During early migration in 1858, New Zealand had 131 males for every 100 females, but following changes in migration patterns and the modern longevity advantage of women, females came to outnumber males in 1971. As of 2012 there are 0.99 males per female, with males dominating under 15 years and females dominating in the 65 years or older range.
thumb|Change in population by region in New Zealand based on the 2006–2013 censuses|300px
Age structure
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! width="80pt"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80pt"|Female
! width="80pt"|Total
! width="80pt"|%
|-
| align="right" | Total
| align="right" | 2 542 600
| align="right" | 2 580 000
| align="right" | 5 122 600
| align="right" | 100
|-
| align="right" | 0–4
| align="right" | 156 710
| align="right" | 148 800
| align="right" | 305 510
| align="right" | 5.96
|-
| align="right" | 5–9
| align="right" | 167 260
| align="right" | 158 310
| align="right" | 325 570
| align="right" | 6.36
|-
| align="right" | 10–14
| align="right" | 173 620
| align="right" | 163 920
| align="right" | 337 540
| align="right" | 6.59
|-
| align="right" | 15–19
| align="right" | 161 330
| align="right" | 153 550
| align="right" | 314 880
| align="right" | 6.15
|-
| align="right" | 20–24
| align="right" | 172 020
| align="right" | 161 240
| align="right" | 333 260
| align="right" | 6.51
|-
| align="right" | 25–29
| align="right" | 190 640
| align="right" | 181 390
| align="right" | 372 030
| align="right" | 7.26
|-
| align="right" | 30–34
| align="right" | 191 640
| align="right" | 192 470
| align="right" | 384 110
| align="right" | 7.50
|-
| align="right" | 35–39
| align="right" | 168 840
| align="right" | 172 260
| align="right" | 341 110
| align="right" | 6.66
|-
| align="right" | 40–44
| align="right" | 154 820
| align="right" | 157 780
| align="right" | 312 600
| align="right" | 6.10
|-
| align="right" | 45–49
| align="right" | 158 830
| align="right" | 164 650
| align="right" | 323 490
| align="right" | 6.31
|-
| align="right" | 50–54
| align="right" | 161 590
| align="right" | 169 610
| align="right" | 331 200
| align="right" | 6.47
|-
| align="right" | 55–59
| align="right" | 157 610
| align="right" | 166 540
| align="right" | 324 150
| align="right" | 6.33
|-
| align="right" | 60–64
| align="right" | 144 220
| align="right" | 153 870
| align="right" | 298 090
| align="right" | 5.82
|-
| align="right" | 65-69
| align="right" | 122 810
| align="right" | 130 780
| align="right" | 253 590
| align="right" | 4.95
|-
| align="right" | 70-74
| align="right" | 106 650
| align="right" | 112 880
| align="right" | 219 540
| align="right" | 4.29
|-
| align="right" | 75-79
| align="right" | 71 690
| align="right" | 79 510
| align="right" | 151 200
| align="right" | 2.95
|-
| align="right" | 80-84
| align="right" | 46 770
| align="right" | 56 990
| align="right" | 103 760
| align="right" | 2.03
|-
| align="right" | 85-89
| align="right" | 23 540
| align="right" | 32 880
| align="right" | 56 420
| align="right" | 1.10
|-
| align="right" | 90+
| align="right" | 12 010
| align="right" | 22 570
| align="right" | 34 580
| align="right" | 0.68
|-
! width="50"|Age group
! width="80pt"|Male
! width="80"|Female
! width="80"|Total
! width="50"|Percent
|-
| align="right" | 0–14
| align="right" | 497 590
| align="right" | 471 030
| align="right" | 968 620
| align="right" | 18.91
|-
| align="right" | 15–64
| align="right" | 1 661 540
| align="right" | 1 673 360
| align="right" | 3 334 900
| align="right" | 65.10
|-
| align="right" | 65+
| align="right" | 383 470
| align="right" | 435 610
| align="right" | 819 080
| align="right" | 15.99
|-
|}
thumb|300px|Population pyramid of New Zealand from 1950 to 2020
The age structure of New Zealand is getting increasingly older. Due to undergoing the demographic transition from a 'pre-industrial' age structure to a 'post-industrial' age structure, the country has a sub-replacement fertility rate which is consequently leading to an older population and more evenly balanced population pyramid.
The average age of the citizen has gone from 25.8 years old in 1965 to 38 in 2020 and is projected to rise to 43.7 years old in 2050. The population of 90 year olds is also expected to rise dramatically, in the 1930s there were approximately 1,000 90+ year olds, in 2016 the number had risen to 29,000, in 2030 it is expected to exceed 50,000 and by the 2060s it is to rise above 180,000 people.
Population density
[[File:2023 NZ Census Population Density.png|thumb|right|300px|Population density as of the 2023 census
]]
New Zealand's population density is relatively low, at The vast majority of the population live on the main North and South Islands, with New Zealand's major inhabited smaller islands being Waiheke Island (), the Chatham and Pitt Islands<!--The most populous islands in the Chatham Islands area--> (), and Stewart Island (381).
