Estimated New Zealand population
As at 30 June 1937–2025, millions
| Year ended June | Definition of population | Number of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Estimated de facto population | 1,587,400 |
| 1938 | Estimated de facto population | 1,604,500 |
| 1939 | Estimated de facto population | 1,626,500 |
| 1940 | Estimated de facto population | 1,636,100 |
| 1941 | Estimated de facto population | 1,629,000 |
| 1942 | Estimated de facto population | 1,638,700 |
| 1943 | Estimated de facto population | 1,632,700 |
| 1944 | Estimated de facto population | 1,653,800 |
| 1945 | Estimated de facto population | 1,688,100 |
| 1946 | Estimated de facto population | 1,759,400 |
| 1947 | Estimated de facto population | 1,797,400 |
| 1948 | Estimated de facto population | 1,833,400 |
| 1949 | Estimated de facto population | 1,871,100 |
| 1950 | Estimated de facto population | 1,908,300 |
| 1951 | Estimated de facto population | 1,947,300 |
| 1952 | Estimated de facto population | 1,994,800 |
| 1953 | Estimated de facto population | 2,047,400 |
| 1954 | Estimated de facto population | 2,092,800 |
| 1955 | Estimated de facto population | 2,136,200 |
| 1956 | Estimated de facto population | 2,178,300 |
| 1957 | Estimated de facto population | 2,229,400 |
| 1958 | Estimated de facto population | 2,281,500 |
| 1959 | Estimated de facto population | 2,331,100 |
| 1960 | Estimated de facto population | 2,371,800 |
| 1961 | Estimated de facto population | 2,419,700 |
| 1962 | Estimated de facto population | 2,482,000 |
| 1963 | Estimated de facto population | 2,531,800 |
| 1964 | Estimated de facto population | 2,585,400 |
| 1965 | Estimated de facto population | 2,628,400 |
| 1966 | Estimated de facto population | 2,675,900 |
| 1967 | Estimated de facto population | 2,724,100 |
| 1968 | Estimated de facto population | 2,748,100 |
| 1969 | Estimated de facto population | 2,772,800 |
| 1970 | Estimated de facto population | 2,810,700 |
| 1971 | Estimated de facto population | 2,853,000 |
| 1972 | Estimated de facto population | 2,903,900 |
| 1973 | Estimated de facto population | 2,961,300 |
| 1974 | Estimated de facto population | 3,023,700 |
| 1975 | Estimated de facto population | 3,083,100 |
| 1976 | Estimated de facto population | 3,110,500 |
| 1977 | Estimated de facto population | 3,120,200 |
| 1978 | Estimated de facto population | 3,121,200 |
| 1979 | Estimated de facto population | 3,109,000 |
| 1980 | Estimated de facto population | 3,112,900 |
| 1981 | Estimated de facto population | 3,124,900 |
| 1982 | Estimated de facto population | 3,156,100 |
| 1983 | Estimated de facto population | 3,199,300 |
| 1984 | Estimated de facto population | 3,227,100 |
| 1985 | Estimated de facto population | 3,247,100 |
| 1986 | Estimated de facto population | 3,246,300 |
| 1987 | Estimated de facto population | 3,274,400 |
| 1988 | Estimated de facto population | 3,283,400 |
| 1989 | Estimated de facto population | 3,299,200 |
| 1990 | Estimated de facto population | 3,329,800 |
| 1991 | Estimated resident population | 3,495,100 |
| 1992 | Estimated resident population | 3,531,700 |
| 1993 | Estimated resident population | 3,572,200 |
| 1994 | Estimated resident population | 3,620,000 |
| 1995 | Estimated resident population | 3,673,400 |
| 1996 | Estimated resident population | 3,732,000 |
| 1997 | Estimated resident population | 3,781,300 |
| 1998 | Estimated resident population | 3,815,000 |
| 1999 | Estimated resident population | 3,835,100 |
| 2000 | Estimated resident population | 3,857,700 |
| 2001 | Estimated resident population | 3,880,500 |
| 2002 | Estimated resident population | 3,948,500 |
| 2003 | Estimated resident population | 4,027,200 |
| 2004 | Estimated resident population | 4,087,500 |
| 2005 | Estimated resident population | 4,133,900 |
| 2006 | Estimated resident population | 4,184,600 |
| 2007 | Estimated resident population | 4,223,800 |
| 2008 | Estimated resident population | 4,259,800 |
| 2009 | Estimated resident population | 4,302,600 |
| 2010 | Estimated resident population | 4,350,700 |
| 2011 | Estimated resident population | 4,384,000 |
| 2012 | Estimated resident population | 4,408,100 |
| 2013 | Estimated resident population | 4,442,100 |
| 2014 | Estimated resident population | 4,516,500 |
| 2015 | Estimated resident population | 4,609,400 |
| 2016 | Estimated resident population | 4,714,100 |
| 2017 | Estimated resident population | 4,813,600 |
| 2018 | Estimated resident population | 4,900,600 |
| 2019 | Estimated resident population | 4,970,300 |
| 2020 | Estimated resident population | 5,072,400 |
| 2021 | Estimated resident population | 5,084,600 |
| 2022 | Estimated resident population | 5,081,700 |
| 2023 | Estimated resident population | 5,200,000 |
| 2024 | Estimated resident population | 5,290,000 |
| 2025 | Estimated resident population | 5,324,700 |
Notes
Estimated de facto population: De facto population estimates include all people present in New Zealand and counted by the census (census night population count).
Estimated resident population: The estimated resident population is based on the census usually resident population count, updated for residents missed or counted more than once by the census (net census undercount); and births, deaths, and net migration between census night and the date of the estimate.
Changes to data collection/processing
Estimates from 1991 onwards are not strictly comparable with estimates for earlier years, due to conceptual differences.
Data provided by
Dataset name
Estimates and Projections: Historical population estimates tables 2025
Webpage:
http://infoshare.stats.govt.nz/
How to find the data
Population->Population Estimates - DPE->Estimated Resident Population Change by component (1991+) (Annual-Jun).
Population->Population Estimates - DPE->Estimated Resident Population by Age and Sex (1991+) (Annual-Jun). Choose "As at" and "Total all Ages" and all remaining variables.
Figure.nz synced the tables and added some calculations.
Import & extraction details
File as imported: Estimates and Projections: Historical population estimates tables 2025
From the dataset Estimates and Projections: Historical population estimates tables 2025, this data was extracted:
- Sheet: DPE403903_20230901_010515_86
- Range:
B4:L94 - Provided: 534 data points
This data forms the table Population - Estimated population by year ended June 1937–2025.
Dataset originally released on:
August 19, 2025
About this dataset
National population estimates give the best measure between census dates of the population that usually lives in an area, by age and sex, for the total New Zealand area.