Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in New Zealand
New Zealand: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 84.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
84.0%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
58th
of 236 countries
All-time high
85.9%
in 2006
All-time low
55.1%
in 1955
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in New Zealand, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in New Zealand stood at 84.0%.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in New Zealand peaked at 85.9% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 55.1%, in 1955.
That places New Zealand 58th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 55.2% | — |
| 1951 | 55.2% | -0.1% |
| 1952 | 55.1% | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 55.1% | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 55.1% | -0.0% |
| 1955 | 55.1% | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 55.2% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 56.2% | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 58.0% | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 60.3% | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 62.4% | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 63.9% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 64.9% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 65.7% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 66.5% | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 67.4% | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 68.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 71.3% | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 74.6% | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 77.9% | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 80.4% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 81.5% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 81.9% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 82.3% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 82.5% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 82.7% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 82.9% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 83.1% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 83.2% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 83.3% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 83.4% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 83.5% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 83.6% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 83.6% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 83.7% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 83.8% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 84.1% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 84.3% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 84.6% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 84.8% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 85.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 85.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 85.2% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 85.3% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 85.4% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 85.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 85.7% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 85.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 85.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 85.5% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 85.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 84.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 84.2% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 84.0% | +0.1% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 84.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 84.0% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 1.3× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 56.0% | 55.1% | 60.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 68.3% | 62.4% | 77.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 82.4% | 80.4% | 83.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 83.8% | 83.4% | 84.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.3% | 84.8% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.9% | 85.7% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.0% | 83.8% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.9% | 83.8% | 84.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 55 Switzerland 85.7% compare
- 56 Peru 85.6% compare
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 60 United Kingdom 83.3% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in New Zealand?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in New Zealand was 84.0% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 85.9% in 2006.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.1% in 1955.
- How does New Zealand rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- New Zealand ranks 58th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.