Population density - Regions in New Zealand

New Zealand: Population density - Regions was 5.29 million Persons in 2024. β–² Rising

Latest (2024)
5.29 million Persons
Change on year
up 1.7%
World rank
40th
of 51 countries
All-time high
5.29 million Persons
in 2024
All-time low
3.73 million Persons
in 1996
Years of data
29
1996–2024

Population density - Regions in New Zealand, 1996–2024

02.0M4.0M6.0M1996201020241996: 3.7M Persons1997: 3.8M Persons1998: 3.8M Persons1999: 3.8M Persons2000: 3.9M Persons2001: 3.9M Persons2002: 3.9M Persons2003: 4.0M Persons2004: 4.1M Persons2005: 4.1M Persons2006: 4.2M Persons2007: 4.2M Persons2008: 4.3M Persons2009: 4.3M Persons2010: 4.4M Persons2011: 4.4M Persons2012: 4.4M Persons2013: 4.4M Persons2014: 4.5M Persons2015: 4.6M Persons2016: 4.7M Persons2017: 4.8M Persons2018: 4.9M Persons2019: 5.0M Persons2020: 5.1M Persons2021: 5.1M Persons2022: 5.1M Persons2023: 5.2M Persons2024: 5.3M Persons

Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Persons.

Analysis

The most recent figure for population density - regions in New Zealand is 5.29 million Persons, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 29 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and up 17.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population density - regions in New Zealand peaked at 5.29 million Persons in 2024 and was at its lowest, 3.73 million Persons, in 1996.

That places New Zealand 40th out of 51 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 3.79 million Persons 3.73 million Persons 3.84 million Persons 4
2000s 4.09 million Persons 3.86 million Persons 4.30 million Persons 10
2010s 4.60 million Persons 4.35 million Persons 4.97 million Persons 10
2020s 5.15 million Persons 5.07 million Persons 5.29 million Persons 5

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 37 Norway 5.59 million Persons compare
  2. 38 Ireland 5.44 million Persons compare
  3. 39 Costa Rica 5.36 million Persons compare
  4. 41 Croatia 3.87 million Persons compare
  5. 42 Lithuania 2.89 million Persons compare
  6. 43 Albania 2.36 million Persons compare

See the full ranking of 57 places β†’

More population data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand β†’

Frequently asked questions

What is population density - regions in New Zealand?
Population density - regions in New Zealand was 5.29 million Persons in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
What is the highest population density - regions recorded in New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 5.29 million Persons in 2024.
What is the lowest population density - regions recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was 3.73 million Persons in 1996.
How does New Zealand rank for population density - regions?
New Zealand ranks 40th out of 51 countries with data for 2024.
Is population density - regions rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is up 17.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this New Zealand data come from?
The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Population density - Regions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population density - Regions in New Zealand. Statizoid, drawing on Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 17 August 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population-density-regions/new-zealand/

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About this data

Indicator
Population density - Regions
Unit
Persons
Source
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Licence
OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
57 places, 1,906 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

<p>This dataset provides indicators on population density and land areas, in large (TL2) regions and small (TL3) regions.</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Population density per land area excludes inland water bodies. This indicator measures the number of people residing in small TL3 and large TL2 regions per square kilometers. Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_dem) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Use of data on small regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">When demographic data are analysed along with economic data using the TL3 level, it is advisable to aggregate data at the metropolitan region level when several TL3 regions are associated to the same metropolitan region. Metropolitan regions combine TL3 regions when 50% or more of the regional population live in a functionnal urban areas above 250 000 inhabitants. This approach corrects the distortions created by commuting, see the list of OECD metropolitan regions <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a> and the EU methodology <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/metropolitan-regions/background">(link)</a>.</p> <p><strong>Territorial typologies</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small TL3 regions are categorized based on shared characteristics into regional typologies. See the demographic indicators aggregated by territorial typology at country level on the access to City typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_METRO&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a> and by urban-rural typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_RURB&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database&nbsp;<a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a>&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>