Livability Report
AomoriLivability Score
Aomori·Pop. 255,953
Aomori City is the prefectural capital, facing Mutsu Bay near the center of Aomori Prefecture. The sea lies to the north, the Higashidake range and Hakkoda peaks to the east and south, and the Tsugaru range and Tsugaru Plain to the west, with forest covering about 70 percent of the city's area. It began in 1626 when Tsugaru Nobuhira, lord of the Hirosaki domain, laid out a grid-pattern port town for shipping Tsugaru rice to Edo; it became the prefectural seat in 1871 and a city in 1898. The 2005 merger with Namioka Town set the current city limits, and it is known as a snowy town whose city government runs a basic snow management plan.
Published 2026-04-23 · Article updated 2026-10-20 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
48.4
57.3
51.0
48.7
39.1* These scores are based on statistical analysis of public data and do not represent a definitive assessment of any area. Actual livability varies depending on individual values and lifestyle.
5-axis scores
Safety48.4Cost57.3Convenience51.0Welfare48.7Economy39.1Basic Information
Population
255,953
Prefecture
Aomori
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
400 years from a Tsugaru rice port, plus Jomon and Namioka history
Alex
How did Aomori City come to be?
Yuki
I would also like to know where the name comes from and how it became the prefectural capital.
Yuki
What about Namioka before the merger, and how the port developed later?
Kai
In 1625 Tsugaru Nobuhira, lord of the Hirosaki domain, was permitted to ship Tsugaru rice to Edo and chose to build a port town on Mutsu Bay at today's city center. In 1626 he ordered retainer Moriyama Yashichiro to gather people and lay out a grid town. The city marks 2025 as 400 years of the port and 2026 as 400 years of town building.
Safety read from the prefectural police's final municipal figures
Alex
What sources can I use to check safety?
Yuki
Is there anything to keep in mind when reading the figure for a prefectural capital?
Alex
When choosing where to live, can I see differences between districts?
Kai
The Aomori Prefectural Police publish final 2025 figures for penal code offenses by type and municipality and a 2025 summary by municipality, both listing Aomori City. In 2025 there were 1,469 recognized penal code offenses, 5.74 per 1,000 residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. A lower crime rate is better for daily life. The safety score is 48.4.
Land prices, rent and the work of handling snow
Alex
If I rent, what is the going rent?
Yuki
If I buy land and build, what are land prices like?
Alex
In a town with so much snow, how different are the costs and effort?
Kai
In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey the average monthly rent for rented housing was 44,818 yen, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. Lower rent is better for daily life, so housing costs are easier to keep down. As an average across all rented housing, it varies by layout and building age. The cost score is 57.3.
Shinkansen, city buses and a market in the center
Alex
Is getting to work or the shops hard without a car?
Yuki
Who runs the buses, and are there features that make them easy to use?
Alex
Are there plenty of options for shopping and eating out?
Kai
In the 2020 census, 6.7% of people commuted to work or school by rail or bus, an average level among Japan's major municipalities for public transport use. Besides Shin-Aomori Station on the Tohoku and Hokkaido Shinkansen, the JR Ou and Tsugaru lines and the Aoimori Railway serve the city. Daily life tends to assume a car. The convenience score is 51.0.
Hospitals and clinics, schools and the family support desk
Alex
Are there enough hospitals and clinics?
Yuki
Is there somewhere to ask about child-rearing, and a medical cost subsidy?
Alex
Are schools close by?
Kai
In the 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions there were 19 hospitals and 206 general clinics, together 8.79 per 10,000 residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. The prefecture's list of regional medical support hospitals includes Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital and Aomori City Hospital. Facility counts are divided by population and do not show departments. The welfare score is 48.7.
Income, migration, scallops and Hakkoda beef
Alex
In terms of work, what is the income level?
Yuki
How are people moving in and out?
Alex
What kinds of farming and fishing are there?
Kai
In the 2025 municipal tax survey, taxable income per taxpayer was 3,054,237 yen, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. The city's industry is mostly tertiary, with relatively little secondary and primary industry. The economy score is 39.1, the overall score is 47.9, and the grade is C.
Registered population and people actually living here
Yuki
What does the residency rate measure?
Alex
How should I read that figure when thinking about living here?
Kai
The residency rate is a supplementary indicator dividing the census population by the resident register population. Aomori's 2025 census population is 255,953, its resident register population on January 1, 2026 is 259,352, and the residency rate is 98.69%, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. It is not used in the five axis scores.
Who this city suits
Families with children
The Aomori Oyako Hagukumi Plaza serves as the family center from pregnancy onward, there is a child medical cost subsidy, and hospitals and general clinics number 8.79 per 10,000 residents. Points to watch: school density per habitable area is average, school journeys lengthen in the suburbs and the Namioka area, and winter school routes and drop-offs depend on the snow.
Young singles
Average rent for rented housing is 44,818 yen a month, a lower level, and restaurants number 5.27 per 1,000 residents, a higher level, so a single person can keep costs down while having choices for eating out. Points to watch: taxable income is at a lower level and more people leave than arrive. Line up work before looking for housing.
