New Zealand: South Island

Regions

The resident population of the Regional Council Areas on the South Island according to official estimates.

Name	Status	Population Estimate 1996-06-30	Population Estimate 2001-06-30	Population Estimate 2006-06-30	Population Estimate 2013-06-30	Population Estimate 2018-06-30	Population Estimate 2022-06-30
Canterbury	Regional Council Area	480,400	496,700	540,000	562,900	622,800	655,000	→
Marlborough	Regional Council Area	39,200	40,700	43,600	44,700	48,700	51,900	→
Nelson	Regional Council Area	41,200	42,900	44,300	48,700	52,700	54,500	→
Otago	Regional Council Area	189,300	188,300	199,800	208,800	235,000	246,000	→
Southland	Regional Council Area	99,000	93,300	93,200	96,000	100,500	102,400	→
Tasman	Regional Council Area	38,800	42,400	45,800	48,800	54,000	58,700	→
West Coast	Regional Council Area	33,200	31,100	32,100	33,000	32,400	32,700	→
South Island (Te Waipounamu)	Island	921,100	935,400	998,800	1,042,800	1,146,200	1,201,300

Contents: Settlements

The resident population of all urban areas and rural settlements on the South Island according to official estimates.

The Details icon links to further information about a selected place including its population structure (gender, age groups, age distribution, religion, country of birth, ethnic group).

Name	Status	Region	Population Estimate 1996-06-30	Population Estimate 2001-06-30	Population Estimate 2006-06-30	Population Estimate 2013-06-30	Population Estimate 2018-06-30	Population Estimate 2022-06-30
Ahaura	Rural Settlement	West Coast	120	140	110	100	100	110	→
Akaroa	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	680	610	620	670	770	780	→
Alexandra	Small Urban Area	Otago	4,690	4,480	4,940	4,920	5,630	6,090	→
Allanton	Rural Settlement	Otago	220	240	260	260	310	310	→
Amberley	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,050	1,160	1,340	1,620	2,110	2,340	→
Amberley Beach	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	140	150	140	170	180	170	→
Anakiwa	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	160	170	190	180	180	180	→
Aramoana	Rural Settlement	Otago	70	80	90	90	110	120	→
Arrowtown	Small Urban Area	Otago	1,470	1,770	2,260	2,580	2,970	2,950	→
Arthur's Pass	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	90	70	70	60	50	50	→
Arthurs Point	Small Urban Area	Otago	250	300	430	860	1,210	1,360	→
Ashburton	Medium Urban Area	Canterbury	15,650	15,600	16,550	18,600	19,850	20,600	→
Ashley	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	290	340	340	370	410	440	→
Balclutha	Small Urban Area	Otago	4,280	4,250	4,210	4,050	4,190	4,300	→
Balfour	Rural Settlement	Southland	140	140	140	120	120	130	→
Bannockburn	Rural Settlement	Otago	150	180	320	390	500	610	→
Benhar	Rural Settlement	Otago	120	120	100	100	90	90	→
Birdling's Flat	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	80	110	150	150	200	210	→
Blackball	Rural Settlement	West Coast	370	310	320	290	280	290	→
Blenheim	Medium Urban Area	Marlborough	21,500	22,700	24,200	25,300	27,600	29,000	→
Bluff	Small Urban Area	Southland	2,140	2,000	1,850	1,860	1,840	1,830	→
Brighton	Small Urban Area	Otago	1,560	1,520	1,520	1,480	1,520	1,520	→
Brightwater	Small Urban Area	Tasman	1,310	1,510	1,880	1,860	2,190	2,340	→
Burnham Camp	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	1,530	1,200	1,350	1,250	1,280	1,510	→
Carters Beach	Rural Settlement	West Coast	310	280	310	340	340	340	→
Castle Hill	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	10	20	10	50	20	50	→
Cave	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	90	80	80	80	80	90	→
Cheviot	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	450	400	390	380	380	360	→
Christchurch	Major Urban Area	Canterbury	315,800	324,800	350,300	345,500	372,500	377,900	→
Clinton	Rural Settlement	Otago	360	330	300	290	300	300	→
Clyde	Small Urban Area	Otago	850	830	930	1,040	1,180	1,270	→
Coalgate	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	190	240	240	320	350	380	→
Collingwood	Rural Settlement	Tasman	210	200	220	250	280	310	→
Cromwell	Small Urban Area	Otago	2,760	2,840	3,860	4,500	5,840	7,010	→
Culverden	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	350	330	360	370	360	370	→
Cust	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	280	290	350	380	400	420	→
Darfield	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,520	1,830	2,050	2,500	2,830	3,120	→
Diamond Harbour	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,000	1,160	1,260	1,350	1,530	1,600	→
Dobson	Rural Settlement	West Coast	600	620	600	580	580	600	→
Doyleston	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	180	210	250	330	330	360	→
Dunedin	Major Urban Area	Otago	98,500	96,800	98,600	98,600	104,200	102,400	→
Dunsandel	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	360	380	400	460	450	480	→
Duntroon	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	100	110	90	80	100	110	→
Duvauchelle	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	150	180	170	220	180	200	→
Edendale	Rural Settlement	Southland	600	600	520	570	610	610	→
Ettrick	Rural Settlement	Otago	160	160	170	180	180	180	→
Fairlie	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	1,000	870	890	890	920	930	→
Fox Glacier	Rural Settlement	West Coast	190	200	290	240	260	240	→
Franz Josef	Rural Settlement	West Coast	210	220	300	350	500	510	→
Geraldine	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	2,330	2,310	2,390	2,470	2,750	2,820	→
Glenavy	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	130	130	120	210	200	210	→
Glenorchy	Rural Settlement	Otago	130	160	160	270	370	390	→
Glentunnel	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	130	120	140	160	170	190	→
Gloriavale	Rural Settlement	West Coast	240	300	370	530	630	700	→
