13,701 active companies are based in Cheltenham according to Companies House records. Out of 15,188 companies ever registered here, 60 are no longer active — a 90% survival rate. Business formation remains steady, with 45.9% of current companies established since 2020. A wave of registrations in the 2010s accounts for 38% 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 745 companies. The area hosts 172 large enterprises, 287 small firms. Cheltenham is home to 334 FCA-regulated firms and 137 registered charities. Companies here hold 398 government contracts worth £1.4B in total. The average company age is 10.4 years. The earliest company registration in Cheltenham dates back to 1886.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, August 2026
A diverse local economy with no single sector accounting for more than 15% of businesses.
The average active company in Cheltenham is 10.4 years old. There are 334 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 137 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Cheltenham have been awarded 398 government contracts with a combined value of £1352.8M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 13,701 active companies registered in Cheltenham, out of 15,188 total. 60 (0%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Cheltenham include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (745 companies), Management consultancy activities other than financial management (741 companies), Residents property management (620 companies).
45.9% of currently active companies in Cheltenham were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 95,918 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Cheltenham. The largest category is Governance with 43,301 signals from 6 sources.
The oldest company registration in Cheltenham dates back to 1886, spanning over 140 years of business history.