Livability Report
IbarakiLivability Score
Osaka·Pop. 287,688
Ibaraki lies in northern Osaka Prefecture, bordering Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture to the north, Takatsuki to the east, Settsu to the south, and Suita and Minoh to the west. The city is long from north to south and narrow from east to west. The northern half sits at the foot of the Oinosaka mountains, the southern half on the Mishima plain, part of the Osaka plain. The Ai and Ibaraki rivers flow from north to south. The city was formed in 1948 when Ibaraki town merged with three villages. Large factories arrived around 1960, and the 1970 Expo spurred development around the stations. JR, Hankyu and Osaka Monorail lines run through the city. It has the character of a bedroom community for Osaka city, while the city describes itself as both an industrial and a residential city.
Published 2026-11-03 · Data updated 2026-11-03
Where in Japan
Overall Score
46.4
32.6
51.1
59.0
61.3* 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
Safety46.4Cost32.6Convenience51.1Welfare59.0Economy61.3Basic Information
Population
287,688
Prefecture
Osaka
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
From post town on the highway to a city of industry and housing
Yuki
What history shaped the town into what it is today?
Alex
I have an impression of a factory town. Is that what it is really like?
Yuki
Does the mountainous north have any character of its own?
Kai
Burial mounds from across the Kofun period remain, and Ibaraki Castle, the base of local prosperity, was built in the late Muromachi period. In the Edo period the Saigoku highway served feudal processions, and the Tsubaki honjin where lords lodged survives. Koriyama was the middle of five post towns between Kyoto and Nishinomiya, named for a five-colored camellia.
How to read the crime figures
Alex
Should I worry about safety at night or on the school walk?
Yuki
Can the city figure and the prefecture figure be read with the same yardstick?
Alex
Beyond the numbers, is there anything I can check for safety?
Kai
In the Osaka Prefectural Police final figures for 2025, Ibaraki recorded 1,757 penal code offences, or 6.11 per 1,000 residents. Recognized 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 46.4.
Land prices and rent at a level typical of northern Osaka
Alex
If I rent or buy a home, how much should I brace for?
Yuki
Why do housing costs in this town reach that kind of level?
Alex
If I want to keep the budget down, are there city programs I can use?
Kai
In the 2026 official land price survey, the average of residential points is 193,224 yen per square meter; the land price is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities. In the 2023 Housing and Land Survey, average rent is 68,026 yen a month, also higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities. Lower is better. Cost score: 32.6.
Why the convenience score stays modest in a town with three rail lines
Alex
I plan to commute by train. How is convenience rated here?
Yuki
Then why does the overall score end up on the modest side?
Alex
Without a car, how do you get around beyond the stations?
Kai
The convenience score is 51.1, built from the share of people commuting by rail or bus and retail and restaurant establishments per 1,000 residents. In the 2020 census, 33.3% of commuters used rail or bus, higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities. JR, Hankyu and Osaka Monorail stations are in the city, and rail shows up as a strength.
Medical facilities are average, school density is higher
Alex
If I fall ill or get hurt suddenly, are there hospitals I can rely on?
Yuki
Does that figure also show how easy it is to see a doctor?
Alex
From a family's point of view, how are the schools and places to ask for help?
Kai
The city fire department lists Osaka Saiseikai Ibaraki Hospital and Yukokai General Hospital among the city's emergency hospitals. A city plan from March 2022 says Saiseikai Ibaraki Hospital is an approved regional medical support hospital. The 2023 Survey of Medical Institutions counted 14 hospitals and 246 clinics, or 9.04 facilities per 10,000 residents, an average level among Japan's major municipalities.
Income is higher, and more people move in than out
Yuki
What is the income level of the people who live here like?
Alex
Is the population growing, or is it shrinking?
Yuki
What are the main places for work and study in this town?
Kai
In the Ministry of Internal Affairs survey of municipal taxation for 2025, taxable income per taxpayer is 4,133,482 yen, higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities. Factories arriving around 1960 and private universities including Ritsumeikan overlap here, and the higher income is the other side of the higher land prices and rent. The economy score is 61.3.
Registered population versus people actually living here
Yuki
Do the registered population and the number of people actually living here match?
Alex
How does this indicator relate to the five axis scores?
Kai
The 2025 census population is 287,688 and the 2026 Basic Resident Register population is 286,089, so the residency rate, census divided by register, is 100.56%. The residency rate is higher than the median of Japan's major municipalities, suggesting many people live here without moving their registration. The several private universities in the city are one possible background.