Gore	Small Urban Area	Southland	8,460	8,010	7,930	7,910	8,150	8,220	→
Governors Bay	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	670	760	860	850	910	940	→
Granity	Rural Settlement	West Coast	280	220	190	210	170	160	→
Greymouth	Small Urban Area	West Coast	8,760	8,150	8,410	8,320	8,230	8,320	→
Grovetown	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	290	320	310	310	360	420	→
Haast	Rural Settlement	West Coast	60	60	60	50	90	90	→
Hampden	Rural Settlement	Otago	310	310	300	310	350	370	→
Hanmer Springs	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	600	700	750	890	1,030	1,120	→
Harihari	Rural Settlement	West Coast	290	270	270	250	240	260	→
Harwood	Rural Settlement	Otago	230	220	220	210	230	240	→
Havelock	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	540	520	540	520	610	640	→
Hawarden	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	220	240	220	240	250	250	→
Hāwea Flat	Rural Settlement	Otago	110	110	290	430	570	650	→
Herbert	Rural Settlement	Otago	120	120	120	110	100	110	→
Hinds	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	250	260	300	300	300	320	→
Hokitika	Small Urban Area	West Coast	3,420	3,170	3,150	3,060	2,960	2,860	→
Hope	Small Urban Area	Tasman	790	810	910	920	950	990	→
Hororata	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	120	140	170	190	210	230	→
Invercargill	Large Urban Area	Southland	48,100	45,300	45,600	46,800	49,100	49,800	→
Jacks Point	Rural Settlement	Otago	20	30	60	250	1,040	2,140	→
Kaiapoi	Medium Urban Area	Canterbury	8,530	9,830	10,900	9,890	12,200	13,400	→
Kaikōura	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	2,290	2,190	2,270	2,050	2,300	2,330	→
Kaitangata	Rural Settlement	Otago	880	810	830	770	770	780	→
Kaiteriteri	Rural Settlement	Tasman	210	290	310	360	360	420	→
Kakanui	Rural Settlement	Otago	390	380	380	360	410	450	→
Kaka Point	Rural Settlement	Otago	260	220	210	230	230	240	→
Kaniere	Rural Settlement	West Coast	270	240	300	310	300	290	→
Karamea	Rural Settlement	West Coast	470	460	430	380	360	400	→
Karitāne	Rural Settlement	Otago	450	400	350	370	410	420	→
Kennington	Rural Settlement	Southland	140	120	120	130	120	120	→
Kingston	Rural Settlement	Otago	80	70	130	210	320	390	→
Kirwee	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	390	440	650	810	1,000	1,060	→
Kūmara	Rural Settlement	West Coast	320	330	320	310	290	290	→
Kurow	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	440	410	350	330	380	390	→
Lake Hāwea (Lake Hawea Village)	Small Urban Area	Otago	270	340	570	840	1,270	1,860	→
Lake Hayes (Lake Hayes Estate)	Small Urban Area	Otago	230	260	910	2,070	5,020	6,760	→
Lake Hood	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	40	40	80	220	400	460	→
Lake Roxburgh Village	Rural Settlement	Otago	110	80	70	80	80	90	→
Lawrence	Rural Settlement	Otago	550	470	440	420	460	470	→
Leeston	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,300	1,270	1,370	1,600	2,290	2,490	→
Leithfield	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	270	340	410	570	600	610	→
Leithfield Beach	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	350	370	390	420	410	420	→
Ligar Bay	Rural Settlement	Tasman	80	140	120	120	130	150	→
Lincoln	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	2,430	2,440	2,920	4,050	6,840	9,180	→
Little River	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	220	260	230	290	280	280	→
Luggate	Rural Settlement	Otago	140	160	200	290	490	640	→
Lumsden	Rural Settlement	Southland	540	480	450	430	520	550	→
Lyttelton	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	3,070	3,040	3,090	2,900	3,100	3,150	→
Maheno	Rural Settlement	Otago	140	120	140	110	130	130	→
Mākikihi	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	80	70	70	80	90	90	→
Malvern Hills - Whitecliffs	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	110	110	120	160	180	200	→
Manapōuri	Rural Settlement	Southland	190	220	270	200	220	240	→
Māpua	Small Urban Area	Tasman	730	990	1,100	1,150	1,280	1,350	→
Mārahau	Rural Settlement	Tasman	190	280	190	210	240	260	→
Marlborough Ridge	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	20	20	50	140	180	260	→
Mataura	Small Urban Area	Southland	1,990	1,790	1,610	1,560	1,700	1,720	→
Methven	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,130	1,210	1,450	1,780	1,860	1,970	→
Middlemarch	Rural Settlement	Otago	210	190	170	160	160	150	→
Milford Huts	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	50	60	60	70	80	80	→
