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2025 Kansai Region's Desired Living Area Rankings

Daito Kentaku Co., Ltd., headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, has conducted one of the largest living satisfaction surveys to date. The results have culminated in the release of the "2025 Kansai Region's Desired Living Area Rankings".

Overall Impression

Top Station Rankings

For the third consecutive year, Umeda A, which encompasses Osaka Umeda (Hankyu Kobe Line / Hanshin Main Line), Osaka, Kitashinchi, Nishi-Umeda, and Higashi-Umeda, claims the number one spot in the station category. In the second position is Nishinomiya Kitaguchi, located in Nishinomiya City, which has advanced from last year's third place. The third place goes to Kobe Sannomiya A, which integrates Sannomiya, Kobe Sannomiya (Hankyu Kobe Line, Hanshin Main Line, Kobe Rapid Transit), Sannomiya, and Hanadokeimae. Notably, Himeji has made its entry at ninth place in this top ten ranking for the first time.

Top Municipality Rankings

Meanwhile, the top municipality for the seventh consecutive year is Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture. Tokyo's 23 wards remain in second for four years in a row, while Chuo Ward in Kobe City has moved up to third from last year's fourth place. Additionally, Toyonaka City in Osaka has climbed from sixteenth to ninth position in the top ten. In the 11th to 20th spots, Naha City in Okinawa reached 17th, followed by Okinawa City also ranking at 18th.

Resident Affiliation Preferences

A substantial 74.1% of respondents indicated their satisfaction with their current living area. This figure combines the 52.4% who claimed they had no specific desired area, along with the 21.7% who wish to remain in their current residence.

Reasons Behind Preferred Cities

Key reasons for selecting top three "desired areas" include the convenience of living and commute, as well as admiration for beautiful streets and chic environments. Conversely, those expressing a desire not to live in these areas often cited high rents, property prices, and commuting difficulties.

Detailed Rankings by Age Group

The top four preferred areas vary slightly across different age groups, yet the overall preferences in the past year have remained relatively stable. Umeda A continues to reign supreme from ages 20 to 50, while those aged 60 and above regarded Kyoto City in Shimogyo Ward as the most preferred area, climbing from last year's second place to first.

Additionally, in the 20-30 age bracket, Ashiya and Minoh made their first appearances in the ninth position tied, while the 40-50 age group saw Himeji secure a new entry in the tenth spot. The trend among individuals over 60 saw stations from Hyogo prefecture significantly represented in the rankings, with seven stations making the top ten.

Among voters younger than 40, both men and women, as well as couples with children below 50, identified Umeda A as their top choice for the year. However, as age increases, there is a notable rise in the proportion of individuals choosing the options "I don’t have a specific desired area" and "I want to continue living in my current area".

Survey Overview

The study was carried out by collecting responses from a significant sample of 29,982 individuals aged 20 and above residing in the Kansai region, which encompasses Osaka, Hyogo, Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, and Wakayama prefectures. The data was compiled through online surveys conducted between February 21 and March 10, 2025. In terms of demographics, male participants accounted for 54.1%, while females represented 45.9%. Also noteworthy, 61.5% of respondents were married, and 58.5% had children.

In summary, the 2025 Kansai Region's living area rankings reveal a complex tapestry of preferences, strongly influenced by aspects such as convenience, aesthetics, and community satisfaction. For future residents aiming to relocate within Kansai, understanding these dynamics will be essential in making informed decisions about where to live.