Economy, jobs and prices in Kitakyushu, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Kitakyushu averaged 3.62 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 120th 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.
How much income do people in Kitakyushu earn in total?
Residents of Kitakyushu had 1.39 trillion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 384,599 resident-tax payers (41.0 per 100 residents, below the national figure (45.3)).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people work in Kitakyushu?
At the 2020 census 400,010 residents of Kitakyushu were in work and 418,628 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 42.6 employed people per 100 residents of all ages, below the national figure (45.7).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Kitakyushu?
The unemployment rate in Kitakyushu was 4.4% at the 2020 census (18,618 people out of 418,628 in the labour force), 46th highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (3.8%). The census was taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat are the main industries in Kitakyushu?
By sector, 0.7% of employed residents of Kitakyushu worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 23.3% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 72.6% in tertiary industries (services and the rest) at the 2020 census. Nationally the shares were 3.4%, 23.0% and 70.6%. The three do not add to 100% because some jobs are not classified.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people are self-employed in Kitakyushu?
83.1% of employed residents of Kitakyushu were employees (excluding company directors), 7.4% were self-employed business owners and 5.4% were directors, at the 2020 census; nationally 81.4% were employees.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people commute into Kitakyushu?
At the 2020 census 159,291 residents of Kitakyushu commuted to work in another municipality and 174,519 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 958,487, or 102.1 per 100 night-time residents, 69th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Kitakyushu?
Kitakyushu had 39,995 private-sector business establishments employing 436,472 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 10.9 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Kitakyushu?
Factories in Kitakyushu shipped goods worth 2.77 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 48,416 people in manufacturing in 2024.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much do shops and wholesalers sell in Kitakyushu?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Kitakyushu sold goods worth 2.72 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 8,560 commercial establishments employing 69,207 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Kitakyushu?
Kitakyushu had 7,150 retail stores and 4,111 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 120 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 10 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Kitakyushu?
Farmland in Kitakyushu covered 21.00 square kilometres in 2024, 4.3% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Kitakyushu recycle?
Kitakyushu produced 391,974 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 25.0% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Kitakyushu compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Kitakyushu ranks 143 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 140 | Ichihara | 3,625 thousand yen |
| 141 | Kurashiki | 3,619 thousand yen |
| 142 | Kumamoto | 3,616 thousand yen |
| 143 | Kitakyushu | 3,616 thousand yen |
| 144 | Numazu | 3,611 thousand yen |
| 145 | Chikushino | 3,609 thousand yen |
| 146 | Naha | 3,606 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Kitakyushu ranks 46 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Chikushino | 4.5% |
| 44 | Chikusei | 4.5% |
| 45 | Kawachinagano | 4.5% |
| 46 | Kitakyushu | 4.4% |
| 47 | Ome | 4.4% |
| 48 | Uji | 4.4% |
| 49 | Kasuga | 4.4% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Kitakyushu ranks 69 of 262, highest first. Above 100 means more people are in the city by day than live there.
| Rank | City | Daytime population per 100 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Urasoe | 102.2 |
| 67 | Gifu | 102.2 |
| 68 | Ishinomaki | 102.2 |
| 69 | Kitakyushu | 102.1 |
| 70 | Niihama | 101.9 |
| 71 | Kochi | 101.9 |
| 72 | Tokai | 101.8 |
More on Kitakyushu: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · all cities in Japan
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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