $80,000, depending on your lease deposit, furniture, internet and equipment, and how much fit-out the space needs.
How much can a small coworking space earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $4,000 to $20,000, depending on how many desks you fill, your pricing and how often meeting rooms are booked. Empty desks in early months are common, so keep a cash buffer.
What rules should I check before opening a coworking space?
Have a lawyer review the commercial lease, which may need a personal guarantee. Check zoning, certificate of occupancy, fire code and ADA accessibility with your city or county, plus insurance, local business license and sales tax.
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