Local Housing Statistics

These metrics consider the number of households that have a severe need for suitable and sustainable housing. This is measured in two ways. The first is through the use of the Severe Housing Deprivation Estimate: 2018 Report(external link), which produced an estimate of New Zealand’s homeless population, using 2018 Census data. The second is through the use of the Housing Register, which is a register of households that wish to access a public home and who:  

• are considered at risk, including households with a severe and persistent housing need that must be addressed immediately, or  
• have a serious housing need including households with a significant and persistent need. 

The Housing Register is a part of the Public Housing Register(external link). The Public Housing Register is made up of the Housing Register and the Transfer Register. 

The severe housing needs metrics featured in Local Housing Statistics include: 

• the number of people on the Housing Register within the selected area. Each application is made by an individual but represents a household living in the area that has applied for, been found eligible, and is in need of a public home. 
• the number of people on the Housing Register per 10,000 population of the selected area. This metric considers the total population in the selected area, divides that by 10,000 and then divides that again by the number of people on the Housing Register in the same selected area.  
• the number of people severely housing deprived per 10,000 population of the selected area. This metric considers the total population in the selected area, divides that 10,000 and divides that by the total number of people estimated as severely housing deprived by the Severe Housing Deprivation Estimate for the selected area. Severely deprived is indicated by the sum of the number of households that either live "without shelter", live in "temporary accommodation", or live in "shared accommodation". 

Find out more about the Housing Register(external link) 

Who can get public housing – Work and Income(external link) 

Apply for public housing – Work and Income(external link) 

Data source: Data on the Public Housing Register is provided by the Ministry of Social Development.  The Severe Housing Deprivation Estimate(external link) is available on Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga’s (HUD) website. Population estimates are provided by Stats NZ.  

These metrics considers costs of rents within a selected area and the number of renting households that must spend significant parts of their income on that cost. These metrics help provide some indication of the relative affordability of renting and the percentage of households that may be experiencing rental stress within the selected area. 

Rental affordability and stress metrics in Local Housing Statistics include: 

• households whose rent is equal to, or more than, a percentage of their income. Uses data provided through Census that compares the amount of income spent on housing costs by renting households, specifically considering where 30%, 40%, or 50% of income is spent.  
• the average weekly rent cost a household pays, based on weekly rent from tenancies started during the month reported. The average in this instance is the geometric mean. 
• the lower quartile of cost of the weekly rent a household pays. The Lower Quartile (LQ) rent is the 25th percentile of determined weekly rent from tenancies started during the month reported. 

• the annual change in rental affordability. This metric compares changes in rental prices for new tenancies with the growth in median household disposable (after tax) income in the selected area to generate a view of whether renting is becoming more, or less, affordable.  

Statistical summaries (rent prices) are based on bonds data lodged and held by Tenancy Services at the month of reporting.  It is important to note that market data is subject to historical revision. 

We advise against using changes in average rents to indicate changes in rent price and recommend using a rental price index (RPI).  

Find out more about Stats NZ rental price index (RPI)(external link) 

For a territorial authority (TA) level RPI use the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators(external link) 

Find out more about rental bond data here(external link) 

Find out more about the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators (CHAI) tool here(external link) 

Data source: Data on rental stress is determined from Stats NZ Census data. Data on rental affordability is provided by Tenancy Services / Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE). Data on the annual change in rental affordability is provided by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga’s (HUD).  

These metrics consider the number of sales of residential homes and the prices associated with these sales within the selected area. The sales price and the volume of sales are derived from the private market sales of properties categorised as houses, townhouses, apartments, and flats. Statistics on sales are based on a years’ worth of property sales. 

