Urban areas of New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand defines urban areas of New Zealand for statistical purposes (they have no administrative or legal basis).^[1] The urban areas comprise cities, towns and other conurbations (an aggregation of urban settlements) of a thousand people or more. In combination, the urban areas of the country constitute New Zealand's urban population.^[1] As of June 2024, the urban population made up 84.3% of New Zealand's total population.

The current standard for urban areas is the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA18), which replaced the New Zealand Standard Areas Classification 1992 (NZSAC92) in 2018.^[2]

There are four classes of urban area under SSGA18:

• Major urban areas, with a population of 100,000 or more. There are seven major urban areas which combined have a population of 2,724,900 (51.0% of the total population).
• Large urban areas, with a population of 30,000 to 99,999. There are 13 large urban areas which combined have a population of 736,100 (13.8% of the total population).
• Medium urban areas, with a population of 10,000 to 29,999. There are 23 medium urban areas which combined have a population of 480,100 (9.0% of the total population).
• Small urban areas, with a population of 1,000 to 9,999. There are 152 small urban areas which combined have a population of 560,400 (10.5% of the total population).

Each urban area consists of one or more level-2 statistical areas (SA2s). Urban areas under SSGA18 do not cross territorial authority boundaries, with one exception (Richmond, which lies in the Tasman District but includes the Daelyn SA2 area from neighbouring Nelson City).

Statistics New Zealand also defines rural settlements with a population of 200 to 999 people or at least 40 dwellings.^[3][4] While these do not fit the standard international definition of an urban population, they serve to distinguish between true rural dwellers and those in rural settlements or towns. There are 402 rural settlements which combined have a population of 159,800 (3.0% of the total population).

In 2023, Stats NZ updated the 2018 standard for geographical areas with the new NZ Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023. While similar, the new standard has added a new geographical area (SA3), has upgraded Wanaka to a medium urban area, seven rural settlements to small urban areas and has created thirteen new rural settlements.^[5][6]

The following shows the urban areas as classified under SSGA18 (adjusted according to SSGA23 update).^[7][8]

• Auckland (1,531,400)
• Hamilton (192,000)
• Tauranga (162,800)
• Lower Hutt (114,500)
• Wellington (214,200)
• Christchurch (403,300)
• Dunedin (106,700)

• Whangārei (56,800)
• Hibiscus Coast (67,800)
• Rotorua (58,800)
• Gisborne (38,800)
• Hastings (52,200)
• Napier (67,500)
• New Plymouth (60,100)
• Whanganui (42,500)
• Palmerston North (83,100)
• Porirua (60,600)
• Upper Hutt (45,000)
• Nelson (51,300)
• Invercargill (51,700)

• Oban, Stewart Island (320)
• Waitangi, Chatham Islands (210)

Under the New Zealand Standard Areas Classification 1992 (NZSAC92), there are three classes of urban area:^[9][3]

• Main urban areas, with a population of 30,000 or more. These 17 areas mostly correspond to the places known by New Zealanders as cities.
• Secondary urban areas are the 14 urban areas with a population of 10,000 to 29,999.
• Minor urban areas make up the remainder of the urban population of the country, towns with 1,000 to 9,999 people. There are 103 minor urban areas.

The population figures shown are Statistics New Zealand's resident population estimates at June 2018.^[10] For rankings in various criteria see the ranked list of New Zealand urban areas by population. Four main urban areas are subdivided into urban zones. The following cities are listed by location from north to south.

