Key points
The Canadian Crowding Index is one of a number of indices used to evaluate the extent of crowding in New Zealand. Using this index, a household is deemed to be ‘crowded’ if it has insufficient bedrooms according to the Canadian National Occupancy Standard (refer to www.stats.govt.nz for details of this standard). Freedom from crowding is one of the six dimensions of housing adequacy, as defined in the Statistics New Zealand, Housing Statistics Strategy. Crowding in dwellings relates to situations where the number of people residing in a household exceeds the ability of the household to provide adequate shelter and services to its members.
- The level of household crowding in the Waikato Region has declined over the past two decades and is marginally below the national average rate of crowding.
- The level of household crowding in Waitomo District has remained relatively constant over the last two decades and in 2006 was 13.2%, the highest rate of all the territorial authorities in the region and above the national and regional average.
Crowding Index (%) – Waikato Region and territorial authorities
|
1986 |
1991 |
1996 |
2001 |
2006 |
| New Zealand |
13.3 |
12.4 |
10.9 |
9.8 |
10.0 |
| Waikato Region |
12.9 |
11.8 |
10.5 |
9.4 |
9.6 |
| Franklin District |
13.4 |
11.7 |
10.5 |
8.6 |
8.3 |
| Thames-Coromandel District |
9.0 |
8.6 |
7.5 |
6.4 |
5.6 |
| Hauraki District |
11.7 |
10.8 |
9.0 |
7.3 |
7.9 |
| Waikato District |
15.6 |
14.7 |
12.1 |
11.3 |
11.2 |
| Matamata-Piako District |
9.9 |
8.7 |
6.9 |
6.6 |
6.6 |
| Hamilton City |
13.1 |
12.0 |
11.3 |
10.6 |
11.8 |
| Waipa District |
10.9 |
9.7 |
8.3 |
6.5 |
5.6 |
| Otorohanga District |
10.4 |
10.8 |
8.2 |
9.9 |
8.1 |
| South Waikato District |
16.2 |
14.5 |
13.4 |
13.0 |
11.7 |
| Waitomo District |
13.4 |
13.0 |
13.4 |
11.4 |
13.2 |
| Taupo District |
14.6 |
12.9 |
12.2 |
9.6 |
9.9 |
| Rotorua District |
17.3 |
14.8 |
14.1 |
12.4 |
12.5 |
Source: Statistics New Zealand Census/MSD Social Report
Note: The Canadian Crowding Index measures the 'percentage of households with fewer bedrooms than needed'.
What agencies are doing
Information currently being collated.
What you can do to help
Information currently being collated.
More information
More detail on this indicator, including how and where this information is collected, is available here.
What we want to achieve
The community outcomes we are seeking to achieve by reducing household crowding are:
- Maori enjoy the same quality of health, education, housing, employment and economic outcomes as non-Maori.
- We have a choice of healthy and affordable housing that we are happy to live in and that is close to places for work, study and recreation.
- Maori have the ability to live on ancestral land in quality, affordable housing.