Millbrook	Rural Settlement	Otago	70	60	80	90	130	140	→
Millers Flat	Rural Settlement	Otago	120	110	100	90	90	90	→
Milton	Small Urban Area	Otago	2,230	2,130	2,110	2,110	2,200	2,200	→
Moana	Rural Settlement	West Coast	140	80	60	70	60	70	→
Moeraki	Rural Settlement	Otago	140	120	130	120	110	120	→
Mosgiel	Medium Urban Area	Otago	11,050	11,200	11,900	12,500	13,900	14,500	→
Mossburn	Rural Settlement	Southland	220	190	190	170	180	180	→
Motueka	Small Urban Area	Tasman	6,250	6,530	6,810	7,300	8,260	8,340	→
Mount Somers	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	120	130	110	140	150	170	→
Mt Cook Village	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	290	250	220	210	230	200	→
Murchison	Rural Settlement	Tasman	510	500	470	450	480	520	→
Naseby	Rural Settlement	Otago	110	100	120	120	120	140	→
Nelson	Large Urban Area	Nelson	39,800	41,300	42,600	46,400	49,800	50,800	→
Ngākawau	Rural Settlement	West Coast	360	310	240	220	200	190	→
Ngākuta Bay	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	40	70	70	60	60	60	→
Nightcaps	Rural Settlement	Southland	410	350	320	300	310	300	→
Oamaru	Medium Urban Area	Otago	13,000	12,350	12,250	12,600	13,450	13,900	→
Oban	Rural Settlement	Southland	330	300	300	280	310	320	→
Ōhai	Rural Settlement	Southland	530	410	370	320	270	270	→
Ōkiwi Bay	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	60	80	100	80	70	70	→
Omakau	Rural Settlement	Otago	280	280	300	300	350	410	→
Ōmārama	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	370	280	230	280	300	340	→
Ōrarī	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	130	130	150	190	170	180	→
Ōtākou - Harington Point	Rural Settlement	Otago	200	190	170	170	200	200	→
Ōtautau	Rural Settlement	Southland	860	780	810	710	780	760	→
Otematata	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	370	250	190	190	190	240	→
Outram	Rural Settlement	Otago	650	630	660	730	790	790	→
Owaka	Rural Settlement	Otago	410	370	330	310	320	320	→
Oxford	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,530	1,640	1,780	2,010	2,280	2,440	→
Palmerston	Rural Settlement	Otago	1,010	920	930	920	980	1,040	→
Parapara	Rural Settlement	Tasman	90	100	90	90	100	100	→
Pareora	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	510	480	460	440	470	490	→
Pegasus	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	30	20	20	1,080	2,770	3,820	→
Picton	Small Urban Area	Marlborough	3,990	4,090	4,160	4,130	4,650	4,800	→
Pisa Moorings	Rural Settlement	Otago	40	60	160	360	590	840	→
Pleasant Point	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,270	1,200	1,220	1,340	1,430	1,490	→
Pōhara	Rural Settlement	Tasman	350	370	520	530	530	570	→
Pounawea	Rural Settlement	Otago	70	70	60	60	50	50	→
Prebbleton	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	970	1,050	2,080	2,910	4,680	5,260	→
Pūrākaunui	Rural Settlement	Otago	190	190	200	200	210	230	→
Pūrau	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	30	40	60	50	70	70	→
Queenstown	Medium Urban Area	Otago	7,700	8,870	10,950	11,900	15,150	15,800	→
Rai Valley	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	150	150	140	150	180	200	→
Rākaia	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	900	970	1,090	1,310	1,480	1,560	→
Ranfurly	Rural Settlement	Otago	870	750	720	680	740	780	→
Rangiora	Medium Urban Area	Canterbury	10,100	11,200	12,500	15,700	18,400	19,700	→
Rārangi	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	400	400	520	590	680	700	→
Reefton	Small Urban Area	West Coast	1,100	1,030	1,000	1,070	940	930	→
Renwick	Small Urban Area	Marlborough	1,800	1,890	2,020	2,320	2,480	2,620	→
Richmond	Medium Urban Area	Tasman	9,550	11,450	12,700	13,850	15,700	18,450	→
Riversdale	Rural Settlement	Southland	390	390	430	410	420	430	→
Riverton	Small Urban Area	Southland	1,890	1,720	1,580	1,490	1,680	1,660	→
Rīwaka	Rural Settlement	Tasman	640	650	640	680	790	830	→
Rolleston	Medium Urban Area	Canterbury	1,550	2,820	5,210	10,050	18,400	28,000	→
Ross	Rural Settlement	West Coast	390	320	300	300	290	280	→
Rotherham	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	80	90	100	120	140	150	→
Roxburgh	Rural Settlement	Otago	750	630	630	540	600	620	→
Ruby Bay	Rural Settlement	Tasman	420	490	560	640	700	750	→
Rūnanga	Small Urban Area	West Coast	1,430	1,340	1,260	1,270	1,220	1,240	→
Seddon	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	530	470	490	500	580	600	→
Sefton	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	200	210	240	240	210	230	→
