Livability Report
HigashihiroshimaLivability Score
Hiroshima·Pop. 198,502
Higashihiroshima lies on the Seto Inland Sea side of Hiroshima Prefecture. Most of the city is a basin-like landscape 200 to 400 metres above sea level, ringed by low mountains, while the south-east faces the sea with small coastal flats and islands such as Oshibajima. The 2025 Census population is 198,502. The city was formed in 1974 when the four towns of Saijo, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya merged, and in 2005 it absorbed five more towns, Kurose, Fukutomi, Toyosaka, Kochi and Akitsu, stretching from the mountains to the coast. Centred on Saijo, a town with a long history of sake brewing, it is known as a campus city where universities and research institutes gather.
Published 2026-11-06 · Data updated 2026-11-06
Where in Japan
Overall Score
51.3
54.1
43.9
43.9
50.7* 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
Safety51.3Cost54.1Convenience43.9Welfare43.9Economy50.7Basic Information
Population
198,502
Prefecture
Hiroshima
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
How a sake town became a campus city
Yuki
How did Higashihiroshima come into being as a city?
Alex
Where is the centre of the city, and what is it like?
Yuki
What is the city aiming for in its future planning?
Kai
According to the city profile, Higashihiroshima became a city in 1974 when Saijo, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya merged. The city built its infrastructure around two major projects, the Kamo Academic City and the Hiroshima Central Technopolis. In 2005 it merged with Kurose, Fukutomi, Toyosaka, Kochi and Akitsu, extending from the mountains to the Seto Inland Sea coast.
Reading safety across a wide city
Alex
Should I worry about safety at night or on the school walk?
Yuki
How is this figure actually counted?
Kai
In the Hiroshima Prefectural Police table by municipality for 2025, Higashihiroshima recorded 1,046 penal code offences, or 5.27 per 1,000 residents. Recorded offences are an average level among Japan's major municipalities. Since a lower crime rate is better for daily life, average means neither a standout concern nor a guarantee of safety. The safety score is 51.3.
Land prices, rent and housing options
Alex
If I buy a house, what land prices should I expect?
Alex
What rent should I budget for if I rent?
Yuki
Is there support for people moving in from outside the city?
Kai
In the 2026 official land price survey, the average residential land price is 54,796 yen per square metre, a simple average of residential survey points. Land prices are an average level among Japan's major municipalities. As a city-wide average, expect a wide spread between areas around Saijo Station and villages in the former towns.
Saijo's convenience and transport in the former towns
Alex
Can I commute and shop without a car?
Yuki
Why is the convenience score on the modest side?
Alex
How does central Saijo differ from the merged towns?
Kai
In the 2020 Census, 7.9% of people used rail or bus to commute to work or school. Public transport use is an average level among Japan's major municipalities, and the car is the main means of travel. The city has Sanyo Shinkansen, Sanyo Line and Kure Line stations, National Route 2 and four Sanyo Expressway interchanges, plus the Higashihiroshima-Kure Expressway.
What the density figures for medical care and schools show
Alex
Are there enough hospitals and clinics?
Yuki
What role does the main hospital play, and where can parents go for advice?
Alex
How should I read the modest welfare score?
Kai
The 2023 medical facilities survey counts 16 hospitals and 133 general clinics, or 7.51 medical facilities per 10,000 residents. Medical facility density is an average level among Japan's major municipalities. The figure divides facility counts by population, so it says nothing about departments or ease of access, and it hides differences between Saijo and the former towns.
Income and migration shaped by industrial parks and universities
Alex
What kinds of workplaces are there in the city?
Yuki
What is the income level of residents?
Alex
Is the population growing or shrinking?
Kai
According to the city's relocation site, the large industrial park in Hachihonmatsu hosts factories making home appliances, semiconductors and automotive parts. Shiwa has a Sanyo Expressway interchange and a distribution park, within commuting range of Hiroshima City. The city promotes a next-generation academic city plan, with four university campuses and the Hiroshima Central Science Park.
A town where more people live than are registered
Yuki
Is the registered population the same as the number of people actually living here?
Alex
Does this figure affect the scores?
Kai
No. The 2025 Census population is 198,502, while the Basic Resident Register population on 1 January 2026 is 191,300, giving a residency rate of 103.76%. The rate is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities, meaning some people live in the city while keeping their registration elsewhere, a pattern common where students gather.
