16,685 active companies are based in York according to Companies House records. Out of 18,051 companies ever registered here, 27 are no longer active — a 92% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 45.5% of current companies established since 2020. A wave of registrations in the 2010s accounts for 37% of active companies, pointing to a decade of strong entrepreneurial activity. The most common industry sector is other letting and operating of own or leased real estate, with 1,015 companies. The area hosts 200 large enterprises, 177 small firms. York is home to 368 FCA-regulated firms and 236 registered charities. Companies here hold 2,840 government contracts worth £8.2B in total. The average company age is 10.7 years. The earliest company registration in York dates back to 1869.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, June 2026
A diverse local economy with no single sector accounting for more than 15% of businesses.
The average active company in York is 10.7 years old. There are 368 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 236 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in York have been awarded 2,840 government contracts with a combined value of £8247.7M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 16,685 active companies registered in York, out of 18,051 total. 27 (0%) are no longer active.
The top industries in York include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (1,015 companies), Management consultancy activities other than financial management (897 companies), Residents property management (817 companies).
45.5% of currently active companies in York were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 119,867 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in York. The largest category is Governance with 54,215 signals from 5 sources.
The oldest company registration in York dates back to 1869, spanning over 157 years of business history.