A linear motor includes a magnet plate on which magnets of different polarity are alternately arranged along a drive direction, and an armature having a core serving as a main body and a coil attached to the core. The magnet plate and the armature are made to relatively move along an arrangement direction of the magnets, by way of thrust produced between the magnet plate and the armature. The magnet plate has a non-thrust region that extends along an arrangement direction of the magnets, and does not contribute to the thrust. The core of the armature at least includes a plurality of main teeth to which the coil is attached. The main teeth are not provided in a region opposing the non-thrust region of the magnet plate.