Office Recovery Remains Uneven as Fridays Lag

Office markets are settling into a familiar but uneven rhythm. Recent data from Kastle Systems shows attendance peaking midweek at about 51% of pre-pandemic levels, then falling sharply to 29% by Friday in some major cities. While vacancy has started to ease slightly, helped in part by demand from AI firms, overall office usage remains well below historic norms and continues to weigh on downtown recoveries.

This midweek pattern is widespread, but performance varies significantly by region. Coastal markets tend to lag, while Sun Belt cities such as Austin are performing much better, with peak attendance nearing 93% and staying above 50% even on Fridays. Across markets, the buildings drawing workers back most consistently are high-end properties with strong amenities, where usage rates are meaningfully higher than the broader average...

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RSK: This trend was true even before the pandemic and work from home. But now, it is even more pronounced. At least people are going back to the office midweek.