2020
7,253 formed
4,938 dissolved
???? Businesses formed in Dorset during 2024
0.6% more companies in Dorset compared to 2023
Bournemouth 2,063 formed
Christchurch 269 formed
East Dorset 1,057 formed
North Dorset 318 formed
Poole 1,518 formed
Purbeck 1,705 formed
West Dorset 647 formed
Weymouth and Portland 271 formed
The counties in England where most companies are formed, and how Dorset compares.
| Rank | County | No. Companies formed |
|---|---|---|
1st
2023: 1st
|
London |
280,423 |
2nd
2023: 2nd
|
West Midlands |
41,700 |
3rd
2023: 3rd
|
Greater Manchester |
40,892 |
4th
2023: 4th
|
West Yorkshire |
23,972 |
5th
2023: 5th
|
Essex |
19,024 |
24th 2023: 23rd
|
Dorset |
7,890 |
| Rank | County | No. Companies formed |
|---|---|---|
7th
2023: 7th
|
Hampshire |
14,534 |
24th
2023: 23rd
|
Dorset |
7,890 |
29th
2023: 28th
|
Devon |
6,646 |
32nd
2023: 32nd
|
Somerset |
6,153 |
38th
2023: 38th
|
Wiltshire |
4,609 |
46th
2023: 46th
|
Isle of Wight |
718 |
| Rank | County | No. Companies formed |
|---|---|---|
1st 2023: 1st
|
London |
280,423 |
2nd 2023: 2nd
|
West Midlands |
41,700 |
3rd 2023: 3rd
|
Greater Manchester |
40,892 |
4th 2023: 4th
|
West Yorkshire |
23,972 |
5th 2023: 5th
|
Essex |
19,024 |
6th 2023: 6th
|
Kent |
16,490 |
7th 2023: 7th
|
Hampshire |
14,534 |
8th 2023: 8th
|
Hertfordshire |
14,111 |
9th 2023: 10th
|
Lancashire |
13,620 |
10th 2023: 9th
|
Merseyside |
13,029 |
11th 2023: 12th
|
South Yorkshire |
11,673 |
12th 2023: 11th
|
Surrey |
11,351 |
13th 2023: 13th
|
Leicestershire |
11,209 |
14th 2023: 14th
|
Berkshire |
10,454 |
15th 2023: 15th
|
Cheshire |
9,854 |
16th 2023: 17th
|
Nottinghamshire |
9,248 |
17th 2023: 16th
|
Buckinghamshire |
9,185 |
18th 2023: 20th
|
Suffolk |
9,091 |
19th 2023: 18th
|
North Yorkshire |
8,830 |
20th 2023: 22nd
|
Cambridgeshire |
8,588 |
21st 2023: 24th
|
Tyne and Wear |
8,269 |
22nd 2023: 19th
|
Bedfordshire |
8,251 |
23rd 2023: 21st
|
Staffordshire |
8,181 |
24th 2023: 23rd
|
Dorset |
7,890 |
25th 2023: 26th
|
Derbyshire |
7,553 |
26th 2023: 27th
|
East Sussex |
7,231 |
27th 2023: 29th
|
Lincolnshire |
7,132 |
28th 2023: 25th
|
Northamptonshire |
6,894 |
29th 2023: 28th
|
Devon |
6,646 |
30th 2023: 30th
|
Gloucestershire |
6,522 |
31st 2023: 31st
|
West Sussex |
6,467 |
32nd 2023: 32nd
|
Somerset |
6,153 |
33rd 2023: 34th
|
Durham |
5,616 |
34th 2023: 33rd
|
Norfolk |
5,434 |
35th 2023: 35th
|
Oxfordshire |
5,301 |
36th 2023: 36th
|
Warwickshire |
5,070 |
37th 2023: 39th
|
Worcestershire |
5,059 |
38th 2023: 38th
|
Wiltshire |
4,609 |
39th 2023: 37th
|
Bristol |
4,467 |
40th 2023: 40th
|
East Riding of Yorkshire |
4,234 |
41st 2023: 44th
|
Herefordshire |
4,025 |
42nd 2023: 41st
|
Shropshire |
3,031 |
43rd 2023: 42nd
|
Cornwall |
2,854 |
44th 2023: 43rd
|
Cumbria |
2,453 |
45th 2023: 45th
|
Northumberland |
1,577 |
46th 2023: 46th
|
Isle of Wight |
718 |
47th 2023: 47th
|
Rutland |
242 |
people
10.0
12.5
97% Private Limited Companies (7,657 companies)
3% Other company types (233 companies)
Other company types breakdown (233 companies)
????
Businesses formed in Dorset during 2024
????
Businesses dissolved in Dorset during 2024
63,675
businesses registered in Dorset at the end of 2024.
