Livability Report
HiratsukaLivability Score
Kanagawa·Pop. 257,765
Hiratsuka lies in south-central Kanagawa, on the plain formed by the lower Sagami and Kaname rivers and the plateaus and hills around it. The south faces Sagami Bay, and the city spreads northwest in a fan shape from about 4 kilometers of coastline. Behind it rise the foothills of Tanzawa and Oyama, with views toward Fuji and Hakone. Long known as a post town on the Tokaido, it grew around Hiratsuka Station after the Tokaido Main Line opened in 1887. A naval powder arsenal brought industry, and the Tanabata festival that began during recovery from wartime damage is still the face of the city.
Published 2026-10-27 · Data updated 2026-10-27
Where in Japan
Overall Score
43.1
39.8
51.7
52.7
60.4* 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
Safety43.1Cost39.8Convenience51.7Welfare52.7Economy60.4Basic Information
Population
257,765
Prefecture
Kanagawa
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
From post town to industrial city, and then a city of Tanabata
Yuki
Where does the name come from, and what kind of history does the town have?
Alex
What turned a post town into an industrial town?
Yuki
How did the big summer festival get started?
Kai
By tradition the name comes from a burial mound that flattened over time. In 1601 Tokugawa Ieyasu set up the post station system on the Tokaido and Hiratsuka-juku was born; the city charter still calls it a post town of the Tokaido. In 1887 the Tokaido Main Line opened, Hiratsuka Station followed, and the town grew around it.
Penal code offenses: 6.73 per 1,000 residents
Alex
Safety is the first thing I worry about before moving. What do the numbers show?
Yuki
How is that number actually counted?
Alex
How should I use this number when choosing where to live?
Kai
Kanagawa Prefectural Police figures by municipality show Hiratsuka recorded 1,734 penal code offenses in 2025, or 6.73 per 1,000 residents. The crime figure is an average level among Japan's major municipalities, toward the upper end of that range. Since a lower rate is better for daily life, the safety score is 43.1. Kanagawa overall was 5.44 per 1,000.
Land 149,402 yen per m², rent 57,404 yen
Alex
Whether I buy or rent, what does housing cost here?
Yuki
Do prices differ much from one part of the city to another?
Alex
Are there programs for people moving in?
Kai
In the 2026 official land price survey, residential land averages 149,402 yen per m², and the land price is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, monthly rent averages 57,404 yen, and rent is also higher than the median. Lower housing costs help daily life, so the cost score is 39.8.
Commuting by rail or bus: 23.7%
Alex
Can I live here without a car?
Yuki
How do people get around in the areas away from the station?
Alex
What about shopping and eating out?
Kai
In the 2020 census, 23.7% commuted to work or school by rail or bus. The public transport share is an average level among Japan's major municipalities, toward the upper end of that range. Because the town grew around Hiratsuka Station, walking and cycling cover errands near the station, while homes on the plateaus and hills rely on cars or buses.
Medical facilities 7.68 per 10,000, schools 0.83 per habitable km²
Alex
Are there enough hospitals and schools?
Yuki
Where do people go in an emergency?
Alex
Is there support and somewhere to ask about raising children?
Kai
The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions counts 9 hospitals and 189 clinics, together 7.68 facilities per 10,000 residents. Medical facilities are an average level among Japan's major municipalities, toward the lower end. The 2024 School Basic Survey counts 52 schools, or 0.83 per habitable km²; school density is also average, toward the upper end. The welfare score is 52.7.
Taxable income 3,715,018 yen, net in-migration 1,348 people
Yuki
What do the local industries and workplaces look like?
Alex
How are incomes, and are people moving in or out?
Yuki
What are the challenges ahead for local industry?
Kai
The city calls itself a balanced commercial, industrial and farming city. Industry grew from the naval arsenal, and industrial parks followed, including Banyu Industrial Park in 1965. Suka fishing port (1951) is the base for set-net fishing for horse mackerel and sardines and whitebait seining; Suka was once known for pole-and-line bonito, and charter-boat tourism fishing is active now.
Residency rate: 100.7%
Alex
Does the registered population match the number of people actually living here?
Yuki
Why would there be a gap like that?
