Find clients for your agency in Portsmouth
The Portsmouth city council area counts 1,460 local businesses of the kinds agencies sell websites, SEO and ads to. The biggest groups: 485 restaurants and takeaways, 210 builders and 180 hair and beauty salons. 35 advertising agencies compete for them.
The local businesses agencies sell to in Portsmouth
Counts of business sites (local units, rounded to 5) by trade in the Portsmouth 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 170 | 8.0 | +65% |
| Plumbing and heating | 155 | 7.3 | +54% |
| Builders | 210 | 9.9 | +38% |
| Garages and vehicle repair | 180 | 8.5 | +21% |
| Hair and beauty salons | 180 | 8.5 | +9% |
| Restaurants and takeaways | 485 | 22.9 | +7% |
| Estate agents | 80 | 3.8 | at the median |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026; population 211,475 (ONS mid-2025 estimate). Council area, not the wider metro area. Counts change as businesses open and close.
Where Portsmouth stands out
- Electricians: 8.0 per 10,000 residents, 65% above the median of the 32 UK cities on this list (rank 1 of 32).
- Plumbing and heating: 7.3 per 10,000 residents, 54% above the median (rank 2).
- Competition: 35 advertising agencies for 7,720 businesses of all kinds, one for every 221. The median across the 32 UK cities on this list is one for every 191, so Portsmouth ranks 12 of 32 on businesses per agency (1 is the least crowded): more businesses per agency than most, more room for you.
How Portsmouth compares with nearby and similar cities
Of these 7 cities, London has the most of these businesses per resident and Portsmouth the most businesses per agency.
| City | Local businesses | Per 10,000 residents | Businesses per agency | Strongest trade, vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portsmouth | 1,460 | 69 | 221 | Electricians (+65%) |
| York | 1,240 | 59 | 180 | Plumbing and heating (+31%) |
| Reading | 1,055 | 57 | 206 | Builders (+28%) |
| Oxford | 820 | 49 | 215 | Estate agents (+35%) |
| Cambridge | 745 | 50 | 170 | Estate agents (+32%) |
| Norwich | 960 | 66 | 110 | Garages and vehicle repair (+32%) |
| London | 77,880 | 85 | 99 | Builders (+185%) |
Your first three lists in Portsmouth
- Restaurants and takeaways: 485 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 12 of 32).
- Builders: 210 businesses, 38% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 5 of 32).
- Electricians: 170 businesses, 65% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 1 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 Portsmouth?
ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 counts 1,460 business sites (local units, rounded to 5) in the trades on this page in the Portsmouth city council area, including 485 restaurants and takeaways, 210 builders and 180 hair and beauty salons.
How many marketing agencies are there in Portsmouth?
35 advertising agencies in the Portsmouth city council area (ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026), one for every 221 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 Portsmouth?
By volume, restaurants and takeaways (485). Relative to its size, Portsmouth stands out most on electricians: 8.0 per 10,000 residents, rank 1 of 32.