Kagoshima: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Kagoshima: Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Kagoshima averaged 3.47 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 83rd lowest of 262 cities and below the national average of 3,933.7 thousand yen per taxpayer. It is income before deductions, so it is not take-home pay.
- Health in Kagoshima: Kagoshima had 73 general hospitals (hospitals other than psychiatric ones) in 2023, or 12.31 per 100,000 residents, 7th highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (5.60).
- Education in Kagoshima: Kagoshima had 82 primary schools with 32,810 pupils and 2,166 full-time teachers in May 2024.
- Poverty and living standards in Kagoshima: 42.3% of private households in Kagoshima were one-person households at the 2020 census (117,959), 33rd highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (38.0%).
- Government budget and revenue in Kagoshima: The municipal government of Kagoshima took in 293.9 billion yen in fiscal 2022 (final accounts), 495,493 yen per resident, 89th highest of 262 cities.
What is the population of Kagoshima?
Kagoshima had 593,128 residents at the 1 October 2020 census (city proper). That is 24th highest of 262 cities. The count includes foreign residents.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is Kagoshima and how densely populated is it?
Kagoshima covers 547.61 square kilometres (2024), of which 248.50 is habitable land. That is 1,083 people per square kilometre of total area at the 2020 census, 112th lowest of 262 for density.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyIs the population of Kagoshima growing or shrinking?
The basic resident register recorded 591,263 residents in Kagoshima in 2024, 0.3% fewer than the 2020 census count (all municipalities together: -1.4%). The register and the census are counted differently, so the change is indicative.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many children live in Kagoshima?
12.8% of residents of Kagoshima were under 15 (75,680 children) and 54.1% were aged 15 to 64 at the 2020 census; nationally the shares were 11.9% and 57.8%.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many households are there in Kagoshima?
Kagoshima had 279,644 households at the 2020 census, of which 279,011 were private households; that is about 2.12 residents per household (residents divided by all households).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many foreigners live in Kagoshima?
2,432 foreign nationals lived in Kagoshima at the 2020 census, 0.4% of residents, below the national figure (1.9%).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many babies are born in Kagoshima each year?
Kagoshima recorded 4,085 births and 7,175 deaths in 2023, a natural decrease of 3,090. That is 6.9 births and 12.1 deaths per 1,000 residents (national: 5.8 and 12.5). Births are by Japanese nationals registered in the city.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyAre more people moving into or out of Kagoshima?
In 2024, 18,256 people moved into Kagoshima from other municipalities and 19,320 moved out, a net loss of 1,064 (moves within the city and from abroad are not counted).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many marriages are there in Kagoshima each year?
Kagoshima registered 2,194 marriages and 940 divorces by Japanese nationals in 2023, or 3.7 marriages per 1,000 residents.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyNotes from the UN table: Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Excluding diplomatic personnel outside the country and foreign military and civilian personnel and their dependants stationed in the area. For the 2020 census, urban areas are “Densely Inhabited Districts”, defined as areas within a municipality that is composed of a group of contiguous Basic Unit Blocks, each of which has a population density of 4,000 inhabitants or more per square kilometer and whose total population exceeds 5,000 as of 1 October 2020. The detailed methodological explanation is available at https://www.stat.go.jp/english/data/chiri/did/1-1.html Land areas are based on the "Municipalities Area Statistics of Japan, 2015" published by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Who runs Kagoshima?
In Japan, cities and towns are run by municipalities: Mayor and municipal assembly both directly elected for four years. Primary and lower secondary schools, welfare, waste, water, residents' registers, disaster response. Large 'designated cities' (20) take on prefectural tasks and are divided into administrative wards whose heads are officials, not elected.
How local power works in Japan
Cities of a similar size in Japan
- Sendai 1,096,704
- Chiba 974,951
- Kitakyushu 939,029
- Sakai 826,161
- Hamamatsu 790,718
- Niigata 789,275
- Kumamoto 738,865
- Sagamihara 725,493
- Okayama 724,691
- Shizuoka 693,389
- Funabashi 642,907
- Kawaguchi 594,274
- Hachioji 579,355
- Himeji 530,495
- Utsunomiya 518,757
- Matsuyama 511,192
Up a level: all cities in Japan · Japan · government and power
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Municipalities 2026 (social and demographic statistics, city, ward, town and village data), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 2cb3d8c51aa1…)
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (national figures, "All Japan" row), read 28 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.