• Whangārei (58,700): from Hikurangi to Portland.
• Auckland (1,570,100) is divided into four urban zones:
  • Northern Auckland Urban Zone (323,500):
    • the part of Rodney District known as the Hibiscus Coast, from Waiwera south, including Orewa and the Whangaparaoa Peninsula
    • all of North Shore City
  • Western Auckland Urban Zone (242,300):
    • the part of Rodney District around Kumeū
    • the urban part of West Auckland
  • Central Auckland Urban Zone (525,900): Auckland isthmus, including the Auckland CBD and inner suburbs
  • Southern Auckland Urban Zone (478,400):
    • the urban part of Manukau City
    • Papakura District
    • Whangapouri Creek and Runciman in Franklin District
• Hamilton (241,200) is divided into three urban zones:
  • Hamilton Urban Zone (203,100): all of Hamilton City and neighbouring parts of Waikato and Waipa districts including Ngāruawāhia, Taupiri and Ōhaupō
  • Cambridge Urban Zone (20,600): includes Leamington
  • Te Awamutu Urban Zone (17,500): includes Kihikihi
• Tauranga (141,600): Omokoroa to Papamoa Beach; and Mount Maunganui to Tauriko and Pyes Pa
• Rotorua (59,500): Ngongotahā to Owhata
• Gisborne (37,200): Makaraka to Okitu
• Napier-Hastings (134,500) is a conurbation of two urban zones:
  • Napier (63,900): Includes Napier City, Taradale, Eskdale, Waiohiki, Meeanee and Bay View. From Bay View to Awatoto
  • Hastings (70,600): From Havelock North to Flaxmere, includes Te Awanga, Haumoana, Pakowhai and Pakipaki
• New Plymouth (58,300): Oakura to Bell Block
• Wanganui (40,900): Westmere to Marybank
• Palmerston North (86,600): Including Longburn, Kairanga and Stony Creek, but excluding Ashhurst and rural areas in the Tararua foothills
• Kāpiti (42,700): Pekapeka to Paekākāriki
• Wellington (418,500) is divided into four urban zones:
  • Upper Hutt (41,200): Te Marua to Pinehaven
  • Lower Hutt (105,200): includes Wainuiomata, Petone and the eastern bays, excludes farmland adjacent to Wainuiomata
  • Porirua (56,700): all of Porirua City except Paekākāriki Hill and Mana Island; includes Pukerua Bay and Pauatahanui
  • Wellington City (215,400): from Linden south, includes Horokiwi but excludes Mākara and Ohariu

• Nelson (67,500): from Glenduan to the Wairoa River, includes Richmond but excludes Whangamoa
• Blenheim (31,600): From Renwick to Riverlands and south to Wither Hills
• Christchurch (404,500): Christchurch City, Kaiapoi, and up to the Waimakariri River, Prebbleton, Tai Tapu and Lyttelton Harbour including Diamond Harbour
• Dunedin (122,000): from Mosgiel and Brighton to Pine Hill, Ravensbourne to Aramoana
• Invercargill (51,200): Makarewa to Woodend and west to Otatara

The population figures shown are Statistics New Zealand's resident population estimates at the June 2018.^[10] The following towns are listed by location from north to south.

• Pukekohe (31,400): From Paerata to Tuakau. Excludes Bombay.
• Whakatāne (19,750): From Coastlands to Ōhope and south to Poroporo.
• Tokoroa (14,050): From Tokoroa to Kinleith.
• Taupō (24,700): From Wairakei to Taupō Airport.
• Hāwera (12,150): From Normanby to Mokoia.
• Feilding (16,850): From Halcombe to Aorangi.
• Levin (21,200): From Waitarere Beach to Ohau.
• Masterton (22,200): From Opaki to Waingawa.

• Greymouth (9,700): From Runanga to Southbeach and Camerons.
• Rangiora (18,300): From the Ashley River to Flaxton
• Ashburton (20,200): From Fairton to Winslow and Argyle Park.
• Timaru (29,100): From Washdyke to Scarborough and west to Gleniti.
• Queenstown (15,850): From Fernhill and Kelvin Heights to Frankton
• Oamaru (13,950): From Pukeuri to Weston and Holmes Hill.

1992

Original classification

1996

No change

2001

• Kapiti promoted from secondary to main urban area
• Rolleston added as minor urban area
• Pauanui Beach dropped to rural centre

2006

• Edgecumbe Community renamed Edgecumbe

2013

• Blenheim promoted from secondary to main urban area
• Rangiora and Queenstown promoted from minor to secondary urban areas
• Gore demoted from secondary to minor urban area
• Ngunguru, Mangawhai Heads, Te Kauwhata, Ngatea, Mapua, Amberley, Methven, Rakaia and Waikouaiti added as minor urban areas
• Russell, Mangakino, Manaia and Hanmer Springs dropped to rural centres

• List of New Zealand urban areas by population – a simplified ranked list
• List of Functional Urban Areas in New Zealand - Stats NZ recently defined 53 Functional Urban Areas in New Zealand
• List of cities in New Zealand
• List of towns in New Zealand