First results from the 2023 census released
New Zealand’s population is growing older and becoming more ethnically diverse, with a significant slowdown in overall growth between censuses, according to the first results from the 2023 census released by Stats NZ.
Population growth and distribution
The census counted an additional 294,168 people since 2018, bringing the total population to nearly 5 million (4,993,923).
“Population growth slowed to 6.3% between censuses, down from the 10.8% growth rate between the 2013 and 2018 censuses,” said Mark Sowden (pictured above), government statistician and Stats NZ CEO.
Key findings include:
- 76.3% of people lived in the North Island, with 33.2% in Auckland.
- The South Island had the fastest growth at 7.3%.
- Auckland’s growth rate halved to 5.4%, with only the Tasman region exceeding 10%.
- Wellington and Southland had the slowest regional growth at 2.8% and 2.7%, respectively.
- All regions saw population growth except Wellington city and the Chatham Islands, which had slight decreases.
Demographic changes
The census also highlighted shifts in demographics.
“In 2023, one in five people were of Māori descent,” Sowden said, with a 12.5% increase in the Māori descent population since 2018. The median age rose to 38.1 years, indicating an ageing population.
Ethnic diversity continues to grow, with the European ethnic group making up 67.8% of the population.
Other ethnic groups saw significant increases:
- Māori: 17.8%
- Asian: 17.3%
- Pacific peoples: 8.9%
- Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (MELAA): 1.9%
“While people of European ethnicity made up the majority of the population in 2023, the ethnic make-up of the population continued to diversify,” Sowden said.
Importance for decision-making
Sowden stressed the value of this data for various stakeholders.
“The data we have released will enable local authorities, iwi and hapū, community organisations, and the people of Aotearoa New Zealand to incorporate census data into their decision-making about the infrastructure and services needed by communities across the country,” Sowden chief said.
Detailed data and further insights will be published by Stats NZ starting from Oct. 3, with specific Māori descent data available on the Te Whata platform from Sept. 26.
For more information, read the Stats NZ media release.
See LinkedIn post here.
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