Saitama City had a population of 1,324,025 in 2020 and net in-migration of 7,631 people in 2023, with population growth projected through 2035. The merged city of Urawa, Omiya, and Yono has grown by combining Tokyo-commuter residential areas with a major business center within Saitama Prefecture.
Saitama City population structure (2020 Census)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Total population | 1,324,025 |
| Children aged 0–14 | 168,805 (12.7%) |
| Working-age population aged 15–64 | 821,211 (62.0%) |
| Population aged 65+ | 304,992 (23.0%) |
| Daytime population | 1,229,480 |
| Daytime/nighttime population ratio | 92.9% |
| In-migrants (2023) | 77,210 |
| Out-migrants (2023) | 69,579 |
| Net migration | +7,631 |
Population forecast: growth through 2035, then broadly flat
| Projection year | Projected population |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,353,876 |
| 2030 | 1,362,700 |
| 2035 | 1,365,486 |
| 2045 | 1,361,675 |
Growth through 2035, with the population still around 1.36 million in 2045
In 2020, children aged 0–14 accounted for 12.7% of the population, working-age residents 62.0%, and older residents 23.0%. The daytime/nighttime population ratio was 92.9%. Although people leave the city to work in Tokyo, a larger share remains within the city during the day than in Kawasaki or Yokohama.
The population is projected to rise to 1,353,876 in 2025 and 1,365,486 in 2035, then stand at 1,361,675 in 2045. Rather than a steep decline after the peak, the projection is broadly flat.
Urawa's housing and education appeal and Omiya's transport and commercial functions create two sources of attraction
Urawa and Minami wards are home to families commuting to Tokyo on lines such as the Keihin-Tohoku and Saikyo lines and have the character of established residential and education-oriented districts. Omiya Ward is a major transport hub where the Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku Shinkansen meet conventional rail lines, and it also provides commercial, corporate-branch, and administrative employment.
The city absorbs households in their 30s and 40s seeking more spacious housing as Tokyo housing costs rise, while also offering jobs within the city. That combination helps sustain net in-migration. At the same time, the merged city includes established residential districts that are aging, so local demand will not be uniform even if the citywide population remains flat.
How to read these figures
The future figures shown here are projections, not observed outcomes. They may change depending on future births, deaths, in-migration, and out-migration.
The article is organized primarily around published statistical figures. Numerical values directly observable in the statistical tables should be distinguished from interpretations of background factors.
Summary: Saitama City grows by combining a Tokyo-residential role with its own central-city functions
Saitama City's population growth reflects the combination of Urawa's commuting and residential role with Omiya's transport and commercial functions. Growth is projected to stop after 2035, so the city will need to shift from a growth assumption toward neighborhood-level renewal and responses to aging.
- 2020 population: about 1.324 million
- Net in-migration in 2023: 7,631 people
- 2035 projected population: about 1.365 million
- 2045 remains broadly flat at about 1.362 million
Source: Published statistics listed in the Analysis notes at the end of this article
📊 Analysis notes
This article is based on the following statistical data.
- Statistics used: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Social and Demographic Statistics System (Population and Households) (Table ID: 0000020101, view on e-Stat)
- Area: Saitama City
- Base year: 2020
- Data retrieved: June 6, 2026
- Notes: The article is organized primarily around published population projections. The projected values themselves should be distinguished from interpretations of the factors behind them.
Chart and table values have been independently aggregated and visualized from the statistical data above.
Table values have been organized from the statistical data above.