Chuson-ji, Hiraizumi, Iwate
Photo: Chuson-ji, Hiraizumi, Iwate · Shino Nakamura / Unsplash

Miyako City Housing Market Report 2026

Data updated 2026-11-11 · Source: MLIT transaction price survey, 2005 Q3–2026 Q2 · Transactions in 2025: 46

In short

  1. 1
    The trend has turned down

    After rising earlier, house prices per m² have slipped by about 2.8% a year over the last five years.

  2. 2
    Moving with Iwate

    Per m², houses here are 21% below the Iwate average.

  3. 3
    Sales are thinning out

    Transactions are down about 73% on the previous three years.

  4. 4
    What a typical purchase costs

    Half of all house sales last year were between ¥3.5M and ¥13.0M.

The answers, compared

What does a home cost?

¥5.5M

median house · ¥57k/m²

31% below the Iwate median

6 of 8 areas in Iwate, highest first

Can local earners afford it?

1.9× income

median price ÷ average taxable income

Easier than Iwate (3.9×)

9 of 9 areas in Iwate, highest first

Rent or buy?

13years of rent

median price ÷ a year of median rent

Shorter than Iwate (22)

9 of 9 areas in Iwate, highest first

Are people moving in?

-12.1%

population, 2020–25

Shrinking faster than Iwate (-7.0%)

10 of 10 areas in Iwate, highest first

How risky is it?

59%

chance of strong shaking (6-lower+) in 30 years

Higher than Iwate (12%)

1 of 10 areas in Iwate, highest first

Rent in Miyako City

The average private rental costs ¥48k a month (2023), +5.3% since 2018. Iwate: ¥49k

Floor areaAverage rent / month
under 30 m²
studio / 1K
¥42k
vs 2018 +1.8% · Iwate: ¥41k
30–49 m²
1LDK / 2DK
¥49k
vs 2018 +13.5% · Iwate: ¥48k
50–69 m²
2LDK / 3DK
¥52k
vs 2018 +7.5% · Iwate: ¥57k
70–99 m²
3LDK / family
¥50k
vs 2018 -2.8% · Iwate: ¥59k
100–149 m²
mostly houses
¥40k
vs 2018 -12.6% · Iwate: ¥51k
Rent per m²
¥1,160
median, per month · Iwate: ¥1,223

Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Housing and Land Survey 2023. Privately owned rentals (excluding rent-free homes), monthly rent without management fees. These averages include older homes, so they run below asking rents for newly listed units. 3,070 rented homes.

What the data says

The trend has turned down

After rising earlier, house prices per m² have slipped by about 2.8% a year over the last five years. That often reflects weaker local demand, so check vacancy and population trends before buying.

Moving with Iwate

Per m², houses here are 21% below the Iwate average. That position has barely changed in ten years, so it moves with the wider market.

Sales are thinning out

Transactions are down about 73% on the previous three years. Fewer sales mean less choice and slower resale, so allow more time to sell later.

What a typical purchase costs

Half of all house sales last year were between ¥3.5M and ¥13.0M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A shrinking population

The population fell 12.1% between 2020 and 2025 (−7% for the wider area). More people moved out than in during 2025 (about 6.8 per 1,000 residents), which weakens long-term housing demand.

Many abandoned homes

22.2% of homes were empty in 2023 (17.3% for the wider area), and 13.6% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes. That is a high share of truly abandoned homes (akiya), a sign of weak demand. Cheap houses are easy to find, but resale can be slow.

High earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 59% chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or stronger in the next 30 years (12% for the wider area). Check the building's earthquake standard (post-1981, ideally post-2000 for wooden houses) and consider earthquake insurance.

Local incomes are close to average

Taxpayers here reported an average taxable income of ¥2.9m in 2023 (¥3.1m for the wider area). That is +10% since 2014. Averages are pulled up by a few very high earners, so a typical household earns less than this.

Official land prices are still falling

On the government's fixed benchmark sites, which are valued the same way every year, residential land prices changed -2% in the year to January 2026 and -5% over five years. Because these sites don't change, this is the cleanest measure of land value trends.

Significant flood risk

Of the official land-price benchmark sites here, which sit in typical neighbourhoods, 40% are inside the worst-case flood zone (40% with expected depths of 3 m or more), 60% are in a tsunami inundation zone. Most worst-case flood zones are shallow (under 0.5 m) at the edges, so depth matters as much as the share. Check the hazard map for any specific address before buying.

