Population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand
New Zealand: Population by income level, per square kilometre was 19.75 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 19.75 units per square kilometre for population by income level, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 17.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand peaked at 19.75 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 9.19 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
New Zealand ranks 184th of 215 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.19 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 9.43 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 9.62 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1964 | 9.82 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1965 | 9.98 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1966 | 10.16 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 10.35 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 10.44 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1969 | 10.53 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1970 | 10.67 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1971 | 10.84 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 11.03 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 11.25 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 11.48 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 11.71 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 11.81 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 11.85 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 11.85 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 11.81 units per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 11.82 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 11.87 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 11.99 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 12.15 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 12.26 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 12.33 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 12.33 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 12.44 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 12.47 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 12.53 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 12.65 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 13.27 units per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1992 | 13.41 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 13.57 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 13.75 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 13.95 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1996 | 14.17 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1997 | 14.36 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 14.49 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 14.56 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 14.65 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 14.74 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 15 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2003 | 15.29 units per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2004 | 15.52 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2005 | 15.7 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2006 | 15.89 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 16.04 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 16.18 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 16.34 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 16.52 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 16.65 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 16.74 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 16.87 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 17.15 units per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2015 | 17.51 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 17.9 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 18.28 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 18.61 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 18.88 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 19.26 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 19.31 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 19.3 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 19.75 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 19.75 units per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 145.56 units per square kilometre, 14% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 19.75 units per square kilometre is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 140.35 units per square kilometre, 14% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 9.95 units per square kilometre | 9.19 units per square kilometre | 10.53 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 11.43 units per square kilometre | 10.67 units per square kilometre | 11.85 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.22 units per square kilometre | 11.82 units per square kilometre | 12.53 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.82 units per square kilometre | 12.65 units per square kilometre | 14.56 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.54 units per square kilometre | 14.65 units per square kilometre | 16.34 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.51 units per square kilometre | 16.52 units per square kilometre | 18.88 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 19.41 units per square kilometre | 19.26 units per square kilometre | 19.75 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 181 Papua New Guinea 22.94 units per square kilometre compare
- 182 Niger 20.65 units per square kilometre compare
- 183 Bhutan 20.62 units per square kilometre compare
- 185 Mali 19.48 units per square kilometre compare
- 186 Algeria 19.38 units per square kilometre compare
- 187 Uruguay 19.36 units per square kilometre compare
More population data for New Zealand
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -14.71 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,949 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand?
- Population by income level, per square kilometre in New Zealand was 19.75 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population by income level, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 19.75 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population by income level, per square kilometre recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.19 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does New Zealand rank for population by income level, per square kilometre?
- New Zealand ranks 184th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population by income level, per square kilometre rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population by income level, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Population by income level divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Population by income level ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population by income level United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Population by income level divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.