Seniors
There are 19 hospitals and 206 general clinics, and the prefecture's list of regional medical support hospitals includes Aomori Prefectural Central Hospital and Aomori City Hospital. Points to watch: roof snow removal accounts for most deaths and injuries during snow clearing. Choose areas with snow channels or housing with a light clearing burden, and check winter transport to appointments first.
Remote workers
Land prices are average and rent is at a lower level, and the city offers relocation support aimed at companies and remote workers plus a vacant house and land bank. Points to watch: only 6.7% commute by rail or bus so a car tends to be assumed, and bus services switch to a winter timetable and snow changes how long outings take.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
Aomori City publishes separate hazard maps for river flooding, tsunami, storm surge, inland flooding and landslides. The flood hazard map covers 10 rivers in 7 systems, including the Tsutsumi and Komagome, Okidate and Nishitaki, Shinjo, Amadanai, Aka, Nonai, and Namioka and Togawa rivers, and shades areas expected to flood in the maximum assumed rainfall. Rainfall beyond that, storm surge and inland flooding are not considered, so unshaded areas can also flood. After the prefecture published new flood inundation zones in March 2026, the city plans to publish a combined flood and inland flooding hazard map. The tsunami hazard map was updated after the prefecture's May 2021 tsunami inundation estimate, shows two models, a Japan Trench earthquake and an Iriuchi fault earthquake, and the city's tsunami zone was designated a tsunami disaster warning area by the prefecture on March 10, 2023. The storm surge hazard map is based on the inundation zones the prefecture published on March 24, 2023. The landslide hazard map shows warning zones, special warning zones and designated shelters. Check down to your exact street address with the city's official maps and the GSI overlay hazard map.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 5.74 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 34,867 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 44,818 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 6.7 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 2,206 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 8.62 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 1,348 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.27 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 98.7 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 8.79 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 19 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.74 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 206 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 8.05 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 76 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.297 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.293 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,054,237 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | -1,135 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | -0.44 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 255,953 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 1,469 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 4,665 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 4 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 260 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 259,352 | 2026 |
Data sources
| Indicator | Source | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Population | 2025 Population CensusStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | Reported penal code offenses by municipalityAomori Prefectural Police | 2025 | Counted where offenses occur; per 1,000 uses the 2025 census population |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | Official land prices (National Land Numerical Information L01)Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism | 2026 | Residential sites only; simple average of sites |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 2023 Housing and Land SurveyStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2023 | Monthly rent of rented housing; next survey in 2028 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 2020 Population Census (means of commuting)Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2020 | To be updated when the 2025 census commuting tables are published |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2021 Economic Census for Business ActivityMIC and METI | 2021 | Next survey in 2026 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | Survey of Medical Institutions (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | 2023 | Hospitals and clinics combined |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | School Basic Survey and habitable area (System of Social and Demographic Statistics)MEXT and Statistics Bureau of Japan | 2024 | Elementary, junior high and high schools per habitable km² |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | Survey on municipal tax assessmentMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Taxable income per taxpayer |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | Report on Internal MigrationStatistics Bureau of Japan | 2025 | |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | Census population ÷ resident register populationMinistry of Internal Affairs and Communications | 2025 | Resident register population as of January 1, 2026 |
Sources (33)
- Aomori City: What kind of town is Aomori?
- Aomori City: History of Aomori
- Aomori City: Industry
- Aomori City: Agriculture, forestry and fisheries
- Aomori City: Fisheries
- Aomori City: 400 years of the port town Aomori
- Aomori Prefecture: History of Aomori Port
- Aomori City Regional Public Transport Plan (March 2025)
- Aomori City: Aomori Nebuta Festival
- Aomori City: Basic Snow Management Plan
- Aomori City: Flood hazard map
- Aomori City: Tsunami hazard map
- Aomori City: Storm surge hazard map
- Aomori City: About the landslide hazard map
- Aomori Prefectural Police: Penal code offenses by type and municipality (2025 final)
- Aomori Prefectural Police: Recognized and cleared penal code offenses by municipality, 2025 (final)
- Aomori City: Aomori Oyako Hagukumi Plaza
- Aomori City: Online application for the child medical cost subsidy
- Aomori City: Relocation support schemes
- Aomori City: Vacant house and land bank
- Aomori Prefecture: About the Sannai-Maruyama site
- Aomori City: Namioka Castle site overview
- Aomori Prefecture: Overview of regional medical support hospitals
- Aomori City: Nokke-don
- e-Stat 2025 Population Census, basic tabulation (0004065881)
- e-Stat 2023 Housing and Land Survey, rent of rented housing (0004021452)
- e-Stat 2020 Population Census, means of commuting (0003454513)
- e-Stat 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity (0004005684)
- e-Stat System of Social and Demographic Statistics, Survey of Medical Institutions (0000020209)
- e-Stat System of Social and Demographic Statistics, School Basic Survey and habitable area (0000020205)
- e-Stat Report on Internal Migration (0003419945)
- National Land Numerical Information, official land prices L01 (MLIT)
- MIC Survey on municipal tax assessment
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-04-23 · Article updated 2026-10-20 · Data updated 2026-10-20