Entrepreneurs and remote workers looking for office space in Omaha have two new co-working options in The Commonwealth Omaha and The Root Coworking – Builders. Each space offers essential business services and an array of flexible workspaces for small teams or individuals.
Owners of both co-working businesses hope these new options will meet the evolving needs of a workforce with an increased demand for flexibility and balance in their work lives. The openings are well timed as a recent study from CoworkingCafe ranked Omaha third in the nation for work-life balance in 2025.
The Commonwealth
The Commonwealth Omaha is a nonprofit organization in northwest Omaha that offers a combination of entrepreneurial programming and flexible co-working space. Co-founders Martin Williams and Jenna Smith said they have over 20 years of experience with mentoring entrepreneurs, leadership coaching and new business formation.
“We’ve literally put together all the processes that are needed for a new idea to be discovered, to be funded, to grow and to scale,” Williams said.
Recognizing an opportunity to expand beyond their existing networks in Omaha, Smith said The Commonwealth is currently open to all founders but aimed specifically at the “underdogs” — those who may lack connections with other founders and startup experience. The other target audience: those who belong to demographic groups that have historically received less funding and business support.
The nonprofit offers tenants hot desk rentals, office space and free access to its NextMinds community gatherings and workshops, as well as discounts on additional programming. Non-tenants can participate with prior registration.
“What we value in our ecosystem is really the community aspect because it’s really, really hard as an entrepreneur to take an idea and to scale it all by yourself,” Smith said. “It’s very lonely.”
Smith said The Commonwealth has strategic partnerships and collaborations with MOVE VC, Nebraska Enterprise Fund, Nebraska Innovation Labs and GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center, and is seeking additional partners. She said they want The Commonwealth to be a “one-stop shop where you can get everything that you need to scale and grow your idea.”
Smith said they soft-launched the co-working space this summer for prospective tenants to move in. The official grand opening is Sept. 12.
The Root Coworking – Builders
The Root Coworking – Builders, located in north downtown near Charles Schwab Field, held its grand opening in late June. Founded in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2019, The Root Coworking operates co-working spaces in Oklahoma, Arkansas and now Nebraska.
The Root Coworking – Builders Community Manager Brandi Boykin said Founder Ben Von Drehle chose to expand to Omaha because of the chain’s focus on midsized cities in need of additional support for small businesses. She also said Noddle Companies reached out to The Root Coworking with the larger goal of constructing another Aksarben Village-like community in the city, with more green spaces, restaurants and entertainment possibilities.
Boykin said services and amenities include team suites and day offices, as well as free parking and coffee. From hosting workshops in their event space to giving personal messages and congratulations to their tenants, Boykin said she wants to “build a community” and promote an environment that celebrates life in and out of work.
Omaha ranks among top three cities for work-life balance
A recent study by CoworkingCafe ranked Omaha third in the nation for work-life balance in 2025.
According to the annual study of 100 U.S. cities with more than 200,000 residents, Omaha followed Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, in its ranking for work-life balance. Omaha moved up from ninth in 2024 because of its affordability and access to green spaces and recreational amenities.
Also notable: 13.6% of Omaha’s workforce is now classified as remote workers, and the city has a shorter-than-average commute time of 19.6 minutes.
CoworkingCafe is an online co-working space directory and booking platform. It is a part of the real estate solutions company Yardi, which also publishes market analyses and industry trends.
Lincoln ranked sixth overall in work-life balance, moving down from third in last year’s report. The capital city gets high marks for its affordability, lower commute times and accessible recreation spaces, and 10% of Lincoln’s workforce is remote.
In a separate category in the CoworkingCafe study, Lincoln ranked third behind Madison, Wisconsin, and St. Paul for cities that prioritize and offer infrastructure for mental health. Lincoln’s ranking came as a result of manageable work hours and an affordable cost of living, as well as its investments in behavioral health services. Omaha didn’t place in the top 10 in the mental health category.
Data analyzed for CoworkingCafe rankings came from the U.S. Census Bureau, The Trust for Public Land, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and The Council for Community and Economic Research. You can read the full report and learn more about the methodology behind it by going to CoworkingCafe’s market study.
