Estimated number of private dwellings in New Zealand
By tenure, as at 31 December 1991–2024, millions
| Quarter | Tenure | Number of private dwellings |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 963,500 |
| 1991 Q4 | Rented | 306,300 |
| 1992 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 966,900 |
| 1992 Q4 | Rented | 316,500 |
| 1993 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 970,400 |
| 1993 Q4 | Rented | 327,100 |
| 1994 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 975,200 |
| 1994 Q4 | Rented | 338,300 |
| 1995 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 981,500 |
| 1995 Q4 | Rented | 350,300 |
| 1996 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 988,900 |
| 1996 Q4 | Rented | 365,700 |
| 1997 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 996,800 |
| 1997 Q4 | Rented | 382,200 |
| 1998 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,005,600 |
| 1998 Q4 | Rented | 399,600 |
| 1999 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,013,000 |
| 1999 Q4 | Rented | 416,800 |
| 2000 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,021,100 |
| 2000 Q4 | Rented | 434,900 |
| 2001 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,029,600 |
| 2001 Q4 | Rented | 441,700 |
| 2002 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,040,900 |
| 2002 Q4 | Rented | 447,200 |
| 2003 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,056,200 |
| 2003 Q4 | Rented | 454,500 |
| 2004 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,074,000 |
| 2004 Q4 | Rented | 462,900 |
| 2005 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,088,100 |
| 2005 Q4 | Rented | 469,700 |
| 2006 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,098,600 |
| 2006 Q4 | Rented | 481,200 |
| 2007 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,109,000 |
| 2007 Q4 | Rented | 494,300 |
| 2008 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,117,400 |
| 2008 Q4 | Rented | 506,700 |
| 2009 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,120,400 |
| 2009 Q4 | Rented | 516,800 |
| 2010 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,124,500 |
| 2010 Q4 | Rented | 527,500 |
| 2011 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,127,000 |
| 2011 Q4 | Rented | 537,700 |
| 2012 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,130,600 |
| 2012 Q4 | Rented | 548,400 |
| 2013 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,139,900 |
| 2013 Q4 | Rented | 556,400 |
| 2014 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,151,800 |
| 2014 Q4 | Rented | 564,400 |
| 2015 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,164,600 |
| 2015 Q4 | Rented | 573,000 |
| 2016 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,179,600 |
| 2016 Q4 | Rented | 582,700 |
| 2017 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,195,200 |
| 2017 Q4 | Rented | 592,700 |
| 2018 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,223,200 |
| 2018 Q4 | Rented | 598,500 |
| 2019 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,254,100 |
| 2019 Q4 | Rented | 603,000 |
| 2020 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,288,200 |
| 2020 Q4 | Rented | 608,800 |
| 2021 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,323,900 |
| 2021 Q4 | Rented | 614,900 |
| 2022 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,365,900 |
| 2022 Q4 | Rented | 623,500 |
| 2023 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,394,400 |
| 2023 Q4 | Rented | 643,000 |
| 2024 Q4 | Owner-Occupied | 1,409,600 |
| 2024 Q4 | Rented | 661,500 |
Definitions
A private dwelling accommodates a person or a group of people, but is not available to the public. A private dwelling may be permanent or temporary. Permanent private dwellings include houses and flats, residences attached to a business or institution; baches, cribs and huts. Caravans, cabins, tents and other makeshift dwellings that are the principal or usual residence of households are classified as temporary private dwellings.
The tenure 'owner-occupied' includes dwellings owned by individuals or held in a family trust (from 2006).
The tenure 'provided free' includes dwellings provided free to households by individuals, private trusts, businesses, and government agencies.
Data calculation/treatment
Estimates of private dwellings by tenure are derived by applying tenure proportions to the private dwelling estimates.
The tenure proportions are based on census information on tenure of households in private occupied dwellings (excluding visitor-only dwellings).
The intercensal tenure proportions are calculated by linearly interpolating between the census tenure proportions.
From the March 2023 quarter, the 'owner-occupied' proportion applied to the dwelling estimate is reduced each quarter, while the 'rented' proportion is increased. 'Provided free' proportion is held constant at the 2023 Census proportion.
Limitations of the data
These figures are estimates based on previous Census data and will be revised when more accurate information is made available.
Inclusions
This estimate includes permanent and temporary private occupied dwellings as well as unoccupied dwellings.
Exclusions
The estimate excludes non-private dwellings and dwellings under construction.
Data provided by
Dataset name
Estimates and Projections: Estimated Private Dwellings, As At Quarter Ended December 2024
Webpage:
https://infoshare.stats.govt.nz/
How to find the data
At URL provided, select 'Population > Demography Dwelling and Household Estimates - DDE > Estimated Private Dwellings, As At Quarter Ended (Qrtly-Mar/Jun/Sep/Dec)'. All variables were selected in order to create this dataset.
Import & extraction details
File as imported: Estimates and Projections: Estimated Private Dwellings, As At Quarter Ended December 2024
From the dataset Estimates and Projections: Estimated Private Dwellings, As At Quarter Ended December 2024, this data was extracted:
- Rows: 3-138
- Columns: 2-5
- Provided: 544 data points
This data forms the table Population - Estimated private dwellings (as at quarter ended) 1991 Q1–2024 Q4.
Dataset originally released on:
January 14, 2025
Purpose of collection
The Dwelling and Household estimates are used for many purposes including planning, policy formation, business decisions, and as 'bottom lines' in the calculation of market coverage rates.
Method of collection/Data provider
The private dwelling estimates have as a base the census count of occupied private dwellings plus unoccupied dwellings from the 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses.