Key points
Environment Waikato analysed information from Census data collected by Statistics New Zealand1 in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 to calculate the changes in the number of people in our region and the rate of change.
- The Waikato region’s population continues to grow, but at a slower rate than the rest of New Zealand.
- Population growth is unevenly spread across the region, with some areas such as Franklin, Hamilton City and the Waikato District growing faster than both the regional and national averages. Other districts, such as South Waikato and Otorohanga are declining in population.
Source: Environment Waikato (data from Statistics New Zealand)
What agencies are doing
- Environment Waikato monitors growth rates and assesses how this affects our environment. We monitor the ecological footprint of Waikato’s population and encourage people to live more sustainably.
- We work with the district and city councils in our region to ensure that infrastructure services have only a minimal effect on the environment.
- We work with communities, district and city councils and other agencies to develop sustainable development strategies that will build a prosperous economy based on a healthy environment and a healthy society.
What you can do to help
- Consider living in areas that already have the infrastructure services you require, such as schools, medical centres, shops and public transport.
- Reduce your own ecological footprint by conserving water and energy and reducing waste.
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 monitoring population growth are:
- Our regional and local economies are robust and diverse, providing opportunities throughout the Waikato region.
- The growth, wealth and uniqueness of the Maori economy is acknowledged and supported.