Urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand
New Zealand: Urban and rural population projected to 2050 was 306,014 people in 2050. ▲ Rising
Latest (2050)
306,014 people
Change on year
down 14.7%
World rank
156th
of 238 countries
All-time high
979,702 people
in 1956
All-time low
0 people
in 1000
Years of data
133
1000–2050
Urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand, 1000–2050
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand is 306,014 people, measured in 2050.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.7% on the previous year and down 55.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand peaked at 979,702 people in 1956 and was at its lowest, 0 people, in 1000.
That places New Zealand 156th out of 238 countries with data for 2050, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 133 years of available data.
Urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0 people | — |
| 1100 | 0 people | — |
| 1200 | 15,999 people | — |
| 1300 | 19,998 people | +25.0% |
| 1400 | 19,993 people | -0.0% |
| 1500 | 79,911 people | +299.7% |
| 1600 | 139,533 people | +74.6% |
| 1700 | 198,000 people | +41.9% |
| 1710 | 181,795 people | -8.2% |
| 1720 | 175,967 people | -3.2% |
| 1730 | 170,237 people | -3.3% |
| 1740 | 164,604 people | -3.3% |
| 1750 | 159,065 people | -3.4% |
| 1760 | 153,620 people | -3.4% |
| 1770 | 148,267 people | -3.5% |
| 1780 | 143,005 people | -3.5% |
| 1790 | 137,833 people | -3.6% |
| 1800 | 132,749 people | -3.7% |
| 1810 | 127,752 people | -3.8% |
| 1820 | 144,748 people | +13.3% |
| 1830 | 163,860 people | +13.2% |
| 1840 | 185,323 people | +13.1% |
| 1850 | 209,388 people | +13.0% |
| 1860 | 236,327 people | +12.9% |
| 1870 | 266,429 people | +12.7% |
| 1880 | 300,000 people | +12.6% |
| 1890 | 369,026 people | +23.0% |
| 1900 | 422,564 people | +14.5% |
| 1910 | 460,615 people | +9.0% |
| 1920 | 508,167 people | +10.3% |
| 1930 | 534,625 people | +5.2% |
| 1940 | 539,989 people | +1.0% |
| 1950 | 855,300 people | +58.4% |
| 1951 | 874,116 people | +2.2% |
| 1952 | 896,399 people | +2.5% |
| 1953 | 919,626 people | +2.6% |
| 1954 | 941,291 people | +2.4% |
| 1955 | 961,418 people | +2.1% |
| 1956 | 979,702 people | +1.9% |
| 1957 | 979,025 people | -0.1% |
| 1958 | 958,651 people | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 926,925 people | -3.3% |
| 1960 | 895,266 people | -3.4% |
| 1961 | 877,855 people | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 873,060 people | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 871,342 people | -0.2% |
| 1964 | 867,952 people | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 858,462 people | -1.1% |
| 1966 | 836,088 people | -2.6% |
| 1967 | 781,595 people | -6.5% |
| 1968 | 699,558 people | -10.5% |
| 1969 | 614,999 people | -12.1% |
| 1970 | 551,857 people | -10.3% |
| 1971 | 529,833 people | -4.0% |
| 1972 | 527,466 people | -0.4% |
| 1973 | 528,383 people | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 531,725 people | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 534,700 people | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 534,809 people | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 532,177 people | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 528,321 people | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 524,564 people | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 522,133 people | -0.5% |
| 1981 | 521,508 people | -0.1% |
| 1982 | 523,335 people | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 527,033 people | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 530,084 people | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 530,632 people | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 529,256 people | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 526,154 people | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 520,748 people | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 514,948 people | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 516,882 people | +0.4% |
| 1991 | 523,868 people | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 526,987 people | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 528,954 people | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 532,214 people | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 536,733 people | +0.8% |
| 1996 | 541,847 people | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 546,163 people | +0.8% |
| 1998 | 548,816 people | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 550,191 people | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 551,403 people | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 554,400 people | +0.5% |
| 2002 | 560,815 people | +1.2% |
| 2003 | 568,876 people | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 575,759 people | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 581,798 people | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 588,161 people | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 594,248 people | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 600,300 people | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 607,258 people | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 614,714 people | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 621,322 people | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 627,442 people | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 636,544 people | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 655,486 people | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 685,097 people | +4.5% |
| 2016 | 721,767 people | +5.4% |
| 2017 | 761,854 people | +5.6% |
| 2018 | 793,850 people | +4.2% |
