Rural population growth in New Zealand
New Zealand: Rural population growth was 0.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in New Zealand, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
In 2025, rural population growth in New Zealand stood at 0.3%.
That represents a change of down 80.7% on the previous year and down 93.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in New Zealand peaked at 5.4% in 2017 and was at its lowest, -13.1%, in 1969.
New Zealand ranks 97th of 209 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -2.1% | — |
| 1962 | -0.2% | -88.8% |
| 1963 | -0.3% | +51.7% |
| 1964 | -0.3% | -22.4% |
| 1965 | -1.3% | +371.1% |
| 1966 | -2.6% | +102.3% |
| 1967 | -6.5% | +150.3% |
| 1968 | -11.3% | +75.5% |
| 1969 | -13.1% | +15.2% |
| 1970 | -10.8% | -17.2% |
| 1971 | -4.2% | -61.6% |
| 1972 | -0.5% | -88.5% |
| 1973 | 0.1% | -122.0% |
| 1974 | 0.6% | +512.8% |
| 1975 | 0.8% | +20.7% |
| 1976 | -0.1% | -118.3% |
| 1977 | -0.6% | +328.1% |
| 1978 | -0.8% | +24.4% |
| 1979 | -1.1% | +42.3% |
| 1980 | -0.5% | -54.9% |
| 1981 | -0.2% | -66.6% |
| 1982 | 0.5% | -433.8% |
| 1983 | 1.0% | +82.4% |
| 1984 | 0.5% | -50.1% |
| 1985 | 0.2% | -67.3% |
| 1986 | -0.7% | -527.2% |
| 1987 | -0.3% | -61.0% |
| 1988 | -1.3% | +364.5% |
| 1989 | -1.2% | -6.7% |
| 1990 | -0.6% | -50.8% |
| 1991 | 3.7% | -747.7% |
| 1992 | 0.2% | -95.4% |
| 1993 | 0.3% | +103.0% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +79.4% |
| 1995 | 0.8% | +35.2% |
| 1996 | 1.0% | +23.8% |
| 1997 | 0.8% | -19.9% |
| 1998 | 0.5% | -44.6% |
| 1999 | 0.1% | -69.2% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | +64.2% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +5.9% |
| 2002 | 1.4% | +451.7% |
| 2003 | 1.6% | +17.0% |
| 2004 | 1.2% | -26.9% |
| 2005 | 0.9% | -21.0% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | +26.8% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -16.9% |
| 2008 | 1.0% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 1.2% | +21.7% |
| 2010 | 1.3% | +14.4% |
| 2011 | 1.0% | -22.3% |
| 2012 | 0.9% | -15.7% |
| 2013 | 1.3% | +44.6% |
| 2014 | 3.1% | +142.9% |
| 2015 | 4.5% | +46.1% |
| 2016 | 5.3% | +18.8% |
| 2017 | 5.4% | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 4.1% | -24.8% |
| 2019 | 1.4% | -66.0% |
| 2020 | 2.0% | +42.1% |
| 2021 | 0.1% | -92.9% |
| 2022 | -0.2% | -249.2% |
| 2023 | 2.1% | -1089.6% |
| 2024 | 1.4% | -31.7% |
| 2025 | 0.3% | -80.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -4.2% | -13.1% | -0.2% | 9 |
| 1970s | -1.7% | -10.8% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | -0.2% | -1.3% | 1.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8% | -0.6% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.8% | 0.9% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9% | -0.2% | 2.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 94 Brunei Darussalam 0.3% compare
- 95 Azerbaijan 0.3% compare
- 96 Gambia 0.3% compare
- 98 Palestine, State of 0.3% compare
- 99 New Caledonia 0.2% compare
- 100 Saint Lucia 0.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.16 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 4.0% (2023)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 4.0% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in New Zealand?
- Rural population growth in New Zealand was 0.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 5.4% in 2017.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was -13.1% in 1969.
- How does New Zealand rank for rural population growth?
- New Zealand ranks 97th out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 93.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 65 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.