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Fort Worth’s office market in the second quarter of 2025 reflected a tale of two sectors, with demand for top-tier office space rising while older properties struggled to keep tenants, according to a market report on the second quarter of 2025 by JLL.
Fort Worth’s continued population surge — now officially the 11th largest U.S. city with more than 1 million residents, and likely 10th by now — has driven a 15.3% increase in office-using employment since 2020, boosting demand for Class A space even as overall vacancy rose to 18.8%.
Class A properties in areas like west and southwest Fort Worth saw notable absorption gains, largely fueled by “flight-to-quality” relocations from downtown. However, Class B buildings recorded continued negative absorption, particularly in north Fort Worth and the mid-cities, where former single-tenant buildings now sit empty.
The market’s average direct asking rent held steady at $28.36 per square foot, while Class A rates climbed to $30.68. Rents have risen 7.4% over the past three years, with Class A rents in the West/Southwest submarket jumping 9.3%.
New construction activity is beginning to ramp up, with 275,000 square feet currently underway — 65% of it preleased. JLL expects a second wave of multi-tenant projects over the next year as high-end space remains scarce.
Despite net absorption falling by 373,991 square feet year to date, JLL anticipates rising rents and continued flight to quality will drive momentum into 2026, keeping Fort Worth competitive among Texas office markets.