5,577 active companies are based in Durham according to Companies House records. Out of 6,153 companies ever registered here, 13 are no longer active — a 91% survival rate. The area has seen significant recent growth, with 59.4% 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 retail sale via mail order houses or via internet, with 355 companies. 57 medium and large companies operate here, indicating a significant commercial presence. Durham is home to 114 FCA-regulated firms and 75 registered charities. Companies here hold 455 government contracts worth £2.1B in total. The average company age is 7.4 years. The earliest company registration in Durham dates back to 1883.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, August 2026
Durham is a growth hotspot — over half of its active companies were formed since 2020.
The average active company in Durham is 7.4 years old. There are 114 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 75 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Durham have been awarded 455 government contracts with a combined value of £2127.5M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 5,577 active companies registered in Durham, out of 6,153 total. 13 (0%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Durham include Retail sale via mail order houses or via Internet (355 companies), Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (324 companies), Buying and selling of own real estate (285 companies).
59.4% of currently active companies in Durham were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 35,294 data signals across 11 categories for active companies in Durham. The largest category is Governance with 16,888 signals from 6 sources.
The oldest company registration in Durham dates back to 1883, spanning over 143 years of business history.