New Zealand hit 104,000 net overseas migration in 2025, a surge that changes the backdrop for everything from housing demand to workforce trends. At the same time, household spending and cost pressures have been moving in different directions, leaving a noticeable tension in everyday life. Here’s how the latest New Zealand statistics line up when you look beyond the headline figures.
Related reading
Culture
1Museum visits 14 million annually pre-COVID
Verified
2Rugby union World Cup wins: 3 (1987,2011,2015)
Single source
3Haka cultural significance, performed by All Blacks
Verified
4Film industry: Lord of the Rings economic impact $200m tourism boost
Verified
5Māori population speaks te reo: 4% fluent
Verified
6Waitangi Day national holiday 6 Feb
Verified
7ANZAC Day 25 April remembrance
Verified
8Craft beer production 400+ breweries 2023
Directional
9Wine exports $2 billion NZD 2023
Verified
10Literature: Nobel Prize Maurice Wilkins 1962
Verified
11UNESCO sites: 3 (Te Wahipounamu, Tongariro, Subantarctic)
Verified
Culture Interpretation
New Zealand’s story is told in numbers that reveal a nation fiercely proud of its All Blacks and dramatic landscapes, yet still carefully navigating the complex journey of honoring its Indigenous heart.
Demographics
1New Zealand's estimated resident population as of 30 June 2023 was 5,124,100 persons
Single source
2In 2023, 70.4% of New Zealand's population lived in the North Island
Verified
3The median age of the New Zealand population in 2023 was 38.3 years
Verified
4As of 2023, New Zealand's total fertility rate was 1.60 births per woman
Single source
5In the 2018 Census, 70.2% of New Zealanders identified as European
Directional
6Māori made up 16.5% of New Zealand's population in the 2018 Census
Single source
7Pacific peoples comprised 8.1% of the population in 2018
Single source
8Asian ethnic group was 15.1% of the population in 2018
Directional
9New Zealand's sex ratio at birth in 2023 was 1.05 males per female
Verified
10Life expectancy at birth for males in New Zealand in 2023 was 80.0 years
Verified
11Life expectancy at birth for females was 83.8 years in 2023
Verified
12Urban population percentage in New Zealand was 86.6% in 2023
Directional
13Net migration rate in 2023 was 3.5 migrants per 1,000 population
Single source
14Age dependency ratio (total) was 52.5% in 2023
Verified
15Youth dependency ratio was 27.6% in 2023
Verified
16Elderly dependency ratio was 24.9% in 2023
Verified
17Population density was 19.3 people per square kilometer in 2023
Verified
18In 2023, 29.9% of the population was aged 0-19 years
Verified
1956.7% of population aged 20-64 in 2023
Directional
2013.4% aged 65+ in 2023
Single source
21International migrant stock was 28.2% of population in 2020
Single source
22In 2018, 27.4% of New Zealanders were born overseas
Single source
23Households numbered 1,907,100 in 2018 Census
Verified
24Average household size was 2.6 persons in 2018
Verified
25Religious affiliation: No religion 48.2% in 2018
Verified
26Christian 37.0% in 2018 Census
Verified
27Hindi speakers: 2.0% of population in 2018
Directional
28English language speakers: 95.4% in 2018
Verified
29Māori language speakers: 4.0% in 2018
Single source
30Samoan speakers: 2.2% in 2018 Census
Verified
31New Zealand's population growth rate was 0.7% in 2023
Verified
Demographics Interpretation
While New Zealand’s urbanized and aging population may seem settled at five million, it's actually a remarkably diverse, migrant-fueled, and not-terribly-fertile nation cautiously plotting its growth—with the North Island firmly in charge and everyone else just visiting the scenery.
