Find clients for your agency in York
The York city council area counts 1,240 local businesses of the kinds agencies sell websites, SEO and ads to. The biggest groups: 475 restaurants and takeaways, 160 hair and beauty salons and 155 builders. 50 advertising agencies compete for them.
The local businesses agencies sell to in York
Counts of business sites (local units, rounded to 5) by trade in the York 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing and heating | 130 | 6.2 | +31% |
| Electricians | 115 | 5.5 | +13% |
| Restaurants and takeaways | 475 | 22.7 | +6% |
| Builders | 155 | 7.4 | at the median |
| Estate agents | 80 | 3.8 | at the median |
| Hair and beauty salons | 160 | 7.7 | at the median |
| Garages and vehicle repair | 125 | 6.0 | −15% |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026; population 209,118 (ONS mid-2025 estimate). Council area, not the wider metro area. Counts change as businesses open and close.
Where York stands out
- Plumbing and heating: 6.2 per 10,000 residents, 31% above the median of the 32 UK cities on this list (rank 4 of 32).
- Electricians: 5.5 per 10,000 residents, 13% above the median (rank 14).
- Garages and vehicle repair: scarcer here (15% below the median), so fewer prospects, each with fewer rivals.
- Competition: 50 advertising agencies for 9,020 businesses of all kinds, one for every 180. The median across the 32 UK cities on this list is one for every 191, so York ranks 20 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 York compares with nearby and similar cities
Of these 7 cities, London has the most of these businesses per resident and Oxford the most businesses per agency.
| City | Local businesses | Per 10,000 residents | Businesses per agency | Strongest trade, vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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%) |
| Birmingham | 6,385 | 54 | 175 | Estate agents (+23%) |
Your first three lists in York
- Restaurants and takeaways: 475 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 14 of 32).
- Plumbing and heating: 130 businesses, 31% more per resident than the median city, so owners compete hard for customers (rank 4 of 32).
- Builders: 155 businesses, close to the median per resident, so the volume is the reason to start here (rank 15 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 York?
ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 counts 1,240 business sites (local units, rounded to 5) in the trades on this page in the York city council area, including 475 restaurants and takeaways, 160 hair and beauty salons and 155 builders.
How many marketing agencies are there in York?
50 advertising agencies in the York city council area (ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026), one for every 180 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 York?
By volume, restaurants and takeaways (475). Relative to its size, York stands out most on plumbing and heating: 6.2 per 10,000 residents, rank 4 of 32.