What It’s Like to Cowork in Boston: A Complete Guide
Bostonians are early adapters, so it’s not surprising that Boston is one of the top 10 coworking markets in the country. You can expect to find freelancers, startup founders and Fortune 500 teams all working from coworking spaces in Boston.
Here’s what you need to know when considering coworking in Boston:
Boston’s Energy Is Built for Coworking
No other city has sparked more world-changing innovations than Boston. Organ transplants, the microwave, the Polaroid camera, even Facebook got its start here. And if you caught our Setting the Bar episode with Scott Kirsner, you know the telephone was invented right down the street from Workbar Downtown, in what was basically the world’s first coworking space. When you work in a Boston coworking space, you’re not just renting a desk. You’re surrounding yourself with the best and brightest minds the world has to offer.
Proximity to Opportunity
It’s been said that the key to a business succeeding is access to funding, local demand, global demand, strong entrepreneurship, and local networking. All of those concepts depend on proximity. Boston is a compact city packed with major industries and potential partners. Whether you're near the Financial District, Seaport, Back Bay, or Kendall Square in Cambridge, coworking spaces put you in close proximity to all of it. A big bonus of Workbar in Boston is that it offers regional flexibility, making it easy to work close to home or wherever business takes you (without having to pay extra for it).
Community-Focused Coworking Spaces
You can sit at a desk anywhere. But you can’t be inspired from just anywhere. We’ve all heard the stories, how innovation really happens in those unexpected moments when different ideas collide. (Post-it Notes? Total accident.) An intentionally designed workspace that brings together people from different companies, different backgrounds, even different teams within the same company, that’s where the magic happens. At Workbar, we call it bump and connect. The casual moments that lead to big ideas.
Flexible Workspaces Designed for Productivity
Not all coworking spaces are created equal. The top Boston coworking spaces are designed for how people actually work today, offering quiet areas for focus, open spaces for collaboration, and private rooms for meetings and Zoom calls. At Workbar, we pioneered the neighborhood layout, creating different zones tailored to different work styles, separated by noise level.
Meaningful Amenities
In Boston, coworking amenities are about substance. Look for coworking spaces that offer:
- Business development workshops
- Wellness programs
- Professional networking events
- Activity based work environments
The best coworking environments go beyond the gimmicks. It's not about ping pong tables or pizza Fridays, it’s about creating spaces where people can truly bring their best selves to work. Harvard Business Review recently released a study showing that thoughtfully designed events significantly boost engagement. Why? Because they bring value to everyone, introverts, extroverts, even those elusive introverted extroverts. Real connection happens when the environment is built with intention. From lunch and learns to speed networking, new member lunches to silent book clubs, our events are curated to spark real value to everyone in the space, not just to check a box.
Cost-Effective Alternative to Traditional Office Space
According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, the value of commercial office buildings in Boston has plummeted by as much as 50% since 2019. The city’s vacancy rate has doubled, from 6.7% to 14.2%, and major properties like One Lincoln have fallen into foreclosure. Why should you care? Traditional commercial lease structures are not built to absorb volatility like this. The minute you sign a lease, you lock yourself into a set of fixed and variable costs that stay the same, even as the world around you changes dramatically. As leases grow riskier and less justifiable, coworking offers flexible, fully furnished offices that let you scale up or down with zero buildout, zero hidden fees, and no long-term commitments.
Why Cowork in Boston?
From Fortune 500 leaders to Boston’s next unicorns, today’s most ambitious teams are moving beyond upsizing or downsizing, they’re rightsizing into environments designed for peak productivity, fresh ideas, and real community. Whether you need a single coworking membership or a private suite for 30, Workbar gives you access to a dynamic ecosystem where companies at every stage thrive together. We live in a world where uncertainty is the only constant, agility is essential and human capital is your greatest asset. Coworking in Boston isn’t just a workspace solution, it’s a strategic advantage, helping your people stay focused, stay agile, and drive results.
Workbar is proud to be recognized as one of the best coworking spaces in Boston, with a network of 11 locations across Greater Boston. Our spaces are designed to meet you how and where you work today, with room to rightsize as your needs change. Whether you’re dropping into a suburban location one or two days a week or leading a team that needs a private suite downtown every day, we have a flexible solution built to fit your needs today and evolve as the world around you changes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coworking in Boston
What is coworking and how does it work in Boston?
Coworking is when individuals from different companies share the same office space. The word itself comes from community + working. You’ll also hear coworking referred to as shared office space or flex space. Most coworking spaces operate on a gym-style membership model, offering short-term agreements rather than long leases. Typical coworking products include open memberships, hot desks (or dedicated desks), private offices, team suites, and meeting rooms, with many providers now offering on-demand options for even more flexibility. At the end of the day, the biggest advantage of coworking is flexibility.It gives individuals and businesses the freedom to scale up, scale down without being locked into a long-term commitment.
Why choose coworking in Boston over a traditional office?
Boston has one of the tightest real estate markets in the country. Smart companies turn to coworking spaces so they can focus on growing their business, not on navigating buildouts, negotiating leases, or managing surprise operating expenses from landlords. Coworking provides a flexible, turnkey solution with cost predictability, helping businesses avoid the headaches of traditional office management while staying agile in a competitive market.
What are the best coworking spaces in Boston?
Some of the best coworking spaces in Boston include Workbar, CIC and Industrious. Not to brag, but Workbar stands out for its regional network of 11 locations and the intentional physical layout of its workspaces. Workbar holds the distinction as Boston’s original coworking operator, opening its doors in 2009. WeWork currently operates 7 locations in Boston, while Industrious has 6 locations in Boston.
Is coworking good for startups in Boston?
Coworking spaces are the original home of startups and continue to be the best solution for them today. They provide flexible office space, access to a network of other entrepreneurs and investors, and opportunities for collaboration and growth, all essential for scaling a business in Boston’s competitive ecosystem.
How much does coworking cost in Boston?
At Workbar, companies are able to customize a solution that best fits their needs and budget. Solutions can range from private offices with additional coworking memberships, our TeamShare product and more. A standard coworking membership for one person that gives unlimited access is $400-$500 in Boston.
Can I use multiple coworking locations in Boston?
Workbar offers open reciprocity between all of its locations, every member has access to all 11 locations across the region. Many coworking providers offer some form of access. Our members are mobile and work from where it works so this type of flexibility is an important one to consider when making a decision.
