Economy, jobs and prices in Kobe, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Kobe averaged 4.17 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 41st highest of 262 cities and above 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 Kobe earn in total?
Residents of Kobe had 2.71 trillion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 649,039 resident-tax payers (42.6 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 Kobe?
At the 2020 census 631,826 residents of Kobe were in work and 660,231 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 41.4 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 Kobe?
The unemployment rate in Kobe was 4.3% at the 2020 census (28,405 people out of 660,231 in the labour force), 56th 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 Kobe?
By sector, 0.7% of employed residents of Kobe worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 18.6% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 76.7% 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 Kobe?
83.1% of employed residents of Kobe were employees (excluding company directors), 7.6% 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 Kobe?
At the 2020 census 345,414 residents of Kobe commuted to work in another municipality and 366,533 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 1,560,753, or 102.3 per 100 night-time residents, 65th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Kobe?
Kobe had 62,228 private-sector business establishments employing 725,828 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 11.7 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Kobe?
Factories in Kobe shipped goods worth 3.84 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 68,873 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 Kobe?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Kobe sold goods worth 6.16 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 11,940 commercial establishments employing 122,605 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Kobe?
Kobe had 10,514 retail stores and 7,968 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 245 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 15 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Kobe?
Farmland in Kobe covered 43.00 square kilometres in 2024, 7.7% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Kobe recycle?
Kobe produced 483,883 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 12.4% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Kobe compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Kobe ranks 41 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Nara | 4,202 thousand yen |
| 39 | Hino | 4,197 thousand yen |
| 40 | Anjo | 4,194 thousand yen |
| 41 | Kobe | 4,170 thousand yen |
| 42 | Kashiwa | 4,160 thousand yen |
| 43 | Higashikurume | 4,158 thousand yen |
| 44 | Tama | 4,149 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Kobe ranks 56 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | Numazu | 4.3% |
| 54 | Hachioji | 4.3% |
| 55 | Atsugi | 4.3% |
| 56 | Kobe | 4.3% |
| 57 | Yatsushiro | 4.3% |
| 58 | Iruma | 4.3% |
| 59 | Tama | 4.3% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Kobe ranks 65 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | Hakodate | 102.6 |
| 63 | Nagasaki | 102.5 |
| 64 | Nagaoka | 102.4 |
| 65 | Kobe | 102.3 |
| 66 | Urasoe | 102.2 |
| 67 | Gifu | 102.2 |
| 68 | Ishinomaki | 102.2 |
More on Kobe: 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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