Socio-economic trends

General trends

• Regional population growth
  • The Waikato region's population grew by 8.9 per cent, faster than the national average of 6.3 per cent between 2018 and 2023.
  • However, the growth rate decreased from 12 per cent (2013-2018) to 8.9 per cent (2018-2023).
  • Nationally, the growth rate decreased from 9.3 per cent to 6.3 per cent during these periods.
• District population growth
  • Waikato District grew the fastest at 13.7 per cent between 2018 and 2023.
  • Waipā District grew by 10.2 per cent and Hamilton City by 8.6 per cent.
  • The lowest growth was in Waitomo, Rotorua, and Otorohanga Districts, where the population increased by 3 per cent. Interestingly, during the 2013-2018 period, Waitomo District showed negative growth (-5 per cent).
  • South Waikato District also showed growth (+4.2 per cent), in contrast to negative growth (-2.5 per cent) in the 2013-2018 period.
• Age demographics
  • The region's population is aging, with a significant proportion (53 per cent) aged 35 years and older, up from 49 per cent in 2001.
  • There are more females than males overall (100 females to 98 males), but more males than females under 25 (100 males to 96 females). The largest gender disparity is in the over-85 age group (62 males to 100 females).
• Māori population
  • The Māori population increased to 111,657 (14.4 per cent) in 2023 compared to the 2013 Census data.
  • The Māori population is youthful, with 57 per cent under 30 years old and 64 per cent under 35 years old.
• Educational qualifications
  • Around 14 per cent of Waikato residents have no educational qualifications, compared to 12 per cent nationally.
  • The proportion of residents with no qualifications decreased from 18 per cent in 2013 to 14 per cent in 2018.
  • Thirty-five percent of New Zealanders and 30 per cent of Waikato residents have a post-school qualification.
  • Hamilton City has the highest educated population, with 45 per cent holding post-school qualifications, compared to 30 per cent for the region. Hauraki and South Waikato districts have the highest proportion of people with no formal qualifications (30 per cent).
• Employment and unemployment
  • As of March 31, 2018, there were 230,871 people employed in the Waikato region, a 19 per cent increase from March 2013.
  • There were 15,700 unemployed and seeking work, a 4 per cent increase from 2013.
  • South Waikato District had the highest unemployment rate (6.3 per cent), followed by Hamilton City (5.6 per cent). Thames-Coromandel had the lowest rate (3.0 per cent).
  • The most recent unemployment rate for the Waikato region is 3.5 per cent, slightly higher than the national rate of 3.4 per cen
• Sector performance
  • The healthcare and social assistance sector is the largest contributor to the economy in terms of employment. The contribution of this sector has increased steadily over time, from around 9 per cent in 2005 to 11 per cent in 2022.
  • It is also interesting to note that the importance of the dairy cattle farming sector in the region is gradually declining. This sector's share of the total industry decreased from around 6 per cent in 2005 to 4 per cent in 2022.