Sheffield and Preston are similarly sized business centres with 33,178 and 19,344 active companies respectively. This close match makes their industry mix, growth trajectory, and formation history all the more interesting to compare. Both cities share strength in Activities of other holding companies n.e.c. and Buying and selling of own real estate.
Sheffield has 33,178 active companies compared to 19,344 in Preston — 13,834 more.
Preston has a higher 2020s company formation rate (54.9%) compared to Sheffield (54.8%).
Both cities share these top industries: Activities of other holding companies n.e.c., Buying and selling of own real estate, Development of building projects, Dormant Company, Management consultancy activities other than financial management. Sheffield is uniquely strong in Take-away food shops and mobile food stands, while Preston stands out in Other service activities n.e.c..