Economy, jobs and prices in Niigata, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Niigata averaged 3.39 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 67th 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 Niigata earn in total?
Residents of Niigata had 1.20 trillion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 354,210 resident-tax payers (44.9 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 Niigata?
At the 2020 census 376,334 residents of Niigata were in work and 391,556 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 47.7 employed people per 100 residents of all ages, above the national figure (45.7).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Niigata?
The unemployment rate in Niigata was 3.9% at the 2020 census (15,222 people out of 391,556 in the labour force), 122nd highest of 262 cities, about the same as 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 Niigata?
By sector, 3.1% of employed residents of Niigata worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 20.9% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 73.2% 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 Niigata?
82.7% of employed residents of Niigata were employees (excluding company directors), 7.7% were self-employed business owners and 5.0% 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 Niigata?
At the 2020 census 156,351 residents of Niigata commuted to work in another municipality and 159,462 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 799,446, or 101.3 per 100 night-time residents, 81st highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Niigata?
Niigata had 32,995 private-sector business establishments employing 363,605 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 11.0 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Niigata?
Factories in Niigata shipped goods worth 1.24 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 35,108 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 Niigata?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Niigata sold goods worth 3.11 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 7,370 commercial establishments employing 68,053 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Niigata?
Niigata had 5,798 retail stores and 2,832 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 133 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 8 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Niigata?
Farmland in Niigata covered 327.00 square kilometres in 2024, 45.0% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Niigata recycle?
Niigata produced 264,408 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 23.1% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Niigata compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Niigata ranks 196 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 193 | Ise | 3,405 thousand yen |
| 194 | Fukaya | 3,399 thousand yen |
| 195 | Fukushima | 3,399 thousand yen |
| 196 | Niigata | 3,389 thousand yen |
| 197 | Miyazaki | 3,388 thousand yen |
| 198 | Kochi | 3,387 thousand yen |
| 199 | Urasoe | 3,385 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Niigata ranks 122 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 119 | Soka | 3.9% |
| 120 | Ibaraki | 3.9% |
| 121 | Karatsu | 3.9% |
| 122 | Niigata | 3.9% |
| 123 | Fujimino | 3.9% |
| 124 | Kashihara | 3.9% |
| 125 | Kawagoe | 3.9% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Niigata ranks 81 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | Aomori | 101.4 |
| 79 | Miyazaki | 101.3 |
| 80 | Nobeoka | 101.3 |
| 81 | Niigata | 101.3 |
| 82 | Oita | 101.2 |
| 83 | Matsuyama | 101.2 |
| 84 | Komatsu | 101.1 |
More on Niigata: 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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