Rural population growth (annual %) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Rural population growth (annual %) 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 98th of 210 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 (annual %) 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% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 0.3% is above the median for high income countries, which is -0.3%. (77 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 0.3% is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.0%, 5.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Rural population growth (annual %) in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +1089.6% | -0.2% | 2.1% |
| 1991 | +747.7% | -0.6% | 3.7% |
| 1986 | -527.2% | 0.2% | -0.7% |
| 1974 | +512.8% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
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
- 95 Channel Islands 0.3% compare
- 96 Azerbaijan 0.3% compare
- 97 Gambia 0.3% compare
- 99 Palestine 0.3% compare
- 100 New Caledonia 0.2% compare
- 101 Saint Lucia 0.2% compare
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 1.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1262 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.76 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.76 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
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 98th out of 210 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
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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.