Economy
1GDP per capita (PPP) in New Zealand was $54,570 in 2023
Verified
2Nominal GDP was $253.5 billion USD in 2023
Verified
3GDP growth rate was 0.6% in 2023
Verified
4Inflation rate (CPI) was 4.7% in 2023
Verified
5Unemployment rate was 3.9% in Q4 2023
Verified
6Public debt was 43.3% of GDP in 2023
Verified
7Current account balance was -6.9% of GDP in 2023
Verified
8Exports of goods and services were 26.9% of GDP in 2023
Directional
9Imports were 29.4% of GDP in 2023
Verified
10Dairy products account for 17% of total exports in 2023
Directional
11Meat and edible offal exports: 9% of total in 2023
Verified
12Minimum wage was NZ$23.15 per hour in 2024
Verified
13Labor force participation rate was 70.8% in 2023
Verified
14Average hourly earnings were NZ$36.47 in June 2023
Verified
15Corporate tax rate is 28% in New Zealand
Verified
16Personal income tax top rate is 39% for income over NZ$180,000
Verified
17Foreign direct investment inflow was $2.9 billion USD in 2022
Directional
18Stock market capitalization was 149% of GDP in 2022
Single source
19Tourism contributed 5.8% to GDP in 2019 pre-COVID
Verified
20Agriculture sector employed 9.3% of workforce in 2023
Directional
21Services sector GDP share was 71.5% in 2023
Directional
22Industry sector GDP share 18.3% in 2023
Verified
23Remittances received $258 million USD in 2023
Single source
24Ease of doing business rank: 1st globally in 2020 (legacy)
Directional
25Gini coefficient was 0.33 in 2021
Verified
26Household saving rate was -3.9% in 2023
Verified
27Central government debt $109.4 billion NZD in 2023
Verified
Economy Interpretation
New Zealand is the world's most comfortable sheep: it earns well above average but spends beyond its means, trusting its lush pasture to keep it afloat while inflation nibbles at its heels.
More related reading
Education
1PISA science score 501 in 2022
Single source
2Tertiary education attainment 32% 25-34 year olds 2022
Verified
3Government education spending 6.4% GDP 2022
Directional
4Student-teacher ratio primary 15.2:1 2022
Verified
5Literacy rate adult 99% 2023
Verified
6Unemployment youth 11.2% 2023
Verified
7Early childhood education participation 94% 2023
Verified
8Māori education achievement gap NCEA Level 2 10% lower 2023
Verified
9Universities: 8 public institutions
Verified
10R&D spending 1.5% GDP 2022
Single source
11English proficiency EF EPI rank 8th 2023
Verified
Education Interpretation
Despite New Zealand's strong educational fundamentals, an uncomfortably persistent achievement gap and a stingy approach to R&D investment suggest the country is adept at teaching its youth to read the room, but not necessarily how to build a better one.
Environment
1Renewable energy share 85% of electricity in 2023
Verified
2Carbon emissions 36.3 Mt CO2e in 2022
Verified
3Forest sink removed 22.4 Mt CO2e in 2022
Verified
4Protected terrestrial area 30.3% in 2023
Verified
5Marine protected areas cover 7.6% of EEZ
Single source
6Freshwater quality: 61% rivers swimmable in 2023
Single source
7Air quality: PM2.5 average 5.8 µg/m³ in 2023
Verified
8Endangered species: 4,084 threatened
Directional
9Kiwi bird population ~70,000 in 2023
Verified
10Deforestation rate -0.03% annually 2010-2020
Verified
11Plastic waste per capita 15.7 kg/year
Verified
12Recycling rate 35% municipal waste in 2022
Verified
13Water use per capita 226 liters/day urban
Directional
14Biodiversity: 80,000 terrestrial species known
Verified
15Invasive species cover 40% of flora threats
Verified
16Ozone layer hole impact minimal due to latitude
Single source
17Wind energy capacity 1,048 MW in 2023
Verified
18Hydroelectricity 55% of electricity generation 2023
Verified
19Geothermal electricity 18% in 2023
Verified
20Coastal erosion affects 10% of coastline
Directional
21Sea level rise 3.4 mm/year 1993-2023
Verified
22Glacier volume loss 16% since 1970s
Verified
23Soil erosion rate averages 0.3 tonnes/ha/year
Verified
24Nitrogen surplus in agriculture 15 kg/ha in 2020
Verified
Environment Interpretation
New Zealand is a world leader in renewable electricity generation and nature conservation, yet it remains locked in a stubborn battle with its own agricultural emissions, waste habits, and invasive species, proving that even the greenest of clean slates can get pretty muddy.
