5,371 active companies are based in Carlisle according to Companies House records. Out of 6,528 companies ever registered here, 448 are no longer active — a 82% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 47.5% of current companies established since 2020. Over half (57%) of active companies were formed since 2020, making this one of the UK's fastest-growing business locations. The most common industry sector is other letting and operating of own or leased real estate, with 316 companies. 79 medium and large companies operate here, indicating a significant commercial presence. Carlisle is home to 133 FCA-regulated firms and 78 registered charities. Companies here hold 281 government contracts worth £2.0B in total. The average company age is 10.4 years. The earliest company registration in Carlisle dates back to 1875.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, September 2026
A diverse local economy with no single sector accounting for more than 15% of businesses.
The average active company in Carlisle is 10.4 years old. There are 133 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 78 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Carlisle have been awarded 281 government contracts with a combined value of £2002.1M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 5,371 active companies registered in Carlisle, out of 6,528 total. 448 (7%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Carlisle include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (316 companies), Residents property management (219 companies), Dormant Company (200 companies).
47.5% of currently active companies in Carlisle were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 37,126 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Carlisle. The largest category is Governance with 17,048 signals from 6 sources.
The oldest company registration in Carlisle dates back to 1875, spanning over 151 years of business history.