8,689 active companies are based in Wakefield according to Companies House records. Out of 11,063 companies ever registered here, 1,341 are no longer active — a 79% survival rate. The area has seen significant recent growth, with 53.8% of active businesses incorporated since 2020. Over half (69%) 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 587 companies. 82 medium and large companies operate here, indicating a significant commercial presence. Wakefield is home to 193 FCA-regulated firms and 91 registered charities. Companies here hold 236 government contracts worth £220.7M in total. The average company age is 8.6 years. The earliest company registration in Wakefield dates back to 1875.
Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, October 2026
Wakefield is a growth hotspot — over half of its active companies were formed since 2020.
The average active company in Wakefield is 8.6 years old. There are 193 <Link href="/glossary/fca-financial-conduct-authority">FCA-regulated firms</Link> in the area. 91 registered charities operate locally.
Companies in Wakefield have been awarded 236 government contracts with a combined value of £220.7M. See the Top Government Contractors report.
There are 8,689 active companies registered in Wakefield, out of 11,063 total. 1,341 (12%) are no longer active.
The top industries in Wakefield include Other letting and operating of own or leased real estate (587 companies), Buying and selling of own real estate (484 companies), Other business support service activities n.e.c. (311 companies).
53.8% of currently active companies in Wakefield were incorporated since 2020, indicating strong recent growth.
Our database contains 78,018 data signals across 12 categories for active companies in Wakefield. The largest category is Governance with 36,267 signals from 5 sources.
The oldest company registration in Wakefield dates back to 1875, spanning over 151 years of business history.