Homes sales metrics in Local Housing Statistics include:  

• the median sale price of homes in the selected area. This represents the 50th percentile of determined sales price of home sales. This means that half of all property sales in the selected area will be higher than the median sale price and half will be lower. The data for this metric is based on 3-month rolling averages for 'residential dwellings' which includes houses, apartments, flats and townhouses only. 
• the lower quartile (LQ) sale price of homes in the selected area. This represents the 25th percentile of determined sales price of home sales. This means that a quarter of all property sales in the selected area will be lower than the lower quarter sales price. The data for this metric is based on 3-month rolling averages for 'residential dwellings' which includes houses, apartments, flats and townhouses only.  
• the number of home sales. This figure helps provide context to the median and lower quartile sales prices. A low number of sales in a selected area may influence the reliability of the median and lower quartile sale prices. The data for this metric is based on 12-month rolling averages for 'residential dwellings' which includes houses, apartments, flats and townhouses only. Lifestyle blocks are not considered residential dwellings. 

We advise against using changes in median sales price to indicate changes in sale price and recommend using a house price index (HPI). The Core Logic HPI is published as part of the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators. 

Please to note that market data is subject to historical revision. 

Find out more about a house price index (HPI) with the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators tool(external link) 

Data source: Data on the sales of homes is provided by CoreLogic.  

These metrics highlight two different but important aspects of housing. This includes the degree to which Māori households may be in the groups of households where there are an insufficient number of bedrooms for the number of people living there and the rate of home ownership for individuals who are Māori. 

Māori housing outcomes in Local Housing Statistics include: 

• the number of Māori living in crowded and non-crowded housing. For this measure, a crowded household is where one or more additional bedrooms were needed to accommodate all residents. Severe crowding is where two or more bedrooms were needed. It is important to recognise that the housing needs of Māori can differ from other groups. For example, Māori often need to accommodate more people in their household, reflecting both larger whānau sizes and strong values around manaakitanga, which includes welcoming and accommodating extended whānau and other visitors. The measure of crowding used here is only applied to the people who are usually resident in the household and does not include visitors. See ‘Crowding’ below for more information about the nature of this metric. 
• the proportion of Māori and non-Māori individuals that own, or partly own, the home they are in. Uses Census data to measure whether an individual who is Māori owned or partly owned the dwelling they usually lived in. It relates to all people aged 15 years and over who lived in New Zealand, including those who lived in private dwellings and those who lived in non-private dwellings, such as public housing. 

For more context on Māori housing and wellbeing, read Te Pā Harakeke: Māori housing and wellbeing 2021 here(external link) 

Find more housing data about Māori housing through MAIHI Ka Ora, Ka Mārama – the Māori Housing Dashboard here(external link)  

Data source: Data on the experience of crowding and the rate of individual home ownership is provided by Stats NZ. 

These metrics consider costs of home ownership within a selected area, focussing on the costs to enter home ownership. It considers three separate measures that each provide some indication as to how the affordability of home ownership may have changed over time in the selected area. It does this by modelling a median household income rate and comparing this income against a variety of the costs associated with home ownership – the price associated with the cost of a home (through sale prices), the deposit that would be needed for that home and the ongoing cost of servicing a mortgage.  

Home ownership affordability metrics in Local Housing Statistics include: 

• the ratio of median sale price to the median income in the selected area since 2001. This metric models a median disposable income and then sees how many of those incomes would be required to pay for the median property sales price to provide an indication as to whether this ratio is growing or getting smaller. 

• how deposit affordability has changed in the selected area over time. This metric considers the deposit needed (defined as 20% of the median sales price) against the median disposable income of the household and how this index has changed over time. Factors that impact deposit affordability include house sale prices and household disposable income. Visibility over how the affordability of a deposit is changing can help outline what challenges households may be facing regarding the entry into home ownership. 
• how mortgage serviceability has changed in the selected area over the previous year. This metric considers the ongoing cost of a mortgage and compares changes in the purchasing power of mortgage interest payments for new home loans with the growth in median household disposable (after tax) income. Factors that impact mortgage serviceability include mortgage interest rate, house sale prices and household disposable income. Visibility over how the serviceability of a mortgage is changing can help outline what challenges households may face, not only when they enter home ownership and need to service a mortgage, but some of the pressure households may already be facing if they are currently servicing a mortgage. 