| 2019 | 808,035 people | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 820,618 people | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 825,918 people | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 828,532 people | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 833,349 people | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 837,512 people | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 840,417 people | +0.3% |
| 2026 | 842,090 people | +0.2% |
| 2027 | 842,466 people | +0.0% |
| 2028 | 841,408 people | -0.1% |
| 2029 | 838,857 people | -0.3% |
| 2030 | 834,744 people | -0.5% |
| 2031 | 829,034 people | -0.7% |
| 2032 | 821,647 people | -0.9% |
| 2033 | 812,542 people | -1.1% |
| 2034 | 801,626 people | -1.3% |
| 2035 | 788,825 people | -1.6% |
| 2036 | 774,116 people | -1.9% |
| 2037 | 757,354 people | -2.2% |
| 2038 | 738,516 people | -2.5% |
| 2039 | 717,441 people | -2.9% |
| 2040 | 693,972 people | -3.3% |
| 2041 | 668,132 people | -3.7% |
| 2042 | 639,760 people | -4.2% |
| 2043 | 608,607 people | -4.9% |
| 2044 | 574,575 people | -5.6% |
| 2045 | 537,624 people | -6.4% |
| 2046 | 497,641 people | -7.4% |
| 2047 | 454,536 people | -8.7% |
| 2048 | 408,295 people | -10.2% |
| 2049 | 358,784 people | -12.1% |
| 2050 | 306,014 people | -14.7% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 306,014 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 306,014 people, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 306,014 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 306,014 people, 1.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 | +299.7% | 19,993 people | 79,911 people |
| 1600 | +74.6% | 79,911 people | 139,533 people |
| 1950 | +58.4% | 539,989 people | 855,300 people |
| 1700 | +41.9% | 139,533 people | 198,000 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0 people | 0 people | 0 people | 1 |
| 1100s | 0 people | 0 people | 0 people | 1 |
| 1200s | 15,999 people | 15,999 people | 15,999 people | 1 |
| 1300s | 19,998 people | 19,998 people | 19,998 people | 1 |
| 1400s | 19,993 people | 19,993 people | 19,993 people | 1 |
| 1500s | 79,911 people | 79,911 people | 79,911 people | 1 |
| 1600s | 139,533 people | 139,533 people | 139,533 people | 1 |
| 1700s | 198,000 people | 198,000 people | 198,000 people | 1 |
| 1710s | 181,795 people | 181,795 people | 181,795 people | 1 |
| 1720s | 175,967 people | 175,967 people | 175,967 people | 1 |
| 1730s | 170,237 people | 170,237 people | 170,237 people | 1 |
| 1740s | 164,604 people | 164,604 people | 164,604 people | 1 |
| 1750s | 159,065 people | 159,065 people | 159,065 people | 1 |
| 1760s | 153,620 people | 153,620 people | 153,620 people | 1 |
| 1770s | 148,267 people | 148,267 people | 148,267 people | 1 |
| 1780s | 143,005 people | 143,005 people | 143,005 people | 1 |
| 1790s | 137,833 people | 137,833 people | 137,833 people | 1 |
| 1800s | 132,749 people | 132,749 people | 132,749 people | 1 |
| 1810s | 127,752 people | 127,752 people | 127,752 people | 1 |
| 1820s | 144,748 people | 144,748 people | 144,748 people | 1 |
| 1830s | 163,860 people | 163,860 people | 163,860 people | 1 |
| 1840s | 185,323 people | 185,323 people | 185,323 people | 1 |
| 1850s | 209,388 people | 209,388 people | 209,388 people | 1 |
| 1860s | 236,327 people | 236,327 people | 236,327 people | 1 |
| 1870s | 266,429 people | 266,429 people | 266,429 people | 1 |
| 1880s | 300,000 people | 300,000 people | 300,000 people | 1 |
| 1890s | 369,026 people | 369,026 people | 369,026 people | 1 |
| 1900s | 422,564 people | 422,564 people | 422,564 people | 1 |
| 1910s | 460,615 people | 460,615 people | 460,615 people | 1 |
| 1920s | 508,167 people | 508,167 people | 508,167 people | 1 |
| 1930s | 534,625 people | 534,625 people | 534,625 people | 1 |
| 1940s | 539,989 people | 539,989 people | 539,989 people | 1 |
| 1950s | 929,245 people | 855,300 people | 979,702 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 817,618 people | 614,999 people | 895,266 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 532,384 people | 524,564 people | 551,857 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 524,583 people | 514,948 people | 530,632 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 535,266 people | 516,882 people | 550,191 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 578,302 people | 551,403 people | 607,258 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 692,611 people | 614,714 people | 808,035 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 835,117 people | 820,618 people | 842,466 people | 10 |
| 2030s | 787,584 people | 717,441 people | 834,744 people | 10 |
| 2040s | 544,193 people | 358,784 people | 693,972 people | 10 |
| 2050s | 306,014 people | 306,014 people | 306,014 people | 1 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More population data for New Zealand
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.0739 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.0744 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 256,010 people (2100)
- Population density 22.07 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.191 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.628 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand?
- Urban and rural population projected to 2050 in New Zealand was 306,014 people in 2050, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban and rural population projected to 2050 recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 979,702 people in 1956.
- What is the lowest urban and rural population projected to 2050 recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 people in 1000.
- How does New Zealand rank for urban and rural population projected to 2050?
- New Zealand ranks 156th out of 238 countries with data for 2050.
- Is urban and rural population projected to 2050 rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban and rural population projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 133 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people living in rural areas, combining UN estimates and projections with modeled historical data.