Economy, jobs and prices in Nara, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Nara averaged 4.20 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 38th 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 Nara earn in total?
Residents of Nara had 629.3 billion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 149,750 resident-tax payers (42.2 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 Nara?
At the 2020 census 152,680 residents of Nara were in work and 159,067 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 43.1 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 Nara?
The unemployment rate in Nara was 4.0% at the 2020 census (6,387 people out of 159,067 in the labour force), 98th 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 Nara?
By sector, 1.3% of employed residents of Nara worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 16.7% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 78.8% 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 Nara?
81.9% of employed residents of Nara were employees (excluding company directors), 8.2% were self-employed business owners and 6.0% 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 Nara?
At the 2020 census 68,877 residents of Nara commuted to work in another municipality and 46,659 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 336,006, or 94.7 per 100 night-time residents, 97th lowest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Nara?
Nara had 12,046 private-sector business establishments employing 127,481 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 10.6 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Nara?
Factories in Nara shipped goods worth 236.7 billion yen in 2023 and employed 5,490 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 Nara?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Nara sold goods worth 541.7 billion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 2,273 commercial establishments employing 19,983 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Nara?
Nara had 2,215 retail stores and 1,253 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 50 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 2 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Nara?
Farmland in Nara covered 25.00 square kilometres in 2024, 9.0% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Nara recycle?
Nara produced 101,296 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 21.6% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Nara compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Nara ranks 38 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Kusatsu | 4,276 thousand yen |
| 36 | Ibaraki | 4,262 thousand yen |
| 37 | Kyoto | 4,221 thousand yen |
| 38 | Nara | 4,202 thousand yen |
| 39 | Hino | 4,197 thousand yen |
| 40 | Anjo | 4,194 thousand yen |
| 41 | Kobe | 4,170 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Nara ranks 98 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 95 | Machida | 4.0% |
| 96 | Akita | 4.0% |
| 97 | Tokushima | 4.0% |
| 98 | Nara | 4.0% |
| 99 | Oyama | 4.0% |
| 100 | Tokorozawa | 4.0% |
| 101 | Matsudo | 4.0% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Nara ranks 166 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 163 | Koga | 94.9 |
| 164 | Okazaki | 94.9 |
| 165 | Higashiomi | 94.8 |
| 166 | Nara | 94.7 |
| 167 | Suzuka | 94.6 |
| 168 | Marugame | 94.6 |
| 169 | Yao | 94.6 |
More on Nara: 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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