Find out more about a house price index (HPI) with the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators tool(external link) 

Data source: Data for the median-median ratio is generated through a HUD modelled median disposable income using both Stats NZ data (including tax data, household surveys and Census data) and the District Valuation Roll provided through CoreLogic. Data on affordability measures is provided by Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga’s (HUD). 

These metrics focus on the number of residential building consents within a selected area, showing both the number of new dwellings consented, and this number as a rate per 10,000 population. The metrics summarise information for building consents issued within the area across the previous year, excluding consents below $5,000. 

Building consents data reflect an intention to build and can be an important indicator of the new housing activity in an area and more generally, some confidence in the local economy. 

Building consents metrics in Local Housing Statistics include: 

• the number of residential building consents granted in a selected area over the past year. The metric provides a clear total for a given area to allow assessment and comparison of new build activity for residential properties. 

• the number of building consents per 10,000 population in a selected area. This metric uses the figure above but considers it against the size of the population in a selected area to assist with the assessment and comparison of this figure against other areas. 

For more context about building consent data please refer to Stats NZ information(external link) 

Data source: Data on the building consents and population figures is provided by Stats NZ. 

The Local Housing Statistics dashboard uses territorial authorities as the geographic unit to categorize the other data featured. These TAs function as the ‘local’ part of the Local Housing Statistics dashboard. Territorial authorities have been used as they provide a common way to present a geographical view of the many different data sources utilized for this dashboard. 

A territorial authority is defined under the Local Government Act 2002 as a city or a district council. There are 67 territorial authorities in New Zealand. Some territorial authority boundaries are the same as regional council boundaries but there are several exceptions. An example is Taupo District, which is split between four regions, although most of its area falls within the Waikato Region. Territorial authorities are defined at mesh block, statistical area 1 (SA1) and statistical area 2 (SA2) levels. A meshblock is the smallest geographic unit for which statistical data is collected and processed by Stats NZ. A meshblock is defined by a geographic area, which can vary in size from part of a city block to a large area of rural land. 

For more information on territorial authorities visit the Stats NZ website(external link)  

Information produced by Stats NZ is used to estimate the size of a population within a territorial authority for use in Local Housing Statistics. These subnational population estimates give the best available measure of the population usually living in New Zealand's 16 regions, 67 territorial authority areas, 21 Auckland local board areas, and other areas. 

The estimated resident population for the territorial authority areas featured in this dashboard are as at 30 June each year.  

For more information on population figures, see Stats NZ(external link) 

Household crowding relates to situations where the number of people living in a dwelling exceeds the capacity of the space to provide adequate shelter and services to its members. There are various ways to define and measure crowding. Stats NZ uses the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (CNOS) to measure household crowding in New Zealand.  

Note that the measure of crowding used here is only applied to the people who are usually resident in the household and does not include visitors. 

A crowded household is one where one or more additional bedrooms were needed to accommodate all residents, severe crowding is where 2 or more bedrooms were needed. 

The Change in Housing Affordability Indicators show how affordability of renting a home, saving for a deposit, and servicing a mortgage for people entering the market has changed over time. Each indicator compares price change with growth in median household income.  

They provide insight into affordability nationally, regionally, and by Territorial Authority.  

For more context on these and access to the Change in Housing Affordability Indicators tool click here(external link) 

The Housing Dashboard is a single place to track progress of key parts of the Government’s housing programme. 

It’s updated monthly and includes information on public and transitional housing, other housing built by the Government, the housing register and other housing support provided. It shows what has been delivered by the end of the month. 

Check out the Housing Dashboard here(external link) 

MAIHI Ka Ora, Ka Mārama, the Māori Housing Dashboard, provides access to consistent, reliable data to support whanau, hapu and iwi and Maori organisations when they make decisions about housing. It also shows the progress that’s being made in achieving safe, healthy, affordable homes with secure tenure for whānau across the Maori housing continuum.  

This information can be used alongside the Local Housing Statistics to provide visibility over the various housing issues that affect Māori whānau around the country, though this is not currently down to a territorial authority level. 

Check out MAIHI Ka Ora, Ka Mārama here(external link)