Selwyn Huts	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	60	60	60	60	90	100	→
Sheffield and Waddington	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	250	290	260	290	330	360	→
Southbridge	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	690	740	760	900	940	1,010	→
Spencerville	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	190	300	590	530	530	530	→
Spring Creek	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	510	540	590	560	590	640	→
Springfield	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	210	220	220	240	330	380	→
Springston	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	300	320	380	530	550	560	→
St Andrews	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	190	180	180	190	200	200	→
St Arnaud	Rural Settlement	Tasman	70	90	80	110	120	150	→
Stirling	Rural Settlement	Otago	340	320	330	320	330	340	→
Taieri Mouth	Rural Settlement	Otago	170	180	180	200	260	280	→
Tai Tapu	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	350	350	340	500	560	680	→
Tākaka	Small Urban Area	Tasman	1,250	1,220	1,170	1,280	1,380	1,400	→
Takamatua	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	100	90	120	140	120	120	→
Tapanui	Rural Settlement	Otago	890	860	750	730	800	800	→
Tapawera	Rural Settlement	Tasman	350	320	340	320	350	370	→
Tasman	Rural Settlement	Tasman	330	310	360	430	520	610	→
Te Ānau	Small Urban Area	Southland	1,870	1,960	1,990	2,040	2,630	2,970	→
Tekapō (Lake Tekapo Town)	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	300	310	330	370	590	690	→
Temuka	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	4,240	4,250	4,330	4,400	4,600	4,660	→
The Pines Beach	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	480	480	510	370	340	350	→
Timaru	Medium Urban Area	Canterbury	27,000	26,600	26,700	27,200	28,300	28,600	→
Tuamarina	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	210	220	270	220	240	240	→
Tuatapere	Rural Settlement	Southland	760	700	590	570	550	530	→
Twizel	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,220	1,040	1,070	1,190	1,530	1,670	→
Waiau	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	280	260	260	270	260	270	→
Waihola	Rural Settlement	Otago	260	270	280	360	410	470	→
Waikaia	Rural Settlement	Southland	90	110	120	130	140	140	→
Waikari	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	290	280	260	280	270	270	→
Waikouaiti	Small Urban Area	Otago	1,190	1,120	1,120	1,150	1,230	1,240	→
Waikuku	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	80	90	110	120	170	190	→
Waikuku Beach	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	720	810	880	940	930	1,080	→
Waimangaroa	Rural Settlement	West Coast	290	230	230	250	230	220	→
Waimate	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	3,530	3,290	3,370	3,390	3,580	3,600	→
Waipara	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	260	260	270	280	330	320	→
Waipōpō	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	80	70	90	80	90	90	→
Wairau Valley	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	140	150	180	210	240	270	→
Waitati - Doctors Point	Rural Settlement	Otago	540	510	520	520	590	620	→
Wakefield	Small Urban Area	Tasman	1,470	1,620	2,050	2,390	2,510	2,680	→
Wallacetown	Rural Settlement	Southland	710	650	630	700	730	740	→
Wānaka	Small Urban Area	Otago	2,600	3,450	5,280	6,820	10,250	12,150	→
Ward	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	110	120	100	110	80	90	→
Warrington	Rural Settlement	Otago	420	410	440	460	500	530	→
West Melton	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	230	300	330	820	2,210	2,640	→
Westport	Small Urban Area	West Coast	4,980	4,530	4,620	4,850	4,520	4,290	→
Winchester	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	240	270	270	280	270	270	→
Winton	Small Urban Area	Southland	2,240	2,150	2,140	2,270	2,400	2,450	→
Woodbourne	Rural Settlement	Marlborough	940	720	700	420	610	670	→
Woodbury	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	70	60	80	100	110	120	→
Woodend	Small Urban Area	Canterbury	1,640	2,360	2,740	2,850	2,860	3,210	→
Woodend Beach	Rural Settlement	Canterbury	180	190	200	260	270	300	→
Woodlands	Rural Settlement	Southland	310	290	260	270	290	300	→
Wyndham	Rural Settlement	Southland	670	600	540	570	590	590	→

Source: Statistics New Zealand / Te Tari Tatau (web).

Explanation: Settlements in 2022 boundaries. Population estimates for 2018 and later are based on the results of the 2018 census. The 2022 figures are provisional.