At the time of the 2006 Census, 360,483 people said they had been living in a different regional council area than in 2001. Analysis of net migrations flows (gains or losses) between regions shows that some regions have gained or lost more than others. Net migration flows are derived from how many people indicated they moved into or out of a particular region since the 2001 Census.
Inter-regional movement in this QuickStats only looks at those people who were living in New Zealand both in 2001 and in 2006. It does not take into account any other movements in the five years between censuses, the impact of external migration (people moving into and out of New Zealand) or natural increase (babies born minus deaths).
Net regional flows
- Net migration gains were evident in half of the 16 regional council areas. The largest net gain was recorded in Canterbury (8,103).
- No region made gains from every other region, but Canterbury came close, with a net loss only to Wellington (-135). Auckland Region recorded the most losses (13) between 2001 and 2006, recording net gains from only two regions – Wellington (1,884) and Manawatu-Wanganui (48).
- Among the regional council areas, Auckland had the largest total population growth between 2001 and 2006, at 12.4 percent. However, it experienced a net loss of 16,662 people, due to internal migration (people moving within New Zealand). This is because the number of people who were living in the Auckland Region in 2001 and had moved to another region in New Zealand in 2006 (75,963), exceeded the number of people who had moved from another region in New Zealand to the Auckland Region (59,301).
- While the net loss is the largest of any region, the population of Auckland Region is much larger than that of other regions and the proportional exchange of people is the smallest of any region, with 7.9 percent of the population moving to other regions in New Zealand, and 6.3 percent of the 2006 Census population having moved into Auckland from other regions.
- Between the 2001 and 2006 Censuses, the largest inter-regional net flow (5,847) was between the Auckland and Waikato regions, resulting from the movement of 18,783 people from Auckland to Waikato and 12,936 people in the opposite direction.
Net Migration Losses of More than 1,000 People
by Regional Council Area
2001–2006 Censuses |
| Source region |
Destination region |
Net flow |
| Auckland |
Waikato |
5,847 |
| Auckland |
Bay of Plenty |
3,423 |
| Auckland |
Northland |
3,420 |
| Wellington |
Auckland |
1,884 |
| Auckland |
Otago |
1,842 |
| Waikato |
Bay of Plenty |
1,674 |
| Southland |
Otago |
1,638 |
| Auckland |
Canterbury |
1,596 |
| Southland |
Canterbury |
1,338 |
| Nelson |
Tasman |
1,191 |
| Manawatu |
Waikato |
1,146 |
- Despite Auckland Region recording the largest net loss (-16,662) between 2001 and 2006, only 7.9 percent of the population in 2001 had moved out of the region, the lowest proportion for any region. In contrast, in Nelson Region, 26.2 percent of the 2001 population had left for other regions, yet the net migration loss was only -1,556, reflecting the considerable migration into the region.
Age
- For the 15- to 24-year age group, regions with the largest net gains between the 2001 and 2006 Censuses were Otago (5,517), Wellington (4,965), Auckland (4,425) and Canterbury (2,964).
- For those aged 15 to 24 years, the Bay of Plenty (-3,141), Northland (-2,964), Hawke's Bay (-2,592) and Taranaki (-2,163) regions had the largest net internal migration losses.
- Auckland Region (-13,848) recorded the largest net outflow of people aged 25 to 64 years.
- Bay of Plenty (6,213), Waikato (4,059) and Northland (3,546) regions recorded the largest net inflows of people aged 25 to 64 years.
- The Bay of Plenty Region (1,467) had the largest net migration gain for the 65 years and over age group.
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