Numerical differences in moves into and out of urban/rural profile areas are not the only points of interest; also interesting are the differences in demographic characteristics of the people moving into an area compared with those moving to other area types.
There was a big inflow of people aged 18–22 years moving to main urban areas from other area types, reflecting life stage factors such as wanting to be close to tertiary education providers. However, there was a gradual decrease in the numbers of people aged above 45 years who had moved to a main urban area during 2001–2006. The outflow from main urban areas was significant among families (aged between 30 and 40 years) with young children (aged less than 10 years). In contrast, people of secondary school and tertiary education ages were less likely to move from main urban areas.
Figure 4
Independent urban areas have a low dependence on main urban areas in terms of services and employment. However, among people of all ages below 54 years there was a net internal migration loss to other area types between 2001 and 2006. In particular, there were high outflows among people of student ages (18–22 years). Conversely, independent urban areas gained population among those aged 55–75 years – these areas had become attractive for the older working ages and retirement ages.
Rural areas with high urban influence attracted young families (30–49 years) with children (under 15 years), but many people of ages 18–24 years were leaving the area, possibly for education opportunities in main urban areas.
Table 3
Moves to and from Main Urban Area by Usual Residence Five Years Ago
For European and Māori ethnic group
2006 Census |
| Ethnic group |
Independent urban |
Rural with high urban influence |
Rural with low urban influence |
All areas outside main urban(1) |
| European |
Moved to main urban area from area type |
| 34,563 |
16,656 |
18,498 |
97,128 |
| Moved from main urban area to area type |
| 29,274 |
21,903 |
14,280 |
98,679 |
| Māori |
Moved to main urban area from area type |
| 11,772 |
3,186 |
5,595 |
28,221 |
| Moved from main urban area to area type |
| 8,928 |
3,219 |
4,356 |
24,534 |
(1) Includes satellite urban area, rural area with moderate urban influence, highly rural/remote area, and area outside urban/rural area types.
Mobility varies by both age and ethnicity. More than a third of moves from other area types to main urban areas were from independent urban areas (36 percent of movers were of European ethnicity). Between 2001 and 2006, the number of movers of European ethnicity to main urban areas from independent urban areas dropped by 6,200 to 34,600 compared with ten years previously. In comparison, movers of Māori ethnicity to main urban areas from independent urban areas comprised a larger proportion of all moves to main urban areas (42 percent of movers of Māori ethnicity) and had increased to 11,800 between 2001 and 2006. This was partly a result of the Māori ethnic group having a younger age structure than the European ethnic group and the tendency for younger adults to move to main urban areas.
Moves to main urban areas from independent urban areas were largely offset by moves in the opposite direction, which resulted in net gains to main urban areas from moves between main urban and independent urban areas (5,300 of European ethnicity and 2,800 of Māori ethnicity during 2001–2006). In comparison, main urban areas had a net population loss from moves between main urban areas and rural areas with high urban influence (5,200 of European ethnicity and an insignificant number of Māori ethnicity during 2001–2006).