QuickStats About Population Mobility

• New Zealanders are becoming more mobile. In 2006, more than half (57.7 percent) of the total usually resident population had changed their usual residence at least once in the previous five years, and almost 1 in 4 people (24.8 percent) had moved within the past year. In 2001, the corresponding proportions were 55.4 and 24.2 percent, respectively.
• Almost 1 in 10 people (9.7 percent) in 2006 had lived at their usual residence for 20 years or more, compared with 10.7 percent in 2001.

Age

• People aged 25 to 29 years were the most mobile, with more than 8 in every 10 (83.9 percent) having moved at least once in the five years prior to the 2006 Census. The least mobile age group was people aged 75 to 79 years, where only around 1 in 4 (26.4 percent) had moved during this time.
• In general, mobility declines with increasing age, except in the oldest age groups. In 2006, more than 1 in every 3 people (36.7 percent) aged 85 years and over had moved at least once in the previous five years.

Location

• The most mobile regional population was found in the Waikato Region, where 3 in every 5 people (60.0 percent) had changed their usual residence since the time of the 2001 Census. The West Coast Region had the least mobile population during this time, with 1 in every 2 people (51.4 percent) recording a change of residence.
• Amongst the cities and districts (territorial authorities), Queenstown-Lakes had the most mobile population, where over 7 in every 10 people (72.1 percent) had changed their usual residence since the 2001 Census. The least mobile was Chatham Islands Territory, where just over 4 in 10 people (44.3 percent) had changed their usual residence at least once since 2001.
• Wairoa District recorded the highest proportion of people (17.0 percent) who had lived at their usual residence for 20 years or more. This compares with a national average of 9.7 percent.