Livability Report
HanamakiLivability Score
Iwate·Pop. 87,233
Hanamaki lies near the center of Iwate Prefecture, on the Kitakami plain between the Ou Mountains to the west and the Kitakami Highlands to the east. The Kitakami River runs through the middle of the city, and the Hanamaki hot spring area rises along the valleys of the Ou Mountains in the west. In the Edo period it prospered at the southern edge of the Morioka domain as a grain-producing area and a hub of land and river transport. In 2006, the city of Hanamaki merged with the towns of Oohasama, Ishidoriya and Towa. It is the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and home to folk performing arts such as Hayachine Kagura and the deer dance. The city has 12 hot springs known as the Hanamaki 12 Yu, and Mount Hayachine is a quasi-national park known as a treasure trove of alpine plants. Tarushi Falls, whose icicle thickness is read to forecast the year's rice harvest, is a feature of the harsh winter, and the shores of Lake Tase have a yacht harbor, a campground and a fishing park. After losing his studio in an air raid, Takamura Kotaro evacuated from Tokyo to Hanamaki, relying on Kenji's younger brother Seiroku.
Published 2026-03-22 · Article updated 2026-10-27 · Data updated 2026-10-20
Where in Japan
Overall Score
69.9
61.5
49.9
42.3
40.0* 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
Safety69.9Cost61.5Convenience49.9Welfare42.3Economy40.0Basic Information
Population
87,233
Prefecture
Iwate
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
From a town at the edge of the Morioka domain to Kenji's Ihatov
Alex
How did Hanamaki come to be the town it is today?
Yuki
What was the area like before it became today's city?
Alex
What should I know about the climate and culture?
Kai
It sits near the center of Iwate on the Kitakami plain, with the Ou Mountains west and the Kitakami Highlands east. The Kitakami River runs through the city. In the Edo period it was the Morioka domain's southern edge, a grain area and transport hub. On January 1, 2006, one city and three towns merged into today's Hanamaki.
Reported penal code offenses: 2.45 per 1,000 residents
Alex
How should I read the safety figures?
Yuki
How does it sit next to the prefecture-wide figure?
Kai
The Iwate Prefectural Police table of offenses by municipality shows 214 reported penal code offenses in Hanamaki in 2025, or 2.45 per 1,000 residents. The crime rate is lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities, and a lower rate is better for daily life.
Both land prices and rents are on the lower side
Alex
What does it cost to buy or rent a home here?
Yuki
Is there housing support for people moving in?
Kai
The 2026 land price survey puts residential sites at an average 22,000 yen per square meter, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. The 2023 Housing and Land Survey puts average rent for rented housing at 43,192 yen a month, also lower than the median. Land prices average surveyed sites and rent covers all rentals, so actual prices vary.
A car-centered town with more shops than its population suggests
Alex
Is it hard to get around without a car?
Yuki
What about people who do not drive?
Alex
How are the options for shopping and eating out?
Kai
In the 2020 census, 3.43% of commuters and students used rail or bus, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. A high-speed transport network is in place, including Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Tohoku and Tohoku Odan expressways, but daily travel realistically centers on cars.
Sogo Hanamaki Hospital at the core, schools spread across a wide city
Alex
Are there enough hospitals and clinics?
Yuki
Does the city do anything to keep doctors here?
Alex
What about schools and childcare support?
Kai
The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions counts 6 hospitals and 68 clinics, or 8.48 medical facilities per 10,000 residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities. Counts are divided by population and do not show specialties or ease of access. The city treats Sogo Hanamaki Hospital as its medical core.
Rice-based farming and industrial parks, with a small net outflow
Yuki
What is the income level, and what supports the local economy?
Alex
Are there jobs outside farming?
Yuki
What do the movements of people look like?
Kai
The 2025 municipal tax survey puts taxable income per taxpayer at 2,903,613 yen, lower than the median of Japan's major municipalities. Farming centers on rice with vegetables, fruit and flowers, and the city builds production areas that combine rice with wheat, soybeans, millet, vegetables, fruit and flowers. Nanbu wheat is among the listed main products.
Residency rate of 98.44%: the two population counts are about the same
Alex
What does the residency rate measure?
Yuki
How should I read that figure for Hanamaki?
