Population growth
Key Points | Report Card | Technical Information | Data
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What is happening in our region
During the 2006 Census, there were 382,716 people usually resident in the Waikato region. There were 24,990 more people living in the Waikato region in 2006 than in 2001.
The graph shows that the population in the Waikato region continued to grow in the period 2001 - 2006, but grew more slowly than the national average. The rate of population growth for 2001 - 2006 was more than three times the pace of the 1996 - 2001 growth for our region (7.0 percent compared with 2.2 percent). The national population growth over the five years to 2006 was 7.8 percent, compared with 3.3 percent in the earlier five year period.
- The Census data were collected on April 3, 1991, March 5, 1996, March 6, 2001 and and March 5, 20061.
- View this graph’s data.
- Find out about population growth in your local area.
The rates of growth across and within the region's districts differ. Some parts of the Waikato region, such as Franklin, Hamilton, and the Waikato District are growing faster than both the regional and national averages while other districts, such as South Waikato District and Otorohanga, are declining.
Why population growth is important
- An increasing population places greater pressure on resources and infrastructure and, in turn, on our environment.
- In areas where the population is increasing there are pressures to construct additional infrastructure, such as roads, housing, water supply and sewage treatment.
- In areas where the population is decreasing, existing infrastructure services will be under-used.
- Under-use of existing infrastructure and over-demand in other areas is environmentally inefficient. For example, while schools in some rural areas are being closed, new schools need to be built in new subdivisions around Hamilton.
- Knowledge of our population growth helps Environment Waikato to plan for future community needs.
What Environment Waikato is doing
- Environment Waikato monitors growth rates and assesses how this affects our environment. For example, if Hamilton’s population continues to grow and environmentally friendly transport modes are not adopted, there’s likely to be more traffic congestion and exhaust fumes in the city.
- 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 (growth Strategies) that will build a prosperous economy based on a healthy environment and a healthy society. A good example of such a partnership is Environment Waikato involvement in the Taupo-nui-a-Tia 2020 Project. This Project is a long-term vision for Lake Taupo integrating social, cultural, environmental and economic knowledge. This will enable agencies, iwi and the wider community to make educated and informed decisions about sustainable development in the Lake Taupo area.
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 Environment Waikato collects this information, is available in the Technical Information page.
Useful links
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Footnotes
- Copyright: Information obtained from Statistics New Zealand may be freely used, reproduced, or quoted unless otherwise specified. In all cases Statistics New Zealand must be acknowledged as the source.