0.6% more companies in Dorset compared to 2023
Hampshire
127,564 total businesses
14,534 formed in 2024
12,968 dissolved in 2024
Somerset
60,769 total businesses
6,153 formed in 2024
5,785 dissolved in 2024
Devon
64,346 total businesses
6,646 formed in 2024
5,864 dissolved in 2024
Isle of Wight
6,739 total businesses
718 formed in 2024
537 dissolved in 2024
Wiltshire
42,535 total businesses
4,609 formed in 2024
4,357 dissolved in 2024
Dorset
63,675 total businesses
7,890 formed in 2024
7,119 dissolved in 2024
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Boscombe East |
27 |
||
Boscombe West |
38 |
||
Central |
46 |
||
East Cliff and Springbourne |
55 |
||
East Southbourne and Tuckton |
16 |
||
Kinson North |
9 |
||
Kinson South |
-1 |
||
Littledown and Iford |
-220 |
||
Moordown |
-6 |
||
Queen's Park |
2 |
||
Redhill and Northbourne |
8 |
||
Strouden Park |
17 |
||
Talbot and Branksome Woods |
2 |
||
Throop and Muscliff |
33 |
||
Wallisdown and Winton West |
29 |
||
West Southbourne |
33 |
||
Westbourne and West Cliff |
11 |
||
Winton East |
32 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Burton and Winkton |
0 |
||
Grange |
-3 |
||
Highcliffe |
-5 |
||
Jumpers |
13 |
||
Mudeford and Friars Cliff |
4 |
||
North Highcliffe and Walkford |
2 |
||
Portfield |
-3 |
||
Purewell and Stanpit |
2 |
||
St Catherine's and Hurn |
5 |
||
Town Centre |
-9 |
||
West Highcliffe |
5 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Alderholt |
5 |
||
Ameysford |
1 |
||
Colehill East |
5 |
||
Colehill West |
-1 |
||
Corfe Mullen |
10 |
||
Crane |
4 |
||
Ferndown Central |
23 |
||
Hampreston & Longham |
201 |
||
Handley Vale |
-1 |
||
Parley |
18 |
||
St Leonards |
-25 |
||
Stour |
10 |
||
Verwood East |
6 |
||
Verwood West |
0 |
||
West Moors & Holt |
19 |
||
Wimborne Minster |
23 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Abbey |
0 |
||
Blackmore |
-17 |
||
Blandford Central |
9 |
||
Blandford Hilltop |
8 |
||
Blandford Langton St Leonards |
1 |
||
Blandford Old Town |
-6 |
||
Bulbarrow |
3 |
||
Gillingham Rural |
4 |
||
Gillingham Town |
-10 |
||
Hill Forts |
5 |
||
Lower Tarrants |
-6 |
||
Lydden Vale |
10 |
||
Motcombe & Bourton |
7 |
||
Riversdale & Portman |
9 |
||
Shaftesbury East |
9 |
||
Shaftesbury West |
16 |
||
Sturminster Newton |
8 |
||
The Beacon |
1 |
||
The Stours & Marnhull |
-1 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Alderney |
23 |
||
Branksome East |
6 |
||
Branksome West |
11 |
||
Broadstone |
25 |
||
Canford Cliffs |
6 |
||
Canford Heath East |
3 |
||
Canford Heath West |
20 |
||
Creekmoor |
88 |
||
Hamworthy East |
6 |
||
Hamworthy West |
5 |
||
Merley & Bearwood |
20 |
||
Newtown |
41 |
||
Oakdale |
25 |
||
Parkstone |
42 |
||
Penn Hill |
20 |
||
Poole Town |
-25 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Bere Regis |
0 |
||
Broadmayne & Crossways |
1 |
||
Castle |
4 |
||
Creech Barrow |
-4 |
||
Langton |
1 |
||
Lulworth and Winfrith |
0 |
||
Lytchett Matravers |
-29 |
||
Lytchett Minster and Upton East |
11 |
||
Lytchett Minster and Upton West |
0 |
||
St Martin |
1 |
||
Swanage North |
-24 |
||
Swanage South |
-2 |
||
Wareham |
3 |
||
Wool |
-1 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Beaminster |
1 |
||
Bridport North |
7 |
||
Bridport South |
3 |
||
Broadmayne & Crossways |
1 |
||
Broadwindsor |
2 |
||
Burton Bradstock |
2 |
||
Cerne Valley |
-6 |
||
Chickerell & Chesil Bank |
25 |
||
Chideock & Symondsbury |
5 |
||
Dorchester East |
12 |
||
Dorchester North |
-122 |
||
Dorchester South |
-6 |
||
Dorchester West |
-34 |
||
Frome Valley |
3 |
||
Lyme Regis & Charmouth |
4 |
||
Maiden Newton |
-5 |
||
Netherbury |
12 |
||
Piddle Valley |
-2 |
||
Puddletown |
7 |
||
Queen Thorne |
17 |
||
Sherborne East |
10 |
||
Sherborne West |
3 |
||
Winterbourne St Martin |
-4 |
||
Yetminster & Cam Vale |
11 |
| Ward | Dissolutions | Incorporations | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
Littlemoor |
5 |
||
Melcombe Regis |
14 |
||
Preston |
1 |
||
Radipole |
4 |
||
Tophill East |
0 |
||
Tophill West |
11 |
||
Underhill |
-4 |
||
Upwey and Broadwey |
-3 |
||
Westham East |
5 |
||
Westham North |
8 |
||
Westham West |
5 |
||
Wey Valley |
7 |
||
Weymouth East |
1 |
||
Weymouth West |
1 |
||
Wyke Regis |
1 |
The counties in England where the most existing companies were based at the end of 2024 and how Dorset compares to them.