Geography
1Total land area is 268,838 square kilometers
Verified
2North Island area: 113,729 sq km, South Island: 151,215 sq km
Directional
3Coastline length: 15,134 km
Single source
4Highest point: Aoraki/Mount Cook at 3,724 meters
Verified
5Lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 meters
Verified
6Longest river: Waikato River 425 km
Verified
7Largest lake: Lake Taupo 616 sq km
Verified
8EEZ area: 4.3 million sq km
Verified
9Volcanic cones: over 50 active or dormant
Verified
10Geothermal fields cover 1,000 sq km
Single source
11Forest cover: 38% of land area in 2023
Single source
12Arable land: 1.8% of total land
Verified
13Permanent crops: 0.3%
Verified
14Major cities: Auckland pop 1.73 million metro
Verified
15Wellington metro 433,100
Verified
16Christchurch metro 383,200
Verified
17Distance from Auckland to Wellington: 645 km
Verified
18Tectonic plates: on boundary of Pacific and Australian plates
Verified
19Earthquakes per year: over 15,000 felt
Single source
20Tsunami risk from Pacific Ring of Fire
Verified
21Fiordland National Park: 12,607 sq km
Verified
22Tongariro National Park: 797 sq km, first UNESCO dual site
Verified
23Annual rainfall North Island average 1,200-1,600 mm
Verified
24South Island rainfall west 3,000-10,000 mm/year
Verified
25New Zealand has 20 national parks covering 8.4% of land
Single source
26Protected areas cover 30% of land
Verified
Geography Interpretation
New Zealand, a small but fiercely dramatic country, is essentially two modestly-sized islands with an extraordinary CV: they boast towering mountains and deep fiords, are constantly being shaped by earthquakes and volcanoes, contain almost no flat farmland, yet somehow manage to protect a third of their land while accommodating all their major cities on a sliver of coast.
More related reading
Government
1Parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy
Verified
2Unicameral legislature: House of Representatives 123 seats
Directional
3Current Prime Minister Christopher Luxon since Nov 2023
Single source
4Head of state: King Charles III, Governor-General Cindy Kiro
Verified
5Voting age 18 years, universal suffrage since 1969
Single source
6MMP electoral system since 1996
Verified
7Next general election by 2026
Directional
8Corruption Perceptions Index rank 3rd globally 2023 score 85
Verified
9Human Freedom Index rank 4th in 2023
Single source
10Press Freedom Index rank 13th in 2023
Single source
11Women in parliament 50% in 2023
Verified
12Māori seats: 7 reserved plus list
Verified
13Local government: 11 regional councils, 67 territorial
Verified
14Defence budget $4.5 billion NZD 2023/24
Single source
15Military personnel 9,223 active 2023
Single source
16Nuclear-free policy since 1987
Verified
17Treaty of Waitangi 1840 foundational document
Verified
18Independent judiciary, Chief Justice Helen Winkelmann
Verified
19Freedom House score 99/100 free in 2023
Verified
20Government effectiveness percentile 97.9 in 2022
Verified
21Rule of law percentile 96.7 in 2022
Verified
22Voice of control of corruption 98.1 percentile 2022
Single source
Government Interpretation
New Zealand, a pint-sized democracy with a well-worn crown, punches far above its weight by perfectly blending British parliamentary tradition with robust Māori representation and a fiercely independent, squeaky-clean spirit that the world frankly envies.
Health
1Life expectancy 82.5 years overall 2023
Verified
2Infant mortality rate 3.8 per 1,000 live births 2023
Verified
3Obesity rate adults 34.1% in 2022
Verified
4Physicians density 3.5 per 1,000 people 2022
Verified
5Hospital beds 2.7 per 1,000 people 2021
Verified
6Immunization measles 90% children 2022
Verified
7Suicide rate 11.4 per 100,000 in 2022
Verified
8Cancer incidence 289 per 100,000 2022
Verified
9Diabetes prevalence 7.0% adults 2022
Verified
Health Interpretation
New Zealand succeeds remarkably at keeping people alive for a long time, but seems to be struggling just as remarkably to keep them healthy while doing it.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Marcus Engström. (2026, February 13). New Zealand Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-statistics
MLA
Marcus Engström. "New Zealand Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-statistics.
Chicago
Marcus Engström. 2026. "New Zealand Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/new-zealand-statistics.
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