Find clients for your agency in Birmingham
The Birmingham city council area counts 6,385 local businesses of the kinds agencies sell websites, SEO and ads to. The biggest groups: 2,230 restaurants and takeaways, 925 hair and beauty salons and 895 builders. 260 advertising agencies compete for them.
The local businesses agencies sell to in Birmingham
Counts of business sites (local units, rounded to 5) by trade in the Birmingham city council area, per 10,000 residents, against the median of the 32 UK cities on this list.
| Trade | Businesses | Per 10,000 residents | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agents | 550 | 4.7 | +23% |
| Builders | 895 | 7.6 | +5% |
| Garages and vehicle repair | 835 | 7.1 | at the median |
| Hair and beauty salons | 925 | 7.9 | at the median |
| Restaurants and takeaways | 2,230 | 18.9 | −12% |
| Electricians | 495 | 4.2 | −14% |
| Plumbing and heating | 455 | 3.9 | −19% |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026; population 1,176,960 (ONS mid-2025 estimate). Council area, not the wider metro area. Counts change as businesses open and close.
Where Birmingham stands out
- Estate agents: 4.7 per 10,000 residents, 23% above the median of the 32 UK cities on this list (rank 8 of 32).
- Builders: 7.6 per 10,000 residents, 5% above the median (rank 14).
- Plumbing and heating: scarcer here (19% below the median), so fewer prospects, each with fewer rivals.
- Competition: 260 advertising agencies for 45,590 businesses of all kinds, one for every 175. The median across the 32 UK cities on this list is one for every 191, so Birmingham ranks 21 of 32 on businesses per agency (1 is the least crowded): a crowded agency market, where niching on one trade and leading with proof wins.
How Birmingham compares with nearby and similar cities
Of these 7 cities, Manchester has the most of these businesses per resident and Bradford the most businesses per agency.
| City | Local businesses | Per 10,000 residents | Businesses per agency | Strongest trade, vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 6,385 | 54 | 175 | Estate agents (+23%) |
| Leeds | 4,995 | 59 | 116 | Electricians (+51%) |
| Manchester | 3,630 | 62 | 81 | Estate agents (+45%) |
| Sheffield | 3,075 | 53 | 188 | Electricians (+20%) |
| Glasgow | 3,900 | 60 | 183 | Hair and beauty salons (+36%) |
| Bradford | 2,910 | 52 | 327 | Plumbing and heating (+17%) |
| Edinburgh | 3,040 | 57 | 163 | Restaurants and takeaways (+32%) |
Your first three lists in Birmingham
- Restaurants and takeaways: 2,230 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 22 of 32).
- Builders: 895 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 14 of 32).
- Hair and beauty salons: 925 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 16 of 32).
How to work a list, from the "No website" filter to the first call: LeadsIt for agencies.
Frequently asked questions
How many local businesses can an agency prospect in Birmingham?
ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 counts 6,385 business sites (local units, rounded to 5) in the trades on this page in the Birmingham city council area, including 2,230 restaurants and takeaways, 925 hair and beauty salons and 895 builders.
How many marketing agencies are there in Birmingham?
260 advertising agencies in the Birmingham city council area (ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026), one for every 175 businesses, against a median of one for every 191 across the 32 UK cities on this list.
Which trade should an agency target first in Birmingham?
By volume, restaurants and takeaways (2,230). Relative to its size, Birmingham stands out most on estate agents: 4.7 per 10,000 residents, rank 8 of 32.