Livability Report
Saitama
Saitama·Pop. 1,324,025·Data: 2024·Updated Mar 2026
Analyzing Saitama City (Saitama Prefecture) livability across safety, transport, education, and healthcare. Objective scores based on Japanese government open data (e-Stat).
Overall Score
/ 100
5-Axis Score Breakdown
Basic Information
Population
1,324,025
Prefecture
Saitama
Data Year
2024
Detailed Data
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Clinics | 1,027 |
| Clinics (per 10,000) | 7.76 |
| Crime Rate (per 1,000) | 6.77 |
| Hospitals | 39 |
| Hospitals (per 10,000) | 0.29 |
| Total Population | 1,324,025 |
| Public Transit Usage (%) | 42.6 |
| Schools (elementary + junior high + high) | 175 |
| Schools (per 1,000) | 0.13 |
Q&A with Kai
Alex, Yuki, and Kai discuss what it's really like to live here.
Overall
Alex
Saitama is known as a Tokyo bedroom community — how does the data actually look?
Yuki
It's a big city with 1.32 million people. But the overall score of 32.7 seems low?
Kai
Looking at e-Stat data, Saitama's biggest strength is its transport score of 69.1. The public transit usage rate of 42.6% is high for a suburban city, with excellent Tokyo access centered on Omiya Station. However, the overall 32.7 is dragged down by safety at 43.0 and healthcare at just 3.4. With only 39 hospitals for 1.32 million residents (0.29 per 10,000), hospital density is among the lowest nationally.
Safety
Alex
Safety at 43 points doesn't sound great. Is it really that bad?
Yuki
What does the crime rate data actually show?
Kai
The crime rate is 6.77 per 1,000 residents, which is somewhat high among comparable cities. As a city of 1.32 million with entertainment districts like the Omiya Station area, petty crime contributes to the higher figure. However, this doesn't mean violent crime is prevalent — residential areas like Urawa and Midori wards are relatively peaceful. Choosing the right neighborhood is key here.
Cost of Living
Alex
The cost score is null — what are rents actually like?
Yuki
How much cheaper is it compared to Tokyo?
Kai
Land price data hasn't been collected yet so the score is null, but speaking in general terms, 1K apartments run about ¥50,000-70,000/month, and 2LDK units ¥90,000-120,000. That's 30-40% less than Tokyo's 23 wards — same budget gets you a noticeably larger place. The Omiya Station area has excellent shopping facilities for daily necessities, and the cost-performance as a Tokyo commuter base is quite good.
Transport
Alex
Transport score of 69.1 is solid. Omiya Station is the star?
Yuki
Can you commute to Tokyo daily without too much stress?
Kai
Public transit usage is 42.6%, quite high for a suburban city. Omiya Station hosts 15+ lines including JR and private railways, with Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku shinkansen all stopping here. Tokyo Station in about 25 minutes, Shinjuku in 30. The Shonan-Shinjuku Line connects to Yokohama directly too, giving excellent access across the entire metropolitan area. Rush hour congestion exists, but having so many route options is a major advantage.
Education
Alex
Education score of 15.4 is really low — not enough schools?
Yuki
Urawa is supposed to be an academic district — why is this score so low?
Kai
There are 175 schools, but at 0.13 per 1,000 residents, the density is low. The large population of 1.32 million simply outpaces school capacity. That said, the Urawa area is famous as an academic district with prestigious schools like Urawa High School, and educational quality is genuinely high. The score doesn't capture everything, but the density numbers are undeniably tough.
Healthcare
Alex
Healthcare score of 3.4 is shockingly low. Is that a problem?
Yuki
With 1.32 million people, are there really not enough hospitals?
Kai
This is a genuinely concerning figure. With 39 hospitals and just 0.29 per 10,000 residents, it's among the lowest in our comparison set. There are 1,027 clinics (7.76 per 10,000) so you won't struggle to find a regular doctor, but acute care capacity requiring hospitalization is thin. Major facilities like Saitama Red Cross Hospital exist but are limited in number. The saving grace is Saitama's proximity to Tokyo's medical infrastructure — that accessibility effectively supplements local capacity.