Oita: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Oita: Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Oita averaged 3.52 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 96th 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.
- Health in Oita: Oita had 41 general hospitals (hospitals other than psychiatric ones) in 2023, or 8.62 per 100,000 residents, 32nd highest of 262 cities, above the national figure (5.60).
- Education in Oita: Oita had 56 primary schools with 24,982 pupils and 1,510 full-time teachers in May 2024.
- Poverty and living standards in Oita: 36.4% of private households in Oita were one-person households at the 2020 census (76,171), 99th highest of 262 cities, below the national figure (38.0%).
- Government budget and revenue in Oita: The municipal government of Oita took in 217.8 billion yen in fiscal 2022 (final accounts), 457,945 yen per resident, 119th lowest of 262 cities.
What is the population of Oita?
Oita had 475,614 residents at the 1 October 2020 census (city proper). That is 33rd highest of 262 cities. The count includes foreign residents.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is Oita and how densely populated is it?
Oita covers 502.39 square kilometres (2024), of which 245.87 is habitable land. That is 947 people per square kilometre of total area at the 2020 census, 95th lowest of 262 for density.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyIs the population of Oita growing or shrinking?
The basic resident register recorded 472,898 residents in Oita in 2024, 0.6% 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 Oita?
13.2% of residents of Oita were under 15 (62,944 children) and 57.0% 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 Oita?
Oita had 209,539 households at the 2020 census, of which 209,066 were private households; that is about 2.27 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 Oita?
2,661 foreign nationals lived in Oita at the 2020 census, 0.6% 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 Oita each year?
Oita recorded 3,249 births and 5,419 deaths in 2023, a natural decrease of 2,170. That is 6.8 births and 11.4 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 Oita?
In 2024, 13,013 people moved into Oita from other municipalities and 13,290 moved out, a net loss of 277 (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 Oita each year?
Oita registered 1,921 marriages and 815 divorces by Japanese nationals in 2023, or 4.0 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 Oita?
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
- Shizuoka 693,389
- Funabashi 642,907
- Kawaguchi 594,274
- Kagoshima 593,128
- Hachioji 579,355
- Himeji 530,495
- Utsunomiya 518,757
- Matsuyama 511,192
- Matsudo 498,232
- Ichikawa 496,676
- Higashiosaka 493,940
- Nishinomiya 485,587
- Kurashiki 474,592
- Kanazawa 463,254
- Fukuyama 460,930
- Amagasaki 459,593
Up a level: all cities in Japan · Japan · government and power
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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