U.S. Office Real Estate Stabilizes as Cushman & Wakefield Reports Demand Concentrates in Key Markets

The U.S. office real estate market is beginning to stabilize after years of broad-based decline, according to first-quarter 2026 data released April 6 by Cushman & Wakefield. Improving demand, flat vacancy rates and a sharp contraction in new supply are signaling a shift toward a more selective recovery, the firm said.

While overall office absorption was negative in Q1 at -4.0 million square feet (msf), the four-quarter rolling absorption total reached +5.2 msf — the highest level since early 2020 — indicating that underlying demand has strengthened consistently over the past year.

"The quarterly number doesn't tell the full story," said Brad Smith, Head of Americas Insights at Cushman & Wakefield. "What matters is that demand has been improving consistently over the past year, and that momentum is now showing up across a broader set of markets."

Demand Concentrates in New York, San Francisco and Orange County

Recovery momentum is not evenly distributed across the country. According to Cushman & Wakefield, if the four weakest-performing markets were excluded, national absorption over the past year would exceed +20 msf, underscoring how a limited number of markets continue to weigh on overall results.

New York is leading the recovery at scale. Midtown Manhattan recorded +8.5 msf of absorption over the past four quarters — the strongest performance in the country — while Midtown South added +2.7 msf. Several markets adjacent to New York City also posted recovering demand: Northern New Jersey (+1.8 msf), Westchester County (+575,000 sf), Fairfield County (+427,000 sf) and Brooklyn (+243,000 sf).

San Francisco, which faced significant challenges during the downturn, posted +2.4 msf of absorption and recorded the largest year-over-year reduction in sublease space of any U.S. market. Orange County and Dallas are emerging as consistent growth markets, with +2.2 msf and +2.4 msf of absorption, respectively.

In total, 57 U.S. office markets recorded positive absorption over the past four quarters, up from 33 markets in full-year 2024.

"Demand is returning, but it's not happening everywhere at the same pace," Smith said. "A relatively small group of markets is accounting for a disproportionate share of the softness in the market, and increasingly market-level vacancy is concentrated among a smaller share of struggling buildings."

Vacancy Levels Off as Leading Markets Begin to Tighten

The national office vacancy rate held at 20.2% in Q1 2026, rising just 5 basis points year-over-year — the smallest annual increase since the pandemic began, according to Cushman & Wakefield. Vacancy declined over the past year in 46 of 92 tracked markets, with 22 markets recording declines of more than 100 basis points. San Francisco, Midtown Manhattan, Midtown South, Orange County and Austin led those improvements.

"Vacancy is no longer moving in one direction nationally," Smith said. "In a growing number of markets, it has plateaued and is starting to come down, which is a meaningful shift from what we've seen over the past several years."

A key driver of improving occupancy is the continued reduction in sublease space. National sublease availability declined to 101 msf, down 25% from its peak in Q1 2024 and 13.6% year-over-year, representing a 16.0 msf reduction over the past four quarters. Sublease space declined year-over-year in 52 U.S. markets, with the largest reductions in San Francisco, Midtown Manhattan, Dallas, San Jose and Minneapolis/St. Paul, each exceeding 1 msf.

"The decline in sublease space is one of the clearest signs that the market is adjusting," Smith said. "Tenants are recommitting to their space and making longer-term decisions, and that is steadily removing excess space from the system."

New Supply Falls to Multi-Decade Lows as Office Stock Contracts

The supply pipeline has contracted sharply. New office completions declined 40% year-over-year in Q1 2026, bringing the four-quarter total to 16.3 msf. Space under construction fell to 18.6 msf, down 4.2% quarter-over-quarter and the lowest level on record this century. The construction pipeline now represents just 0.3% of total U.S. office inventory, compared with 2.6% in 2020.

"Supply is no longer adding incremental pressure to the market," Smith said. "With new construction at historic lows, occupiers' focus will need to shift to creative solutions to find the right kind of space for the future."

Total office inventory is also contracting. U.S. office stock has declined by 0.7% over the past five quarters, a reduction of approximately 38 million square feet from its peak in late 2024. Over the past year, 20 markets recorded inventory declines of 1.0% or more, reflecting conversions, demolitions and other repositioning strategies.

Market Outlook: Performance Increasingly Defined by Market-Level Differences

The U.S. office market is no longer weakening at a national level, but performance is increasingly defined by differences across markets, submarkets and individual buildings, Cushman & Wakefield said. An increasing number of markets are showing a combination of positive absorption, declining vacancy and falling sublease space, supported by minimal new construction and increasing conversions.

"What we're seeing is a market that is stabilizing, but in a more selective way," Smith said. "Markets with sustained demand and limited new supply are beginning to tighten, while there are a few others still working through excess space."

The next phase of the cycle will be shaped by these changing supply and demand dynamics, the firm said.