UK Business Density Map
Where Britain's small businesses actually are
Every UK region and nation ranked by businesses per 10,000 resident adults, from official Business Population Estimates (start of 2025).
Key findings
- London has 1,436 businesses per 10,000 adults, the highest of any UK region, 1.94 times the rate in Wales (742 per 10,000).
- The UK average is 1,020 businesses per 10,000 adults, from a total of 5,690,265 private sector businesses.
- Every region has a broadly similar employment size mix (around three-quarters of businesses employing nobody but the owner), so density differences are mainly about how many businesses exist per head, not how large they are.
Source: Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions (Open Government Licence v3.0). Figures may be cited with attribution to Holloway Davies.
Business density by region
Businesses per 10,000 resident adults, ranked from highest to lowest. This is the standard density measure: it accounts for population size, so large and small regions can be compared directly.
Note: Source: Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions, Department for Business and Trade / ONS (Open Government Licence v3.0)
Regional detail
| Region | Businesses | Per 10k adults | % zero-employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1,041,565 | 1,436 | 75.2% |
| South West | 562,390 | 1,163 | 78.1% |
| South East | 876,625 | 1,135 | 76.5% |
| East of England | 578,755 | 1,102 | 75.8% |
| East Midlands | 402,475 | 984 | 76.1% |
| West Midlands | 450,770 | 918 | 74.1% |
| Northern Ireland | 138,735 | 905 | 71.9% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 408,380 | 895 | 74.3% |
| North West | 508,785 | 823 | 71.8% |
| Scotland | 361,075 | 786 | 73.9% |
| North East | 166,510 | 744 | 75.4% |
| Wales | 194,200 | 742 | 71.8% |
Note: Source: Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions, Department for Business and Trade / ONS (Open Government Licence v3.0)
Methodology and sources
Data source. Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions (Table 8, businesses per 10,000 resident adults by region; Table 9, regional size summary), published annually by the Department for Business and Trade.
Density calculation. Businesses per 10,000 resident adults aged 16 and over, using ONS mid-year population estimates as the denominator. This is the official published rate, not independently recalculated by us.
Caveats. Figures are for the whole private sector (companies, sole proprietorships and partnerships) at start of 2025. Density does not capture business size, turnover, or survival; a region can be dense with many small, marginal businesses.
- Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions -- Tables 8 and 9 (Department for Business and Trade / Office for National Statistics)
Download the regional density data (CSV)
Free to cite and republish with attribution to Holloway Davies, under the Open Government Licence v3.0 terms of the underlying release. This page is a data summary and does not constitute financial or business advice.
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions
London has the highest business density in the UK, 1,436 businesses per 10,000 resident adults, according to ONS/DBT Business Population Estimates.
Wales has the lowest business density, 742 businesses per 10,000 resident adults, roughly 1.94 times lower than London.
London combines a large working-age population, high concentrations of professional services, freelancers and sole traders, and a much higher share of very small, no-employee businesses than most other regions. Higher average incomes and business costs both push more people toward self-employment and small-scale trading.
Not directly. It measures how many businesses exist relative to the adult population, not their size, profitability or survival rate. A region can have high density with many small, marginal businesses, or lower density with fewer but larger employers. Density is best read alongside employment and turnover figures for a fuller regional picture.
Business Population Estimates for the UK and regions, published annually by the Department for Business and Trade using ONS data. Density is calculated against ONS mid-year resident adult population estimates. Both are Open Government Licence v3.0.