Economy, jobs and prices in Sendai, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Sendai averaged 3.85 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 89th 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 Sendai earn in total?
Residents of Sendai had 1.96 trillion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 509,188 resident-tax payers (46.4 per 100 residents, above the national figure (45.3)).
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people work in Sendai?
At the 2020 census 502,190 residents of Sendai were in work and 524,081 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 45.8 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 Sendai?
The unemployment rate in Sendai was 4.2% at the 2020 census (21,891 people out of 524,081 in the labour force), 68th 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 Sendai?
By sector, 0.8% of employed residents of Sendai worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 15.4% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 80.9% 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 Sendai?
85.2% of employed residents of Sendai were employees (excluding company directors), 6.2% 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 Sendai?
At the 2020 census 227,489 residents of Sendai commuted to work in another municipality and 268,603 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 1,152,192, or 105.1 per 100 night-time residents, 35th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Sendai?
Sendai had 47,321 private-sector business establishments employing 568,963 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 12.0 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Sendai?
Factories in Sendai shipped goods worth 1.12 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 15,725 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 Sendai?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Sendai sold goods worth 8.68 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 10,674 commercial establishments employing 111,015 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Sendai?
Sendai had 7,266 retail stores and 4,496 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 187 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 Sendai?
Farmland in Sendai covered 58.00 square kilometres in 2024, 7.4% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Sendai recycle?
Sendai produced 365,422 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 18.0% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Sendai compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Sendai ranks 89 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 86 | Sagamihara | 3,855 thousand yen |
| 87 | Isehara | 3,854 thousand yen |
| 88 | Mishima | 3,854 thousand yen |
| 89 | Sendai | 3,846 thousand yen |
| 90 | Kisarazu | 3,845 thousand yen |
| 91 | Mito | 3,832 thousand yen |
| 92 | Ageo | 3,822 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Sendai ranks 68 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 65 | Izumi | 4.2% |
| 66 | Hirakata | 4.2% |
| 67 | Itami | 4.2% |
| 68 | Sendai | 4.2% |
| 69 | Ashikaga | 4.2% |
| 70 | Oita | 4.2% |
| 71 | Kurume | 4.1% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Sendai ranks 35 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Tsukuba | 105.5 |
| 33 | Aizuwakamatsu | 105.3 |
| 34 | Omuta | 105.1 |
| 35 | Sendai | 105.1 |
| 36 | Yokkaichi | 104.7 |
| 37 | Morioka | 104.4 |
| 38 | Hachinohe | 104.4 |
More on Sendai: 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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