Okama crater, Mount Zao, Yamagata
Photo: Okama crater, Mount Zao, Yamagata · Nolla / Unsplash

Sagae City Housing Market Report 2026

Data updated 2026-11-11 · Source: MLIT transaction price survey, 2005 Q3–2026 Q2 · Transactions in 2025: 62

In short

  1. 1
    Sales are thinning out

    Transactions are down about 16% on the previous three years.

  2. 2
    What a typical purchase costs

    Half of all house sales last year were between ¥9.0M and ¥30.5M.

  3. 3
    A shrinking population

    The population fell 5% between 2020 and 2025 (−7% for the wider area).

  4. 4
    Typical vacancy

    12.6% of homes were empty in 2023 (13.6% for the wider area), and 6.5% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes.

The answers, compared

What does a home cost?

¥19.0M

median house · ¥100k/m²

32% above the Yamagata median

3 of 9 areas in Yamagata, highest first

Are prices rising?

-16.0%

over 5 years

Slower than Yamagata (-2.4%)

5 of 9 areas in Yamagata, highest first

Can local earners afford it?

6.3× income

median price ÷ average taxable income

Harder than Yamagata (4.8×)

1 of 10 areas in Yamagata, highest first

Rent or buy?

31years of rent

median price ÷ a year of median rent

Longer than Yamagata (27)

2 of 10 areas in Yamagata, highest first

Are people moving in?

-5.0%

population, 2020–25

Shrinking slower than Yamagata (-7.0%)

4 of 12 areas in Yamagata, highest first

How risky is it?

5%

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

In line with Yamagata (5%)

6 of 12 areas in Yamagata, highest first

Rent in Sagae City

The average private rental costs ¥52k a month (2023), +3.2% since 2018. Yamagata: ¥50k

Floor areaAverage rent / month
30–49 m²
1LDK / 2DK
¥48k
vs 2018 -4.0% · Yamagata: ¥50k
50–69 m²
2LDK / 3DK
¥57k
vs 2018 +17.8% · Yamagata: ¥57k
Rent per m²
¥1,184
median, per month · Yamagata: ¥1,239

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. 1,910 rented homes.

What the data says

Sales are thinning out

Transactions are down about 16% 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 ¥9.0M and ¥30.5M. Listings outside that range are either unusual properties or worth a closer look.

A shrinking population

The population fell 5% between 2020 and 2025 (−7% for the wider area). More people moved out than in during 2025 (about 5.5 per 1,000 residents), which weakens long-term housing demand. Households still grew 2.6% as people live in smaller households, which supports demand for smaller homes even as the population shrinks.

Typical vacancy

12.6% of homes were empty in 2023 (13.6% for the wider area), and 6.5% were empty without being for rent, for sale or used as second homes. The level of abandoned homes is around the national norm.

Lower earthquake risk

The government's seismic model gives a 5% chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or stronger in the next 30 years (5% for the wider area). This is low by Japanese standards, although no part of Japan is free of earthquake risk.

Local incomes are close to average

Taxpayers here reported an average taxable income of ¥3.0m in 2023 (¥3.1m for the wider area). That is +14% since 2014. Averages are pulled up by a few very high earners, so a typical household earns less than this.

Official land prices are edging up

On the government's fixed benchmark sites, which are valued the same way every year, residential land prices changed +1% 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.

Little exposure to flooding

Very few of the official benchmark sites here fall in flood, tsunami or landslide zones, so most typical neighbourhoods are outside mapped hazard areas.

Living in Sagae City: people, homes and risks

Population 2025
38,176
-5.0% since 2020
Yamagata: -7.0%
Net moves in 2025
-209
-5.47 per 1,000 residents
Yamagata: -4.31
Vacant homes (2023)
12.6%
6.5% empty and not for rent or sale
Yamagata: 13.6%
Median rent (2023)
¥51k
per month, all rented homes
Yamagata: ¥47k
Strong earthquake risk
4.6%
chance of shaking of intensity 6-lower or more within 30 years
Yamagata: 5.2%
Average income per taxpayer
¥3.0M
taxable income in 2023
Yamagata: ¥3.1M
Daytime population
98
people here by day per 100 residents (2020 census)
Foreign residents
1.4%
532 registered residents in 2024
Yamagata: 1.0%
Clinics
9.7
per 10,000 residents; 2 hospitals, 20 dental clinics (2020)
Yamagata: 9.3
Official land price 2026
¥28k/m²
+1.1% in a year · +4.6% in 5 years
Yamagata: ¥24k/m²
Flood exposure
0.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a worst-case flood zone (0.0% 3 m or deeper)
Yamagata: 34.4%
Landslide exposure
0.0%
of 5 benchmark sites in a landslide warning area
Yamagata: 4.8%

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 Sagae 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-priced2025 Q3

¥7.0M

¥32k/m²

  • Marunouchi
  • Sagae · 10 min walk
  • Land 170 m² · floor 220 m²
  • Built 1965 (60 yrs) · Wood
Typical2025 Q3

¥19.0M

¥173k/m²

  • Oaza Shima
  • Minami Sagae · 5 min walk
  • Land 200 m² · floor 110 m²
  • Built 2006 (19 yrs) · Wood
Higher-priced2025 Q4

¥28.0M

¥329k/m²

  • Takasedai
  • Sagae · 12 min walk
  • Land 250 m² · floor 85 m²
  • Built 2026 (0 yrs) · Wood
Median transaction price by yearA sharp recent rise — The median house price rose 36% between 2023 and 2025. Prices per m² rose 61% too, so this is a genuine like-for-like increase, not just bigger homes selling. With only 31 house sales in 2025, a handful of expensive deals can move the median a lot.
¥0¥5.0M¥10.0M¥15.0M¥20.0M2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouse
2007–
2008¥15.5M
2009¥10.5M
2010¥17.0M
2011–
2012¥15.0M
2013¥18.0M
2014¥18.0M
2015¥12.0M
2016¥16.0M
2017¥16.0M
2018¥19.0M
2019¥15.0M
2020¥14.0M
2021¥18.0M
2022¥4.5M
2023¥14.0M
2024–
2025¥19.0M
Median price per m² by year
¥0¥50k¥100k¥150k¥200k2007200920112013201520172019202120232025
Show data table
YearHouseLand
2007–¥32k/m²
2008¥96k/m²¥29k/m²
2009¥70k/m²¥27k/m²
2010¥80k/m²¥29k/m²
2011–¥30k/m²
2012¥85k/m²¥24k/m²
2013¥124k/m²¥28k/m²
2014¥125k/m²¥27k/m²
2015¥94k/m²¥19k/m²
2016¥84k/m²¥24k/m²
2017¥143k/m²¥30k/m²
2018¥161k/m²¥16k/m²
2019¥88k/m²¥19k/m²
2020¥133k/m²¥25k/m²
2021¥155k/m²¥19k/m²
2022¥44k/m²¥20k/m²
2023¥62k/m²¥24k/m²
2024–¥25k/m²
2025¥100k/m²¥21k/m²
Price per m² by building age (2021–2025 sales)
¥0¥100k¥200k¥300k05101520253035404550
Show data table
Building age (years)House
0¥231k/m²
50¥29k/m²

Prices near train stations in Sagae 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)
Sagae (寒河江)––¥18.0M15481,704-6% vs 2019
Nishi Sagae (西寒河江)––¥18.0M1014–

How much does a house cost in Sagae City?

The median house sale, including the land, was ¥19.0M in 2025 across 31 sales.

Are property prices in Sagae City going up?

Over the five years to 2025, residential land prices changed -16.0%.

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.