Economy, jobs and prices in Yamagata, Japan: official figures
Taxable income for municipal resident tax in Yamagata averaged 3.50 million yen per taxpayer in fiscal 2024, 87th 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 Yamagata earn in total?
Residents of Yamagata had 385.2 billion yen of taxable income in total in fiscal 2024, from 110,143 resident-tax payers (44.5 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 Yamagata?
At the 2020 census 118,135 residents of Yamagata were in work and 122,403 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 Yamagata?
The unemployment rate in Yamagata was 3.5% at the 2020 census (4,268 people out of 122,403 in the labour force), 63rd lowest of 262 cities, below 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 Yamagata?
By sector, 3.2% of employed residents of Yamagata worked in primary industries (farming, forestry, fishing), 19.2% in secondary (mining, construction, manufacturing) and 74.6% 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 Yamagata?
80.6% of employed residents of Yamagata were employees (excluding company directors), 8.3% were self-employed business owners and 6.0% 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 Yamagata?
At the 2020 census 19,345 residents of Yamagata commuted to work in another municipality and 30,294 people living elsewhere commuted in. The daytime population was 263,518, or 106.4 per 100 night-time residents, 25th highest of 262 cities.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many businesses are there in Yamagata?
Yamagata had 12,410 private-sector business establishments employing 121,393 people in 2021 (government offices are excluded), about 9.8 workers per establishment.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow big is manufacturing in Yamagata?
Factories in Yamagata shipped goods worth 249.4 billion yen in 2023 and employed 11,058 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 Yamagata?
Wholesale and retail businesses in Yamagata sold goods worth 1.01 trillion yen in the year covered by the 2021 Economic Census (sales for 2020), across 2,693 commercial establishments employing 23,148 people.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many shops and restaurants are there in Yamagata?
Yamagata had 2,069 retail stores and 1,210 eating and drinking places in 2021, including 44 large retail stores (50+ staff) and 1 department stores or general supermarkets.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much farmland is there in Yamagata?
Farmland in Yamagata covered 49.00 square kilometres in 2024, 12.9% of the total area.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much waste does Yamagata recycle?
Yamagata produced 76,847 tonnes of household and business waste in 2023 and recycled 17.6% of it.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow Yamagata compares with other cities in Japan
Taxable income per resident-tax payer (fiscal 2024)
Yamagata ranks 176 of 262, highest first. Municipal resident tax base before deductions, from SSDS items C120110 and C120120
| Rank | City | Taxable income per resident-tax payer |
|---|---|---|
| 173 | Matsubara | 3,504 thousand yen |
| 174 | Saga | 3,501 thousand yen |
| 175 | Morioka | 3,498 thousand yen |
| 176 | Yamagata | 3,498 thousand yen |
| 177 | Kishiwada | 3,494 thousand yen |
| 178 | Kure | 3,485 thousand yen |
| 179 | Sayama | 3,478 thousand yen |
Unemployment rate (2020 census)
Yamagata ranks 200 of 262, highest first. Unemployed people as a share of the labour force, taken during the Covid-19 pandemic
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 197 | Yonago | 3.5% |
| 198 | Saga | 3.5% |
| 199 | Ichikawa | 3.5% |
| 200 | Yamagata | 3.5% |
| 201 | Shizuoka | 3.5% |
| 202 | Takasaki | 3.5% |
| 203 | Obihiro | 3.5% |
Daytime population per 100 residents (2020 census)
Yamagata ranks 25 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Tokushima | 107.1 |
| 23 | Kusatsu | 106.9 |
| 24 | Hirosaki | 106.7 |
| 25 | Yamagata | 106.4 |
| 26 | Saga | 106.4 |
| 27 | Hitachi | 106.3 |
| 28 | Anjo | 106.1 |
More on Yamagata: 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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