New Zealand ranked 27th in the 2023 Digital Quality of Life Index, dropping one position from the previous year. New Zealand had ranked 23rd in 2021.

Health-related quality of life scores for children with and without neurodevelopmental impairment, lower gestation, and greater socio-economic deprivation.

Out of all OECD countries, Cost Rica had the highest poverty rate as of 2022, at over 20 percent. The country with the second highest poverty rate was the United States, with 18 percent. On the other end of the scale, Czechia had the lowest poverty rate at 6.4 percent, followed by Denmark.

The significance of the OECD

The OECD, or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, was founded in 1948 and is made up of 38 member countries. It seeks to improve the economic and social well-being of countries and their populations. The OECD looks at issues that impact people’s everyday lives and proposes policies that can help to improve the quality of life.

Poverty in the United States

In 2022, there were nearly 38 million people living below the poverty line in the U.S.. About one fourth of the Native American population lived in poverty in 2022, the most out of any ethnicity. In addition, the rate was higher among young women than young men. It is clear that poverty in the United States is a complex, multi-faceted issue that affects millions of people and is even more complex to solve.

Dataset for the maps accompanying the Housing in Aotearoa New Zealand: 2025 report. This dataset contains counts and measures for:

• average number of private dwellings per square kilometre
• severe housing deprivation
• home ownership rates
• mould and damp.

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Data is available by territorial authority and Auckland local board.

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Average number of private dwellings per square kilometre has data for occupied, unoccupied, and total private dwellings from the 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses, including:

• dwelling counts
• percentage change in the count of dwellings
• average number of dwellings per square kilometre.

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Severe housing deprivation has data for the census usually resident population from the 2018 and 2023 Censuses, including:

• estimated prevalence rate of severe housing deprivation (per 10,000 people)
• estimated rate for those; without shelter, in temporary accommodation, sharing someone else’s private dwelling, in uninhabitable housing, for whom it could not be determined whether they were severely housing deprived or not.

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Home ownership rates has data for households in occupied private dwellings from the 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses, including:

• counts and percentages for households that owned their home or held it in a family trust, or did not own their home
• percentage change in the count of households that owned their home or held it in a family trust, or did not own their home.

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Mould and damp has data for occupied private dwellings from the 2018 and 2023 Censuses, including:

• counts and percentages for dwellings with or without mould or damp
• percentage change in the count of dwellings with or without mould or damp.

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Map shows the average number of private dwellings per square kilometre for the 2023 Census

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Map shows the estimated prevalence rate of severe housing deprivation (per 10,000 people) for the census usually resident population for the 2023 Census.

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Map shows the percentage of households in occupied private dwellings that owned their home or held it in a family trust for the 2023 Census.

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Map shows the percentage of occupied private dwellings that were damp or mouldy for the 2023 Census.

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Download lookup file from Stats NZ ArcGIS Online or embedded attachment in Stats NZ geographic data service. Download data table (excluding the geometry column for CSV files) using the instructions in the Koordinates help guide.

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Footnotes

Geographical boundaries

Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023 (updated December 2023) has information about geographic boundaries as of 1 January 2023. Address data from 2013 and 2018 Censuses was updated to be consistent with the 2023 areas. Due to the changes in area boundaries and coding methodologies, 2013 and 2018 counts published in 2023 may be slightly different to those published in 2013 or 2018.

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Subnational census usually resident population

The census usually resident population count of an area (subnational count) is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes visitors from overseas, visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand, and residents temporarily overseas on census night. For example, a person who usually lives in Christchurch city and is visiting Wellington city on census night will be included in the census usually resident population count of Christchurch city. 

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Population counts

Stats NZ publishes a number of different population counts, each using a different definition and methodology. Population statistics – user guide has more information about different counts. 

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Caution using time series

Time series data should be interpreted with care due to changes in census methodology and differences in response rates between censuses. The 2023 and 2018 Censuses used a combined census methodology (using census responses and administrative data), while the 2013 Census used a full-field enumeration methodology (with no use of administrative data).

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Severe housing deprivation time series

The 2018 estimates of severe housing deprivation have been updated using the 2023 methodology for estimating severe housing deprivation. Severe housing deprivation (homelessness) estimates – updated methodology: 2023 Census has more information.

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Severe housing deprivation

Figures in this map and geospatial file exclude Women’s refuge data, as well as estimates for children living in non-private dwellings. Severe housing deprivation (homelessness) estimates – updated methodology: 2023 Census has more information.

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Dwelling density

This data shows the average number of private dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) per square kilometre of land for an area. This is a measure of dwelling density.

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About the 2023 Census dataset

For information on the 2023 Census dataset see Using a combined census model for the 2023 Census. We combined data from the census forms with administrative data to create the 2023 Census dataset, which meets Stats NZ's quality criteria for population structure information. We added real data about real people to the dataset where we were confident the people who hadn’t completed a census form (which is known as admin enumeration) will be counted. We also used data from the 2018 and 2013 Censuses, administrative data sources, and statistical imputation methods to fill in some missing characteristics of people and dwellings.