Who this city suits
Families with children
School density is higher, and there is a child medical expense subsidy and the child consultation group at Onikuru. Points to watch: housing costs, as both land prices and rent are at a higher level. Retail density is lower, so walk from candidate addresses to check that daily shopping is close.
Young singles
JR, Hankyu and Osaka Monorail stations are here, and the share of commuters using rail or bus is higher. Points to watch: rent, as the average for rented homes is at a higher level. Restaurant density is average, so if you eat out a lot, check how close the station-front shopping streets are.
Seniors
Saiseikai Ibaraki Hospital and others are listed as emergency hospitals, and the number of hospitals and clinics is average. Points to watch: terrain, as the north lies at the foot of the mountains and landslides can occur near slopes. Even on the plain, walk the slopes to the station and the bus routes yourself.
Remote workers
Taxable income is higher, and the station area has Onikuru, shopping streets and community cycle ports. Points to watch: housing costs, since a larger floor plan for working from home runs into the higher rent and land prices. Consider newer housing areas in the north such as Saito as well.
Disaster risk and hazard maps
The city produced its Flood and Landslide Hazard Map in June 2021 and updated it in fiscal 2024 after the Ai River Dam entered service, reflecting the latest flood and landslide risk. The Ai River Dam is a flood control dam on the Ai River in the Yodo River system, protecting areas along the river. The prefecture's flood inundation maps assume both the maximum anticipated rainfall and the planning-scale rainfall, and in May 2025 the city designated rainwater inundation areas under the Flood Control Act. Landslides are possible in the mountainous north and near slopes. The booklet is also handed out when you register as a new resident. Check down to your exact street address with the city's official map and the GSI Hazard Map Portal.
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Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 6.11 | 2025 |
| Avg. Land Price (¥/m²) | 193,224 | 2026 |
| Avg. Rent (¥) | 68,026 | 2023 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 33.3 | 2020 |
| Retail Establishments | 1,352 | 2021 |
| Retail Establishments (per 1,000) | 4.70 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments | 940 | 2021 |
| Restaurant Establishments (per 1,000) | 3.27 | 2021 |
| Residency Rate (%, census ÷ resident register) | 100.6 | 2025 |
| Medical Facilities (per 10,000, hospitals + clinics) | 9.04 | 2023 |
| Hospitals | 14 | 2023 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.49 | 2023 |
| Clinics | 246 | 2023 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 8.55 | 2023 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 57 | 2024 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.198 | 2024 |
| Schools (per habitable km²) | 1.159 | 2024 |
| Taxable Income per Capita (¥) | 4,133,482 | 2025 |
| Net Migration | 681 | 2025 |
| Net Migration Rate (%) | 0.24 | 2025 |
| Total Population | 287,688 | 2025 |
| crime_count | 1,757 | 2025 |
| crime_count_pref | 84,107 | 2025 |
| crime_rate_pref_per_1000 | 10 | 2025 |
| habitable_area_km2 | 49 | 2024 |
| resident_registry_population | 286,089 | 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 municipalityOsaka 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 (26)
- Ibaraki City: Geography of Ibaraki
- Ibaraki City: History of the city
- Ibaraki City: Koriyama post town honjin
- Ibaraki City: Christian Relics Museum visitor guide
- Ibaraki City: Specialties, tourism, direct sales and landscape
- Wikipedia: Ibaraki, Osaka (Japanese)
- Ritsumeikan University: Osaka Ibaraki Campus spatial concept
- Ibaraki City: Comprehensive Transport Strategy (draft)
- Ibaraki City: Hankyu Ibaraki-shi Station west exit area development
- Ibaraki City industry site: Search by shopping street
- Ibaraki City: Onikuru special page
- Ibaraki City: Emergency hospitals in the city
- Ibaraki City: Basic plan for the hospital to be attracted
- Ibaraki City: Child medical expenses
- Ibaraki City: Child consultation group
- Ibaraki City: Vacant house bank
- Ibaraki City: Subsidy and grant programs pamphlet
- Ibaraki City: Flood and Landslide Hazard Map
- Ibaraki City: About landslides
- Osaka Prefecture: Flood inundation area maps
- Osaka Prefecture: Outline of the Ai River Dam project
- Osaka Prefectural Police: Crime statistics for 2025 (final)
- Osaka Prefectural Police: Recognized penal code offences by municipality, type and method
- e-Stat (Census, Housing and Land Survey, Economic Census, Survey of Medical Institutions, School Basic Survey, Basic Resident Register migration report)
- National Land Numerical Information: Official land prices L01 (MLIT)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Survey of municipal taxation
Data years: mainly 2025 (2020–2026 by indicator)
Published 2026-11-03 · Data updated 2026-11-03