Office Attendance Hits Postpandemic High Thanks to RTO

Office occupancy climbed to 54.2% of pre-pandemic levels, with a 6.5 % increase in the past month, per Kastle Systems data.
Houston (65%) and Austin (61%) lead major US metros in office attendance. Washington, DC, saw a 7.5% week-over-week jump to 51.5%.
Tuesday is the busiest office day (63.4% occupancy), while Friday remains the lowest (36.7%), signaling continued hybrid work patterns.
Over 80% of CEOs expect a return to full-time office work within 3 years, while the federal government is actively encouraging employees to return in person.

Key Takeaways

The nationwide return to the office is gaining traction, with new data from Kastle Systems showing that office attendance reached its highest level since the pandemic, per Bisnow.

Last week’s average occupancy hit 54.2% of pre-2020 levels, a 6.5% increase in just one month. All 10 major cities tracked by Kastle reported rising attendance, reflecting a broad shift in workplace trends.

Top RTO Cities

Among major metros, Houston leads with 65% of pre-pandemic office foot traffic, followed by Austin (61%) and Washington, DC (51.5%), which saw the largest week-over-week jump (7.5%). Other cities seeing record attendance include:

Chicago and Philadelphia rounded out the top five, though Philadelphia’s 44% occupancy rate remains below the national average.
San Jose and Washington, DC, both logged their highest office attendance since 2020.

Stronger Midweek Attendance

Hybrid work remains the norm, but midweek office attendance is rising.

Tuesday remains the busiest day, with attendance hitting 63.4% of 2019 levels—slightly above the same period in 2024.
Friday remains the lowest, with just 36.7% of pre-pandemic foot traffic.
Monday and Friday attendance slipped slightly YoY, reflecting a continued preference for hybrid schedules.

Return-to-Office Push

The rise in office occupancy coincides with stricter return-to-office (RTO) mandates from top US firms. According to a recent KPMG survey, 80% of CEOs expect employees to be back in the office full-time within the next three years.

Government mandates are also influencing attendance, particularly in DC, where President Donald Trump’s inauguration-day Executive Order directed federal agencies to “terminate remote work arrangements.” This likely contributed to the spike in federal office attendance in recent weeks.

Looking Ahead

While hybrid work remains prevalent, the push for in-office work is gaining momentum, with corporate and government mandates driving occupancy to new post-pandemic highs.

If trends continue, office attendance could rise further in 2025, particularly in markets with strong employer-driven return-to-office policies.