Northland population continues to grow
Te Tai Tokerau has one of the highest growth rates in the North Island with a population increase of 8.3 per cent from 179,076 in 2018 to 194,007, according to the latest census data.
Northland came in just behind Waikato which had an increase of 8.9 per cent. Nationally the growth rate was 6.3 per cent, increasing New Zealand’s population to 4,993,923.
Census data is vital for the work of the council and government agencies. The snapshot the census provides helps inform planning and policy decisions for economic development, transportation, healthcare, and education.
The 2023 census figures, released last week, showed that the number of dwellings in Northland jumped 8.8 per cent to 88,092, while nationally the figure stands at 9 per cent (2,056,578) compared to the 2018 census.
There are 77,475 people in Te Tai Tokerau of Māori descent, which is 39.9 per cent of the total population in Northland and an increase of 11.9 per cent since 2018.
Nationally, there are almost a million New Zealanders of Māori descent, an increase of 12.5 per cent. The census provides counts of Māori in two ways - Māori descent and Māori ethnicity. Māori descent is based on whakapapa while affiliation to the Māori ethnic group is a self-determined cultural affiliation.
Data shows New Zealand’s population continues to age as the 2023 Census showed New Zealander’s median age has increased by 0.7 per cent from 37.4 years to 38.1 years. The median age of Northland’s population is 43.2, older than the national median age of 37.4, a rise of 0.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively.
New Zealand’s 35th Census took place on 7 March 2023. It is designed to give a snapshot of life, people, and communities at a point in time and takes place every five years.
More information about the 2023 Census results can be found on the Statistics New Zealand website here.