Who this city suits
Families with children
For families, the materials are the Sukusuku Support centre for birth and childcare, the postnatal care programme, support such as medical expense subsidies, and a school density of 0.25 per square kilometre of habitable land. Points to watch: school density is on the low side and school journeys can be long in some districts, and flood inundation assumptions along the Kurose and Numata rivers should be checked.
Young singles
For single residents, the materials are an average monthly rent of 45,151 yen for rented housing and a commuting pattern in which 7.9% of people use rail or bus. Points to watch: the car is the main means of travel, and restaurant density is on the low side, so if eating out nearby matters, choose the central area served by the loop bus or somewhere close to a station.
Seniors
For seniors, the materials are 7.51 medical facilities per 10,000 residents, Higashihiroshima Medical Center with its regional cancer care hub designation, and community buses that serve hospital trips in the former towns. Points to watch: official material on medical facilities in each former town could not be confirmed, and local bus routes change, so check services for your district on the city's official pages.
Remote workers
For remote workers, the materials are an average residential land price of 54,796 yen per square metre, the vacant house bank with renovation subsidies, trial relocation housing, and a free relocation consultation desk. Points to watch: snow settles in winter in the mountain towns, and landslide warning zones designated by the prefecture exist within the city, so check candidate sites on the hazard maps.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
The city publishes the Higashihiroshima Hazard Map and Earthquake Disaster Prevention Map as two booklets, one for Saijo, Hachihonmatsu, Shiwa and Takaya and one for Kurose, Fukutomi, Toyosaka, Kochi and Akitsu. Flood inundation zones cover the Kurose, Numata, Mukunashi, Irino and Mitsuo rivers, with separate zones for the maximum anticipated rainfall. Tsunami and storm surge inundation zones appear only in the Kurose, Fukutomi, Toyosaka, Kochi and Akitsu edition. Landslide warning zones and special warning zones are designated by Hiroshima Prefecture under the Sediment Disaster Prevention Act and mark areas at risk of debris flows, slope failures and landslides. The earthquake map, based on the prefecture's damage assessment, shows approximate seismic intensity in roughly 500-metre squares. Reservoir inundation zones are not on the city map and are published by the prefecture. Area-by-area hazard maps split from the March 2021 booklet and a small and medium river hazard map are also published. Check down to your exact street address with the city's official maps and the Geospatial Information Authority's overlay hazard map.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 5.27 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 54,796 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 45,151 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 7.9 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 1,230 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 6.20 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 594 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 2.99 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 103.8 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 7.51 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 16 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.81 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 133 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 6.70 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 60 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.302 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.254 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,667,068 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | -340 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | -0.17 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 198,502 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 1,046 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 14,735 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 5 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 237 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 191,300 | 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 municipalityHiroshima 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 (21)
- 東広島市「東広島市のプロフィール」
- 東広島市移住支援サイト「東広島ってどこ？どんなところ？」
- 東広島市移住支援サイト「東広島の9つのまち」
- 東広島市移住支援サイト「移住・定住支援制度」
- 東広島市移住支援サイト「東広島の子育て」
- 東広島市移住支援サイト「移住者を迎える地域の紹介」
- 東広島市「移住定住・二地域居住」
- 東広島市「東広島市の公共交通」
- 東広島市「西条市街地循環バス「のんバス」」
- 東広島市「地域公共交通-コミュニティバス等-」
- 東広島市「西条エアポートリムジン」
- 広島県「東広島市 地域の魅力・暮らし情報特集」
- 東広島市観光協会
- 国立病院機構 東広島医療センター「病院のご案内」
- 東広島市「東広島市ハザードマップ・地震防災マップ及び避難所一覧」
- 東広島市「東広島市（地域別）ハザードマップ」
- 東広島市「中小河川ハザードマップ」
- 広島県警察「市区町別 刑法犯包括罪種別 認知状況（令和7年）」
- e-Stat 政府統計の総合窓口（国勢調査・住宅・土地統計調査・経済センサス・医療施設調査・学校基本調査・住民基本台帳人口移動報告）
- 国土数値情報 地価公示データ L01（国土交通省）
- 総務省「市町村税課税状況等の調」
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-11-06 · Data updated 2026-11-06