Kai
It is a supplementary indicator: the census population divided by the resident register population. The census counts people actually living there, while the register counts registrations, so the two do not match exactly. Hanamaki's 2025 census population is 87,233 and its 2026 register population is 88,618, a residency rate of 98.44%, an average level among Japan's major municipalities.
Who this city suits
Families with children
The child medical expense subsidy covers all children living in the city, and the maternal and child health section at Hanamaki Health Center, postnatal care and the open daycare program are available. Points to watch: school density is lower than the median, so check school zones and how children will get there before choosing a home.
Young singles
Average rent for rented housing is 43,192 yen a month, and restaurants number 5.15 per 1,000 residents, higher than the median. Points to watch: only 3.43% of commuters and students use rail or bus, so for life without a car, check the areas the reserved shared transport serves.
Seniors
Medical facilities number 8.48 per 10,000 residents, an average level, the city treats Sogo Hanamaki Hospital as its medical core, and Iwate Chubu Net shares medical and nursing care information. Points to watch: getting around after giving up driving, so first check whether reserved shared buses or community buses serve your area.
Remote workers
Residential land averages 22,000 yen per square meter, on the lower side, and Shin-Hanamaki Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen and the Tohoku Expressway support travel outside the city. Points to watch: the Ou foothills in the west are cold and snowy with snow from December to March, so check winter connectivity and snow removal in those areas.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
Hanamaki publishes hazard maps by area for Hanamaki, Oohasama, Ishidoriya and Towa on its page for designated emergency evacuation sites, evacuation shelters and area hazard maps. The maps were updated to reflect flood inundation zones and landslide warning zones designated by Iwate Prefecture, and prefecture-managed Class A and Class B rivers were added to the flood inundation zones. The Hanamaki Digital Map shows the hazard maps on screen, reservoir hazard maps are on a separate link, and the Kitakami River flood simulation is provided by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The prefecture has newly surveyed landslide-prone sites using high-precision terrain data, and during the 2019 East Japan Typhoon some landslides occurred outside the warning zones. The city advises that when moving is dangerous, such as during heavy rain at night, evacuating to a sturdy nearby building or to the second floor or higher of your home is also effective. 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) | 2.45 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 22,000 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 43,192 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 3.4 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 772 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 8.85 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 449 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 5.15 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 98.4 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 8.48 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 6 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.69 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 68 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 7.80 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 33 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.378 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.102 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 2,903,613 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | -202 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | -0.23 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 87,233 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 214 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 3,351 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 3 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 324 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 88,618 | 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 municipalityIwate 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 (31)
- Hanamaki City: About Hanamaki
- Hanamaki City: Designated emergency evacuation sites, shelters and area hazard maps
- Hanamaki City: Newly identified landslide-prone sites on the Iwate Digital Map
- Iwate Prefectural Police: 2025 penal code offenses by municipality
- Hanamaki City: Agriculture in Hanamaki
- Hanamaki City: Ginga no Shizuku initiatives
- Hanamaki City: Grape promotion
- Hanamaki City: Buses (public transport)
- Hanamaki City: Hanamaki Airport
- Hanamaki City: Financial support for Sogo Hanamaki Hospital
- Hanamaki City: Community healthcare
- Hanamaki City: Child medical expense subsidy
- Hanamaki City: Childcare consultation desks
- Hanamaki City: Child and childcare support site
- Hanamaki City: Relocation portal Iitoko Hanamaki
- Iitoko Hanamaki: Top page
- Hanamaki City: Vacant house measures
- Hanamaki City: Culture and cultural facilities
- Hanamaki City: Eat
- Wikipedia: Hanamaki (Japanese)
- Hanamaki business location guide
- Iwate Prefectural Police: Penal code offenses by municipality (2025)
- e-Stat: 2025 Population Census, basic tabulation (table 0004065881)
- e-Stat: 2023 Housing and Land Survey (table 0004021452)
- e-Stat: 2020 Population Census, means of commuting (table 0003454513)
- e-Stat: 2021 Economic Census for Business Activity (table 0004005684)
- e-Stat: Survey of Medical Institutions, System of Social and Demographic Statistics (table 0000020209)
- e-Stat: School Basic Survey and habitable area, System of Social and Demographic Statistics (table 0000020205)
- e-Stat: Report on Internal Migration from the Basic Resident Registration (table 0003419945)
- National Land Numerical Information: Official land prices (L01)
- MIC: Survey of municipal tax assessment
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-03-22 · Article updated 2026-10-27 · Data updated 2026-10-20