| Rank | County | Total companies |
|---|---|---|
1st
2023: 1st
|
London |
1,560,328 |
2nd
2023: 2nd
|
Greater Manchester |
251,769 |
3rd
2023: 3rd
|
West Midlands |
234,944 |
4th
2023: 5th
|
West Yorkshire |
157,321 |
5th
2023: 4th
|
Essex |
157,235 |
21st 2023: 21st
|
Dorset |
63,675 |
| Rank | County | Total companies |
|---|---|---|
7th
2023: 7th
|
Hampshire |
127,564 |
20th
2023: 20th
|
Devon |
64,346 |
21st
2023: 21st
|
Dorset |
63,675 |
25th
2023: 23rd
|
Somerset |
60,769 |
37th
2023: 37th
|
Wiltshire |
42,535 |
46th
2023: 46th
|
Isle of Wight |
6,739 |
| Rank | County | Total companies |
|---|---|---|
1st 2023: 1st
|
London |
1,560,328 |
2nd 2023: 2nd
|
Greater Manchester |
251,769 |
3rd 2023: 3rd
|
West Midlands |
234,944 |
4th 2023: 5th
|
West Yorkshire |
157,321 |
5th 2023: 4th
|
Essex |
157,235 |
6th 2023: 6th
|
Kent |
136,504 |
7th 2023: 7th
|
Hampshire |
127,564 |
8th 2023: 8th
|
Hertfordshire |
125,410 |
9th 2023: 9th
|
Surrey |
110,047 |
10th 2023: 10th
|
Lancashire |
97,537 |
11th 2023: 11th
|
Merseyside |
84,857 |
12th 2023: 12th
|
Cheshire |
83,478 |
13th 2023: 13th
|
Buckinghamshire |
80,842 |
14th 2023: 14th
|
Berkshire |
80,348 |
15th 2023: 15th
|
Leicestershire |
78,116 |
16th 2023: 16th
|
South Yorkshire |
75,130 |
17th 2023: 17th
|
East Sussex |
71,666 |
18th 2023: 18th
|
North Yorkshire |
67,293 |
19th 2023: 19th
|
Nottinghamshire |
65,784 |
20th 2023: 20th
|
Devon |
64,346 |
21st 2023: 21st
|
Dorset |
63,675 |
22nd 2023: 22nd
|
Staffordshire |
62,904 |
23rd 2023: 24th
|
Cambridgeshire |
61,973 |
24th 2023: 26th
|
Gloucestershire |
61,133 |
25th 2023: 23rd
|
Somerset |
60,769 |
26th 2023: 25th
|
West Sussex |
60,518 |
27th 2023: 27th
|
Derbyshire |
59,950 |
28th 2023: 28th
|
Lincolnshire |
57,099 |
29th 2023: 29th
|
Northamptonshire |
55,842 |
30th 2023: 32nd
|
Suffolk |
55,335 |
31st 2023: 30th
|
Tyne and Wear |
54,971 |
32nd 2023: 31st
|
Bedfordshire |
53,808 |
33rd 2023: 33rd
|
Norfolk |
49,863 |
34th 2023: 34th
|
Oxfordshire |
48,887 |
35th 2023: 35th
|
Worcestershire |
48,838 |
36th 2023: 36th
|
Warwickshire |
43,777 |
37th 2023: 37th
|
Wiltshire |
42,535 |
38th 2023: 38th
|
Durham |
38,779 |
39th 2023: 39th
|
Bristol |
36,561 |
40th 2023: 40th
|
East Riding of Yorkshire |
31,014 |
41st 2023: 41st
|
Shropshire |
28,136 |
42nd 2023: 42nd
|
Cornwall |
27,621 |
43rd 2023: 43rd
|
Cumbria |
24,059 |
44th 2023: 44th
|
Herefordshire |
18,258 |
45th 2023: 45th
|
Northumberland |
13,228 |
46th 2023: 46th
|
Isle of Wight |
6,739 |
47th 2023: 47th
|
Rutland |
2,179 |
people
81.1
83.4
How the total number of companies in Dorset has changed over the last 5 years as new companies have been formed and some existing companies dissolved.
2020
7,253 formed
4,938 dissolved
2021
7,584 formed
6,001 dissolved
2022
8,427 formed
5,845 dissolved
2023
8,565 formed
7,339 dissolved
2024
7,890 formed
7,119 dissolved
Overall growth compared to previous year
2.96% vs 2020
8.42% vs 2021
3.35% vs 2022
0.6% vs 2023