Economy, jobs and prices in Wakayama, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Wakayama averaged 3.71 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 116th 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 Wakayama earn in total?
Residents of Wakayama had 537.5 billion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 144,711 resident-tax payers (40.6 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 Wakayama?
At the 2020 census 158,633 residents of Wakayama were in work and 165,299 were in the labour force (working or seeking work), equal to 44.5 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 Wakayama?
The unemployment rate in Wakayama was 4.0% at the 2020 census (6,666 people out of 165,299 in the labour force), 94th 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 Wakayama?
By sector, 1.7% of employed residents of Wakayama worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 22.7% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 71.8% 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 Wakayama?
80.3% of employed residents of Wakayama were employees (excluding company directors), 9.3% were self-employed business owners and 5.2% 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 Wakayama?
At the 2020 census 21,496 residents of Wakayama commuted to work in another municipality and 31,494 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 369,960, or 103.7 per 100 night-time residents, 45th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Wakayama?
Wakayama had 16,223 private-sector business establishments employing 171,048 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 10.5 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Wakayama?
Factories in Wakayama shipped goods worth 1.56 trillion yen in 2023 and employed 22,821 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 Wakayama?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Wakayama sold goods worth 1.12 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 3,305 commercial establishments employing 27,001 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Wakayama?
Wakayama had 2,752 retail stores and 1,349 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 61 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 6 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Wakayama?
Farmland in Wakayama covered 26.00 square kilometres in 2024, 12.4% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Wakayama recycle?
Wakayama produced 111,927 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 8.0% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Wakayama compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Wakayama ranks 116 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 113 | Kamagaya | 3,731 thousand yen |
| 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 |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Wakayama ranks 94 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Chiba | 4.0% |
| 92 | Abiko | 4.0% |
| 93 | Sasebo | 4.0% |
| 94 | Wakayama | 4.0% |
| 95 | Machida | 4.0% |
| 96 | Akita | 4.0% |
| 97 | Tokushima | 4.0% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Wakayama ranks 45 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Koriyama | 103.7 |
| 43 | Akita | 103.7 |
| 44 | Higashiosaka | 103.7 |
| 45 | Wakayama | 103.7 |
| 46 | Yonago | 103.6 |
| 47 | Miyakonojo | 103.6 |
| 48 | Ogaki | 103.5 |
More on Wakayama: 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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