Regional distribution

Young people are more likely than the population as a whole to live in main urban areas.

This reflects the education, employment and social opportunities available to young people in our cities. 

Auckland City is the territorial authority with largest youth population.  According to the 2006 Census, just under 83,000 young people aged 12 to 24 live in Auckland City.  Young people make up 20.4 percent of the total population in Auckland City. 

Young people aged 12 to 24 make up the highest proportion of total population in Dunedin City (25.4 percent), followed by Palmerston North City (23.6 percent) and Hamilton City (23.3 percent) – all cities with high university student populations.  Young people make up the lowest proportion of the total population in Waimate District (13.3 percent) and Waitaki District (13.4 percent).

Size of the youth population aged 12 to 24, by Territorial Authority, 2006
Territorial Authority Number of young
people aged 12-24
% of total population
of TA
Far North District 9321 16.7
Whangarei District 12906 17.3
Kaipara District 2811 15.5
Rodney District 13845 15.5
North Shore City 40833 19.9
Waitakere City 35574 19.1
Auckland City 82731 20.4
Manukau City 69585 21.2
Papakura District 8952 19.8
Franklin District 9771 16.6
Thames-Coromandel District 3333 12.8
Hauraki District 2781 16.2
Waikato District 7989 18.2
Matamata-Piako District 5277 17.3
Hamilton City 30057 23.3
Waipa District 7185 16.9
Otorohanga District 1704 18.8
South Waikato District 4110 18.2
Waitomo District 1692 17.9
Taupo District 5439 16.8
Western Bay of Plenty District 6453 15.3
Tauranga City 17040 16.4
Rotorua District 12126 18.4
Whakatane District 5964 17.9
Kawerau District 1263 18.2
Opotiki District 1557 17.3
Gisborne District 8229 18.5
Wairoa District 1428 16.8
Hastings District 12519 17.7
Napier City 9342 16.9
Central Hawke's Bay District 2184 16.9
New Plymouth District 11907 17.3
Stratford District 1620 18.2
South Taranaki District 4638 17.5
Ruapehu District 2538 18.7
Wanganui District 7341 17.2
Rangitikei District 2559 17.4
Manawatu District 5082 18.0
Palmerston North City 17856 23.6
Tararua District 2940 16.7
Horowhenua District 4509 15.1
Kapiti Coast District 6381 13.8
Porirua City 9549 19.7
Upper Hutt City 6921 18.0
Lower Hutt City 18006 18.4
Wellington City 38034 21.2
Masterton District 3906 17.3
Carterton District 1056 14.9
South Wairarapa District 1122 12.6
Tasman District 6771 15.2
Nelson City 7374 17.2
Marlborough District 6414 15.1
Kaikoura District 543 15.0
Buller District 1425 14.7
Grey District 2187 16.5
Westland District 1287 15.3
Hurunui District 1461 13.9
Waimakariri District 6357 14.8
Christchurch City 67368 19.3
Selwyn District 6048 18.0
Ashburton District 4260 15.6
Timaru District 6690 15.6
Mackenzie District 609 16.0
Waimate District 957 13.3
Chatham Islands Territory 84 13.8
Waitaki District 2715 13.4
Central Otago District 2394 14.4
Queenstown-Lakes District 3624 15.8
Dunedin City 30117 25.4
Clutha District 2610 15.5
Southland District 4629 16.3
Gore District 1986 16.4
Invercargill City 9198 18.3
Area Outside Territorial Authority 39 9.4

Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census