5,326 active companies are based in Carlisle according to Companies House records. Out of 6,586 companies ever registered here, 626 are no longer active — a 81% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 47.7% of current companies established since 2020. Over half (58%) 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 322 companies. 77 medium and large companies operate here, indicating a significant commercial presence. Carlisle is home to 133 FCA-regulated firms and 77 registered charities. Companies here hold 285 government contracts worth £2.0B in total. The average company age is 10.5 years. The earliest company registration in Carlisle dates back to 1875.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
A diverse local economy with no single sector accounting for more than 15% of businesses.
The average active company in Carlisle is 10.5 years old. There are 133 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 77 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Carlisle have been awarded 285 government contracts with a combined value of £2008.7M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 5,326 active companies registered in Carlisle, out of 6,586 total. 626 (10%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Carlisle include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (322 companies), Residents property management (217 companies), Dormant Company (184 companies).
47.7% of currently active companies in Carlisle were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 49,074 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Carlisle. The largest category is Governance with 22,806 signals from 6 sources.
The oldest company registration in Carlisle dates back to 1875, spanning over 151 years of business history.