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Data quality

The quality of data in the 2023 Census is assessed using the quality rating scale and the quality assurance framework to determine whether data is fit for purpose and suitable for release. Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census has more information.

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Quality rating of a variable

The quality rating of a variable provides an overall evaluation of data quality for that variable, usually at the highest levels of classification. The quality ratings shown are for the 2023 Census unless stated. There is variability in the quality of data at smaller geographies. Data quality may also vary between censuses, for subpopulations, or when cross tabulated with other variables or at lower levels of the classification. Data quality ratings for 2023 Census variables has more information on quality ratings by variable.

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Census usually resident population count concept quality rating

The census usually resident population count is rated as very high quality.

Census usually resident population count – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Quality of severe housing deprivation data

Severe housing deprivation (homelessness) estimates – updated methodology: 2023 Census has more information on the data quality of this variable.

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Dwelling occupancy status quality rating

Dwelling occupancy status is rated as high quality.

Dwelling occupancy status – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Dwelling type quality rating

Dwelling type is rated as moderate quality.

Dwelling type – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Tenure of household quality rating

Tenure of household is rated as moderate quality.

Tenure of household – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Dwelling dampness indicator quality rating

Dwelling dampness indicator is rated as moderate quality.

Housing quality – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Dwelling mould indicator quality rating

Dwelling mould indicator is rated as moderate quality.

Housing quality – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Using data for good

Stats NZ expects that, when working with census

Dataset contains life-cycle age group census usually resident population counts from the 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses, as well as the percentage change in the age group population counts between the 2013 and 2018 Censuses, and between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses. Data is available by territorial authority and Auckland local board.

The life-cycle age groups are:

• under 15 years
• 15 to 29 years
• 30 to 64 years
• 65 years and over.

Map shows the percentage change in the census usually resident population count for life-cycle age groups between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses.

Download lookup file from Stats NZ ArcGIS Online or embedded attachment in Stats NZ geographic data service. Download data table (excluding the geometry column for CSV files) using the instructions in the Koordinates help guide.

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Footnotes

Geographical boundaries

Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023 (updated December 2023) has information about geographic boundaries as of 1 January 2023. Address data from 2013 and 2018 Censuses was updated to be consistent with the 2023 areas. Due to the changes in area boundaries and coding methodologies, 2013 and 2018 counts published in 2023 may be slightly different to those published in 2013 or 2018.

​

Subnational census usually resident population

The census usually resident population count of an area (subnational count) is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes visitors from overseas, visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand, and residents temporarily overseas on census night. For example, a person who usually lives in Christchurch city and is visiting Wellington city on census night will be included in the census usually resident population count of Christchurch city.

​

Caution using time series

Time series data should be interpreted with care due to changes in census methodology and differences in response rates between censuses. The 2023 and 2018 Censuses used a combined census methodology (using census responses and administrative data), while the 2013 Census used a full-field enumeration methodology (with no use of administrative data).

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About the 2023 Census dataset

For information on the 2023 dataset see Using a combined census model for the 2023 Census. We combined data from the census forms with administrative data to create the 2023 Census dataset, which meets Stats NZ's quality criteria for population structure information. We added real data about real people to the dataset where we were confident the people who hadn’t completed a census form (which is known as admin enumeration) will be counted. We also used data from the 2018 and 2013 Censuses, administrative data sources, and statistical imputation methods to fill in some missing characteristics of people and dwellings.

​

Data quality

The quality of data in the 2023 Census is assessed using the quality rating scale and the quality assurance framework to determine whether data is fit for purpose and suitable for release. Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census has more information.

​

Quality rating of a variable

The quality rating of a variable provides an overall evaluation of data quality for that variable, usually at the highest levels of classification. The quality ratings shown are for the 2023 Census unless stated. There is variability in the quality of data at smaller geographies. Data quality may also vary between censuses, for subpopulations, or when cross tabulated with other variables or at lower levels of the classification. Data quality ratings for 2023 Census variables has more information on quality ratings by variable.

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Age concept quality rating

Age is rated as very high quality.

Age – 2023 Census: Information by concept has more information, for example, definitions and data quality.

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Using data for good

Stats NZ expects that, when working with census data, it is done so with a positive purpose, as outlined in the Māori Data Governance Model (Data Iwi Leaders Group, 2023). This model states that "data should support transformative outcomes and should uplift and strengthen our relationships with each other and with our environments. The avoidance of harm is the minimum expectation for data use. Māori data should also contribute to iwi and hapū tino rangatiratanga”.

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Confidentiality

The 2023 Census confidentiality rules have been applied to 2013, 2018, and 2023 data. These rules protect the confidentiality of individuals, families, households, dwellings, and undertakings in 2023 Census data. Counts are calculated using fixed random rounding to base 3 (FRR3) and suppression of ‘sensitive’ counts less than six, where tables report multiple geographic variables and/or small populations. Individual figures may not always sum to stated totals. Applying confidentiality rules to 2023 Census data and summary of changes since 2018 and 2013 Censuses has more information about 2023 Census confidentiality rules.