5,866 active companies are based in Canterbury according to Companies House records. Out of 7,019 companies ever registered here, 680 are no longer active — a 84% survival rate. The area has seen significant recent growth, with 53.6% of active businesses incorporated since 2020. Over half (65%) 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 276 companies. 53 medium and large companies operate here, indicating a significant commercial presence. Canterbury is home to 104 FCA-regulated firms and 95 registered charities. Companies here hold 107 government contracts worth £561.6M in total. The average company age is 9.0 years. The earliest company registration in Canterbury dates back to 1891.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
Canterbury is a growth hotspot — over half of its active companies were formed since 2020.
The average active company in Canterbury is 9 years old. There are 104 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 95 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Canterbury have been awarded 107 government contracts with a combined value of £561.6M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 5,866 active companies registered in Canterbury, out of 7,019 total. 680 (10%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Canterbury include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (276 companies), Management consultancy activities other than financial management (248 companies), Buying and selling of own real estate (244 companies).
53.6% of currently active companies in Canterbury were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 53,089 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Canterbury. The largest category is Governance with 24,608 signals from 5 sources.
The oldest company registration in Canterbury dates back to 1891, spanning over 135 years of business history.