Kawagoe: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Kawagoe: Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Kawagoe averaged 3.87 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 81st highest 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 Kawagoe: Kawagoe had 18 general hospitals (hospitals other than psychiatric ones) in 2023, or 5.08 per 100,000 residents, 125th highest of 262 cities, below the national figure (5.60).
- Education in Kawagoe: Kawagoe had 33 primary schools with 17,320 pupils and 1,001 full-time teachers in May 2024.
- Poverty and living standards in Kawagoe: 34.8% of private households in Kawagoe were one-person households at the 2020 census (53,291), 121st lowest of 262 cities, below the national figure (38.0%).
- Government budget and revenue in Kawagoe: The municipal government of Kawagoe took in 130.4 billion yen in fiscal 2022 (final accounts), 367,706 yen per resident, 10th lowest of 262 cities.
What is the population of Kawagoe?
Kawagoe had 354,571 residents at the 1 October 2020 census (city proper). That is 58th highest of 262 cities. The count includes foreign residents.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is Kawagoe and how densely populated is it?
Kawagoe covers 109.13 square kilometres (2024), of which 106.27 is habitable land. That is 3,249 people per square kilometre of total area at the 2020 census, 80th highest of 262 for density.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyIs the population of Kawagoe growing or shrinking?
The basic resident register recorded 352,805 residents in Kawagoe in 2024, 0.5% 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 Kawagoe?
10.3% of residents of Kawagoe were under 15 (36,460 children) and 51.2% 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 Kawagoe?
Kawagoe had 153,376 households at the 2020 census, of which 153,192 were private households; that is about 2.31 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 Kawagoe?
5,909 foreign nationals lived in Kawagoe at the 2020 census, 1.7% 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 Kawagoe each year?
Kawagoe recorded 2,005 births and 3,973 deaths in 2023, a natural decrease of 1,968. That is 5.7 births and 11.2 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 Kawagoe?
In 2024, 14,319 people moved into Kawagoe from other municipalities and 12,813 moved out, a net gain of 1,506 (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 Kawagoe each year?
Kawagoe registered 1,310 marriages and 495 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 Kawagoe?
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
- Toyonaka 401,558
- Miyazaki 401,339
- Hirakata 397,289
- Yokosuka 388,078
- Suita 385,567
- Okazaki 384,654
- Ichinomiya 380,073
- Takasaki 372,973
- Nagano 372,760
- Toyohashi 371,920
- Wakayama 356,729
- Nara 354,630
- Takatsuki 352,698
- Otsu 345,070
- Tokorozawa 342,464
- Koshigaya 341,621
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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…)
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