Poverty and living standards in Niigata, Japan: official figures
The number of people receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo) per 1,000 people in Niigata was 9.78 in 2023, 14th lowest of 47 prefectures.
How many older people receive welfare in Niigata?
The number of people aged 65 or over receiving public assistance per 1,000 people aged 65 or over in Niigata was 13.3 in 2022, 9th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people get housing assistance in Niigata?
The number of people receiving housing assistance per 1,000 people in Niigata was 7.24 in 2023, 13th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Niigata have a disability certificate?
The number of physical disability certificates issued per 1,000 people in Niigata was 39.5 in 2023, 17th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many disabled job seekers find work in Niigata?
The employment rate of job seekers with disabilities in Niigata was 51.0% in 2024, 13th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Niigata claim unemployment benefit?
The share of insured workers receiving unemployment benefit in Niigata was 1.00% in 2023, tied for 7th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Niigata?
The number of recorded criminal offences per 1,000 people in Niigata was 4.08 in 2023, 15th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many crimes are solved in Niigata?
The share of recorded offences that police cleared in Niigata was 49.1% in 2023, 19th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many police officers are there in Niigata?
The number of police officers per 1,000 people in Niigata was 2.00 in 2024, 19th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in road accidents in Niigata?
The number of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in Niigata was 2.60 in 2024, tied for 21st lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many road accidents happen in Niigata?
The number of road traffic accidents per 100,000 people in Niigata was 127.3 in 2024, 5th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in accidents in Niigata?
The number of deaths from unintentional accidents per 100,000 people in Niigata was 49.9 in 2023, 10th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much damage do disasters cause in Niigata?
The value of disaster damage per person in Niigata was 1,441 yen in 2023, 17th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many fires are there in Niigata?
The number of fires per 100,000 people in Niigata was 28.8 in 2023, tied for 12th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people receive welfare in Niigata?
20,277 people in Niigata were receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo, Japan's last-resort welfare payment) in March 2026, which is 0.97 per 100 residents, 14th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 1,980,808 people (1.60 per 100 residents).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many households receive welfare in Niigata?
16,655 households in Niigata were receiving public assistance in March 2026, 22nd most of 47 prefectures, an average of 1.22 people per household. Japan overall: 1,644,531 households (1.20 people per household).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many older people on welfare are there in Niigata?
Households of people aged 65 or over made up 50.5% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (8,381 households), 3rd lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 55.3%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare live alone in Niigata?
Single-person households made up 85.1% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (14,113 households), 15th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.6%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many single mothers are on welfare in Niigata?
Single-mother households made up 3.3% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (543 households), 18th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 3.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many disabled people are on welfare in Niigata?
Households with a disabled or sick member as the main reason made up 24.0% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (3,975 households), 19th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 25.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many working-age people are on welfare in Niigata?
Households of working-age people with none of the above reasons ("other households") made up 22.2% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (3,682 households), the highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 15.8%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Niigata are working?
Households with someone in work made up 15.2% of the 16,581 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Niigata in March 2026 (2,521 households), 24th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 15.6%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Niigata get rent support?
The share of people on public assistance who received housing assistance (rent support) in Niigata was 74.5% in March 2026, 8th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Niigata receive living allowances?
The share of people on public assistance who received living assistance (the basic monthly payment) in Niigata was 81.9% in March 2026, 4th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 86.2%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many children on welfare in Niigata get school support?
The share of people on public assistance who received education assistance (mostly schoolchildren) in Niigata was 4.0% in March 2026, 18th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 4.0%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Niigata get medical help?
The share of people on public assistance who received medical assistance (free treatment) in Niigata was 80.2% in March 2026, 5th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.2%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people apply for welfare in Niigata?
282 applications for public assistance were received in Niigata in March 2026, which is 13.4 per 100,000 residents, 15th lowest of 47 prefectures, and 220 households started receiving it that month. Japan overall: 23,636 applications (19.1 per 100,000).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many foreign households receive welfare in Niigata?
The share of households receiving public assistance whose head does not hold Japanese nationality in Niigata was 1.2% in March 2026, 21st lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 2.9%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow Niigata compares with other prefectures
People on public assistance per 1,000 residents (2023)
Niigata ranks 34 of 47, highest first. Monthly average, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Yamaguchi | 10.32 |
| 32 | Ibaraki | 10.28 |
| 33 | Fukushima | 9.82 |
| 34 | Niigata | 9.78 |
| 35 | Shizuoka | 9.22 |
| 36 | Saga | 9.18 |
| 37 | Mie | 9.05 |
Recorded offences per 1,000 residents (2023)
Niigata ranks 33 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded offences per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Kagoshima | 4.34 |
| 31 | Ishikawa | 4.31 |
| 32 | Yamanashi | 4.23 |
| 33 | Niigata | 4.08 |
| 34 | Aomori | 4.07 |
| 35 | Miyazaki | 4.04 |
| 36 | Tottori | 3.91 |
People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Niigata ranks 34 of 47, highest first. MHLW Public Assistance Recipients Survey; prefecture totals include the designated cities and core cities in each prefecture, divided by the 1 October 2024 population estimate
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Ibaraki | 1.04 |
| 32 | Yamaguchi | 1.03 |
| 33 | Fukushima | 1.02 |
| 34 | Niigata | 0.97 |
| 35 | Shizuoka | 0.92 |
| 36 | Saga | 0.90 |
| 37 | Mie | 0.90 |
Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) (2026)
Niigata ranks 45 of 47, highest first. Share of households receiving assistance; the survey excludes suspended cases
| Rank | Region | Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Aichi | 52.6% |
| 42 | Okayama | 52.1% |
| 43 | Kanagawa | 51.5% |
| 44 | Hiroshima | 51.4% |
| 45 | Niigata | 50.5% |
| 46 | Miyagi | 49.5% |
| 47 | Shiga | 49.0% |
Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Niigata ranks 33 of 47, highest first. One month only, so it can swing in small prefectures
| Rank | Region | Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Tottori | 13.9 |
| 31 | Tochigi | 13.6 |
| 32 | Shimane | 13.6 |
| 33 | Niigata | 13.4 |
| 34 | Shizuoka | 13.4 |
| 35 | Mie | 12.4 |
| 36 | Gunma | 11.9 |
More on Niigata: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Japan
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (Tōkei de miru todōfuken no sugata), full volume, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat: Public Assistance Recipients Survey, monthly viewing tables for March 2026 (recipients and households by prefecture and city), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 35c582f0afd2…)
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