1,372 active companies are registered in Dorset with Companies House. Out of 1,582 companies ever registered here, 120 are no longer active — a 87% survival rate. The most common industry sector is residents property management, with 99 companies. Dorset is home to 52 FCA-regulated firms and 36 registered charities. Companies here hold 46 government contracts worth £41.4M in total. The average company age is 25.5 years, suggesting a mature business environment. The earliest company registration in Dorset dates back to 1878.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
An established business centre with companies averaging 25.5 years of operation.
The average active company in Dorset is 25.5 years old. There are 52 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 36 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Dorset have been awarded 46 government contracts with a combined value of £41.4M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 1,372 active companies registered in Dorset, out of 1,582 total. 120 (8%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Dorset include Residents property management (99 companies), Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (65 companies), Dormant Company (42 companies).
11.7% of currently active companies in Dorset were incorporated since 2020, indicating steady recent growth.
Our database contains 15,695 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Dorset. The largest category is Financial with 6,513 signals from 10 sources.
The oldest company registration in Dorset dates back to 1878, spanning over 148 years of business history.