Living in Miyako City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
44,277
-12.1% since 2020
Iwate: -7.0%
Net moves in 2025
-301
-6.8 per 1,000 residents
Iwate: -3.52
Vacant homes (2023)
22.2%
13.6% empty and not for rent or sale
Iwate: 17.3%
Median rent (2023)
¥36k
per month, all rented homes
Iwate: ¥46k
Strong earthquake risk
58.5%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Iwate: 12.3%
Average income per taxpayer
¥2.9M
taxable income in 2023
Iwate: ¥3.1M
Daytime population
102
people here by day per 100 residents (2020 census)
Foreign residents
0.4%
171 registered residents in 2024
Iwate: 1.0%
Clinics
7.5
per 10,000 residents; 4 hospitals, 20 dental clinics (2020)
Iwate: 7.9
Official land price 2026
¥39k/m²
-1.9% in a year · -5.5% in 5 years
Iwate: ¥30k/m²
Flood exposure
40.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (40.0% 3 m or deeper)
Iwate: 38.2%
Tsunami exposure
60.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a tsunami inundation zone
Iwate: 10.7%
Landslide exposure
0.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a landslide warning area
Iwate: 5.1%

Check flood, landslide and tsunami zones for a specific address on the government hazard map ↗

Sources: 2025 Census (preliminary), 2025 Internal Migration Report, 2023 Housing and Land Survey (Statistics Bureau of Japan); J-SHIS seismic hazard model (NIED, 2024); Land Price Publication (MLIT); recorded crime: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (Tokyo only); incomes: Ministry of Internal Affairs taxation survey via the Statistics Bureau's municipal indicators; foreign residents: Basic Resident Register; medical facilities and station passengers: MLIT National Land Numerical Information. Earthquake probability is measured at the municipal center.

Example sales in Miyako City

Real transactions from the last four quarters, picked near the lower (20th percentile), middle and upper (80th percentile) price points. Locations are shown at district level, as published by MLIT.

House

Lower-priced2026 Q1

¥3.5M

¥50k/m²

  • Fujinokawa
  • Sokei · 24 min walk
  • Land 110 m² · floor 70 m²
  • Built 1990 (36 yrs) · Wood
Typical2026 Q2

¥5.3M

¥42k/m²

  • Kampana
  • Sentoku · 5 min walk
  • Land 150 m² · floor 125 m²
  • Built 1991 (35 yrs) · Wood
Higher-priced2026 Q1

¥15.0M

¥42k/m²

  • Fujiwara
  • Sokei · 15 min walk
  • Land 660 m² · floor 360 m²
  • Built 1965 (61 yrs) · Wood
Median transaction price by year
¥0¥5.0M¥10.0M¥15.0M¥20.0M2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouse
2007¥8.3M
2008¥9.5M
2009¥6.3M
2010¥9.0M
2011¥8.1M
2012¥12.0M
2013¥12.0M
2014¥9.5M
2015¥11.0M
2016¥12.0M
2017¥10.0M
2018¥19.0M
2019¥5.6M
2020¥11.5M
2021¥13.0M
2022¥9.3M
2024¥10.0M
2025¥5.5M
Median price per m² by year
¥0¥50k¥100k¥150k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouseLand
2007¥56k/m²¥24k/m²
2008¥54k/m²¥31k/m²
2009¥47k/m²¥20k/m²
2010¥63k/m²¥17k/m²
2011¥70k/m²¥20k/m²
2012¥112k/m²¥23k/m²
2013¥100k/m²¥25k/m²
2014¥67k/m²¥23k/m²
2015¥77k/m²¥19k/m²
2016¥89k/m²¥12k/m²
2017¥88k/m²¥23k/m²
2018¥90k/m²¥29k/m²
2019¥56k/m²¥26k/m²
2020¥104k/m²¥20k/m²
2021¥107k/m²¥22k/m²
2022¥82k/m²¥21k/m²
2024¥81k/m²–
2025¥57k/m²–

Prices near train stations in Miyako City

Sales from 2023–2025, grouped by nearest station.

StationMedian used condo priceCondo price per m²Median house price (land + building)Walk (min)SalesDaily passengers (2023)
Miyako (宮古)––¥12.0M1333715-21% vs 2019
Sentoku (千徳)––¥13.0M1520–

How much does a house cost in Miyako City?

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥5.5M in 2025 across 29 sales.

About this data

Figures are medians of real transactions reported to Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) through its quarterly price survey. House prices per m² divide the total price (land and building) by the floor area. Medians based on fewer than 20 sales are not shown. The latest quarters are preliminary and are revised as more survey responses arrive.

Information only, not investment advice.