Economy, jobs and prices in Okayama, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Okayama averaged 3.71 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 117th highest 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 Okayama earn in total?
Residents of Okayama had 1.18 trillion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 317,300 resident-tax payers (43.8 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 Okayama?
At the 2020 census 330,721 residents of Okayama were in work and 344,503 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 45.6 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 Okayama?
The unemployment rate in Okayama was 4.0% at the 2020 census (13,782 people out of 344,503 in the labour force), 106th 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 Okayama?
By sector, 2.3% of employed residents of Okayama worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 20.9% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 74.2% 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 Okayama?
82.4% of employed residents of Okayama were employees (excluding company directors), 7.9% were self-employed business owners and 6.1% 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 Okayama?
At the 2020 census 122,857 residents of Okayama commuted to work in another municipality and 134,319 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 744,752, or 102.8 per 100 night-time residents, 60th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Okayama?
Okayama had 32,683 private-sector business establishments employing 353,376 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 10.8 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Okayama?
Factories in Okayama shipped goods worth 1.15 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 32,068 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 Okayama?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Okayama sold goods worth 3.04 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 6,673 commercial establishments employing 62,783 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Okayama?
Okayama had 5,335 retail stores and 2,991 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 137 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 7 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Okayama?
Farmland in Okayama covered 130.00 square kilometres in 2024, 16.5% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Okayama recycle?
Okayama produced 247,393 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 26.9% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Okayama compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Okayama ranks 117 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 114 | Hamamatsu | 3,727 thousand yen |
| 115 | Izumi | 3,726 thousand yen |
| 116 | Wakayama | 3,714 thousand yen |
| 117 | Okayama | 3,713 thousand yen |
| 118 | Tondabayashi | 3,710 thousand yen |
| 119 | Matsumoto | 3,708 thousand yen |
| 120 | Komaki | 3,707 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Okayama ranks 106 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 103 | Ageo | 4.0% |
| 104 | Akashi | 4.0% |
| 105 | Ikeda | 4.0% |
| 106 | Okayama | 4.0% |
| 107 | Kushiro | 4.0% |
| 108 | Kirishima | 4.0% |
| 109 | Hirosaki | 4.0% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Okayama ranks 60 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 57 | Isahaya | 102.8 |
| 58 | Tsu | 102.8 |
| 59 | Fukushima | 102.8 |
| 60 | Okayama | 102.8 |
| 61 | Iwata | 102.6 |
| 62 | Hakodate | 102.6 |
| 63 | Nagasaki | 102.5 |
More on Okayama: 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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