Census 2018
Population change: Census Usually Resident Population 2006-2013 and 2013-2018, Average Annual % Change
These maps provide an overview of population change for the census usually resident population by territorial authority area (TA). The data have been taken directly from Statistics New Zealand’s first data release for the 2018 census (September 23rd 2019); see notes regarding data quality below.
The data show very clearly that the widespread population declines experienced at TA level across the 2006-2013 period have not continued. Between 2006 and 2013, 18 TAs (27 per cent) declined in size, while between 2013 and 2018 decline occurred for only two TAs (Buller and Grey districts).
Between 2006 and 2013, average annual (%) population change ranged from +4.1 per cent for Selwyn District to -1.9 per cent for Ruapehu District. Between 2013 and 2018, it ranged from +6.8 per cent for Queenstown-Lakes District to -1.7 per cent for Buller District.
All Auckland Local Board Areas grew in size between 2006 and 2013, while between 2013 and 2018, one (Great Barrier) experience minor decline. Between 2006 and 2013, average annual (%) growth ranged from +3.3 per cent for the Upper Harbour Local Board Area to 0.6 per cent for Kaipatiki. Between 2013 and 2018, average annual change ranged from +4.8 per cent for Papakura to -0.1 per cent for Great Barrier.
Data Quality: The census usually resident population count used in these maps is rated by Statistics New Zealand as being of very high quality. Because the 2018 Census was negatively affected by lower than usual response rates, Statistics New Zealand have drawn on administrative data sources to fill in the gaps. Nationally, 84.5 per cent of usually resident count data came from individual census forms, 4.3 per cent from dwelling forms, and 11.2 per cent from administrative sources. For Great Barrier Local Board Area, the figures are, respectively, 73.4, 1.6, and 25 per cent, and for Auckland, respectively 82.0, 5.5 and 12.2 per cent. See https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/2018-census-how-we-combined-administrative-data-and-census-forms-data-to-create-the-census-dataset
Difference (%) between census night and usually resident population counts, 2006, 2013, 2018
These maps provide an overview of the percentage difference between the census ‘night’ population and the census ‘usually resident’ population, by territorial authority area (TA), for 2006, 2013 and 2018. The data have been estimated directly from Statistics New Zealand’s first data release for the 2018 census (September 23rd 2019); see notes regarding data quality below.
Data collected on census ‘night’ include data for people who were away from home and visiting another area, whether from overseas, or from another postcode within New Zealand. To develop the census ‘usually resident’ count, data for overseas visitors are excluded, and usual residents are reassigned to their stated usual postcode. The process results in different census ‘night’ and ‘usually resident’ population counts. The difference between them tells us something about the size of each area’s ‘day tripper’ population, for example, people who are temporarily in an area because of work, or holidaying. The count is important because it gives an indication of the number of people for whom accommodation and services may need to be provided. For example, on census night in 2018, 18,543 people were enumerated as being in Auckland, while they usually lived elsewhere (in New Zealand or overseas). Once reassigned to their correct address, Auckland’s usually resident population (1,571,718) was 1.2 per cent smaller than its census night population (1,590,261).
The greatest percentage difference between census night and census usually resident population count at the 2018 census was for the Mackenzie District, where the census enumerated 7,662 people on census night, but the usually resident count was 4,866, indicating that 2,796 people (36.5% of the census night count) had been in the area on census night but did not usually live there. This was followed closely by Westland District, with its usually resident population being 23.5 per cent smaller than its census night population. In each case these high proportions suggest the presence of holiday-makers.
For Auckland in 2018, the largest number of people temporarily in an area on census night occurred for the Waitemata Local Board Area, where 8,991 people were enumerated but lived elsewhere—simultaneously reducing the census night count by 9.8 per cent, and indicating a sizeable number for whom temporary services and facilities need to be provided.
The opposite situation, where the census usually resident population is larger than the census night population, occurred for relatively few TAs (14 TAs, 21%). The highest proportion was for the Wairoa District, where the usually resident population was 174 larger than the census night population, indicating that a net 2.1 per cent of Wairoa’s usual residents were away from home on census night. In Auckland, this was similarly the case for the Papakura and Rodney Local Board Areas, their respective usually resident populations being respectively 0.5 and 0.4 per cent larger than their census night counts (N=264 and 234 persons).
Of note is that the difference between the census night and census usually resident populations was smaller in 2018 than in 2006 and 2013, indicating that fewer people were temporarily away from home within New Zealand, or visiting New Zealand, on census night in 2018 than in 2006 and 2013 (93,426, compared with over 110,000 at each of the 2006 and 2013 censuses). This disparity may reflect differences in the number of people actually filling in their census on each respective census ‘night’, as the period over which census ‘night’ spans and people can fill in their forms has increased—see also the following notes on data quality.
Data Quality: The census night population count is rated by Statistics New Zealand as being of moderate quality, while the census usually resident population is rated as being of high quality. See https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/2018-census-how-we-combined-administrative-data-and-census-forms-data-to-create-the-census-dataset
Unit Records: Proportion of unit record data sources obtained from administrative data for the 2018 census usually resident population
These maps show the percentage of the census ‘usually resident’ population count that was sourced from administrative data, by territorial authority area (TA). The data have been estimated directly from Statistics New Zealand’s first data release for the 2018 census (September 23rd 2019); see notes regarding data quality below.
The census usually resident population count used in this map is rated by Statistics New Zealand as being of very high quality. Because the 2018 Census was negatively affected by lower than usual response rates, Statistics New Zealand have drawn on administrative data sources to fill in the gaps. Nationally, 84.5 per cent of usually resident count data came from individual census forms, 4.3 per cent from dwelling forms, and 11.2 per cent from administrative sources. For Auckland, the figures are, respectively 82.0, 5.5 and 12.2 per cent.
The TA with the highest proportion of usually resident population count sourced from administrative data was Opotiki District (22.4%) followed by Kawerau District (22.1%), Far North District (20.1%) and Wairoa District (19.1%). The lowest proportions were for Chatham Island (2.3%), Selwyn District (5.7%), Wellington City (6.2%), Mackenzie District (6.4%), and Dunedin City (6.7%).
Across Auckland’s local board areas, the highest proportions were for Great Barrier Island (25%), Otara-Papatoetoe (22.5%), Mangere-Otahuhu (22.4%), and Manurewa (20.5%); the lowest proportions were for Orakei (6.3%), Hibiscus and Bays (7.2%), and Devonport-Takapuna (7.9%).
Different proportions of administrative data will be associated with other variables, such as households, income etc.