Kai
The 2025 census counted 257,765 people, and the resident register as of January 1, 2026 listed 255,967. Dividing the census by the register gives a residency rate of 100.7%, which is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities, so slightly more people live here than are registered. This is a supplementary indicator not used in the five axis scores.
Who this city suits
Families with children
School density is 0.83 per habitable km², an average level, and the city has a Child and Family Center and a subsidy for children's medical costs. Points to watch: housing costs. Land at 149,402 yen per m² and rent at 57,404 yen are both higher than the median, so budget with distance from the station and the school commute in mind.
Young singles
Restaurants are 3.83 per 1,000 residents and retail 6.34, an average level, and 23.7% commute by rail or bus. Points to watch: crime. At 6.73 offenses per 1,000, an average level but toward the upper end, check evening foot traffic around the station. Rent at 57,404 yen is higher than the median.
Seniors
Medical facilities are 7.68 per 10,000, an average level, and Hiratsuka City Hospital, a regional medical support hospital, has an emergency and critical care center. Points to watch: getting around. The public transport share is 23.7%, an average level, so in hilly plateau neighborhoods check community bus and bus routes before you decide.
Remote workers
Taxable income is 3,715,018 yen, an average level, net in-migration is 0.52%, higher than the median, and there are a relocation home loan and a vacant house bank. Points to watch: land. At 149,402 yen per m² it is higher than the median, so weigh the sea and mountain views against the price on site.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
On its Hazard Maps page the city publishes flood, inland flooding, landslide, reservoir and storm surge hazard maps, plus an earthquake disaster prevention map and a tsunami hazard map; all can also be viewed on the Hiratsuka Wakuwaku Map GIS. The flood hazard map is based on the maximum assumed rainfall inundation maps published by the national government and the prefecture for the Sagami and Kaname river systems, with evacuation site information revised in 2022. The inland flooding map assumes maximum assumed rainfall with the receiving rivers at the height of their levees. The storm surge map, based on the storm surge inundation zone the prefecture designated along the Sagami Sea coast in May 2021, shows the area and depth of flooding from a maximum assumed storm surge. The tsunami map assumes maximum-class tsunamis such as a Genroku Kanto-type earthquake linked with the Kozu-Matsuda fault zone and a subduction earthquake along the Sagami Trough. Check down to the block level 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) | 6.73 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 149,402 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 57,404 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 23.7 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 1,634 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 6.34 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 988 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 3.83 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 100.7 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 7.68 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 9 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.35 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 189 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 7.33 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 52 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.202 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 0.827 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 3,715,018 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | 1,348 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | 0.52 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 257,765 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 1,734 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 50,059 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 5 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 63 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 255,967 | 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 municipalityKanagawa 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 (23)
- Hiratsuka City, Administrative Overview 2026 (PDF)
- Hiratsuka City, Natural Environment Assessment Summary (PDF)
- Hiratsuka City, Origins and Features of the Festival
- Hiratsuka City, History of Hiratsuka: Chronology
- Hiratsuka City, Overview of the Fishing Industry
- Hiratsuka City, Shonan Hiratsuka Fureai Market (Morning Market)
- Hiratsuka City, Hazard Maps
- Hiratsuka City, Flood Hazard Map
- Hiratsuka City, Inland Flooding Hazard Map
- Hiratsuka City, Storm Surge Hazard Map
- Hiratsuka City, Earthquake Disaster Prevention Map and Tsunami Hazard Map
- Kanagawa Prefectural Police, Penal Code Offenses by Type and Municipality, final figures as of December 2025 (PDF)
- Hiratsuka City, Child and Family Center
- Hiratsuka City, Children's Medical Cost Subsidy
- Hiratsuka City, Relocation and Settlement Promotion
- Hiratsuka City, Vacant House Bank Listings
- Hiratsuka City, Community Bus betWEen liner
- Hiratsuka City, Industrial Promotion Vision (PDF)
- Hiratsuka City Hospital Overview (city document, PDF)
- e-Stat, Portal Site of Official Statistics of Japan (Population Census, Housing and Land Survey, Economic Census, Survey of Medical Institutions, School Basic Survey, Report on Internal Migration)
- National Land Numerical Information, Official Land Prices (MLIT)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Survey on Municipal Tax Assessment
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Population Based on the Basic Resident Register
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-10-27 · Data updated 2026-10-27