Before local government reforms in the late 1980s, a borough council with more than 20,000 people could be proclaimed a city. The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so there was little difference between the urban area and the local government area. In 1989, all councils were consolidated into regional councils (top tier) and territorial authorities (second tier) which cover a much wider area and population than the old city councils. Today a territorial authority must have a predominantly urban population of at least 50,000 before it can be officially recognised as a city.
Vital statistics
Vital statistics since 1883
Notable events in New Zealand demography:
- 1945-1961 – Mid-20th-century baby boom
{| class="wikitable sortable sort-under sticky-header-multi" style="text-align:right; width=70%"
|-
!
! Population<br/>
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural<br/>change
! Crude<br/>birth<br/>rate<br/>(per<br/>1,000)
! Crude death rate (per 1,000)
! Natural change (per 1,000)
! Crude Migration change (per 1,000)
! Total fertility rate
|-
|1883
|529,292
|19,202
|6,061
|13,141
|36.3
|11.5
|24.8
|
|style="color: blue" |4.86
|-
|1884
|552,590
|19,846
|5,740
|14,106
|35.9
|10.4
|25.5
|17.4
|style="color: blue" |4.81
|-
|1885
|573,362
|19,693
|6,081
|13,612
|34.3
|10.6
|23.7
|13.0
|style="color: blue" |4.60
|-
|1886
|582,117
|19,299
|6,135
|13,164
|33.2
|10.5
|22.6
| -7.7
|style="color: blue" |4.44
|-
|1887
|596,374
|19,135
|6,137
|12,998
|32.1
|10.3
|21.8
|2.2
|style="color: blue" |4.30
|-
|1888
|605,374
|18,902
|style="color: blue" |5,708
|13,194
|31.2
|9.4
|21.8
| -7.0
|style="color: blue" |4.18
|-
|1889
|612,716
|18,457
|5,784
|12,673
|30.1
|9.4
|20.7
| -8.8
|style="color: blue" |4.03
|-
|1890
|620,780
|18,278
|5,994
|12,284
|29.4
|9.7
|19.8
| -6.9
|style="color: blue" |3.94
|-
|1891
|629,783
|18,273
|6,518
|11,755
|29.0
|10.3
|18.7
| -4.4
|style="color: blue" |3.89
|-
|1892
|642,245
|style="color: red" |17,876
|6,459
|11,417
|27.8
|10.1
|17.8
|1.7
|style="color: blue" |3.73
|-
|1893
|661,349
|18,187
|6,767
|11,420
|27.5
|10.2
|17.3
|12.0
|style="color: blue" |3.68
|-
|1894
|679,196
|18,528
|6,918
|11,610
|27.3
|10.2
|17.1
|9.4
|style="color: blue" |3.66
|-
|1895
|692,417
|18,546
|6,863
|11,683
|26.8
|9.9
|16.9
|2.3
|style="color: blue" |3.59
|-
|1896
|706,846
|18,612
|6,432
|12,180
|26.3
|9.1
|17.2
|3.2
|style="color: blue" |3.53
|-
|1897
|721,069
|18,737
|6,595
|12,142
|26.0
|9.1
|16.8
|2.9
|style="color: blue" |3.48
|-
|1898
|736,260
|18,955
|7,244
|11,711
|25.7
|9.8
|15.9
|4.8
|style="color: blue" |3.45
|-
|1899
|749,984
|18,835
|7,680
|11,155
|25.1
|10.2
|14.9
|3.5
|style="color: blue" |3.37
|-
|1900
|763,594
|19,546
|7,200
|12,346
|25.6
|9.4
|16.2
|1.7
|style="color: blue" |3.43
|-
|1901
|816,000
|20,491
|7,634
|12,857
|25.1
|9.3
|15.8
| 50.7
| style="color:blue;" |3.54
|-
|1902
|852,000
|20,655
|8,375
|12,280
|24.2
|9.8
|14.4
|28.4
| style="color:blue;" |3.47
|-
|1903
|873,000
|21,829
|8,528
|13,301
|25.0
|9.7
|15.2
|10.2
| style="color:blue;" |3.57
|-
|1904
|896,000
|22,766
|8,087
|14,679
|25.4
|9.0
|16.4
|11.1
| style="color:blue;" |3.61
|-
|1905
|920,000
|23,682
|8,061
|15,621
|25.7
|8.7
|16.9
|10.4
| style="color:blue;" |3.65
|-
|1906
|944,000
|24,252
|8,339
|15,913
|25.7
|8.8
|16.8
|9.1
| style="color:blue;" |3.63
|-
|1907
|970,000
|25,094
|10,066
|15,028
|25.9
|10.3
|15.4
|10.7
| style="color:blue;" |3.66
|-
|1908
|996,000
|25,940
|9,043
|16,897
|26.0
|9.0
|16.9
|11.3
| style="color:blue;" |3.68
|-
|1909
|1,020,000
|26,524
|8,959
|17,565
|26.0
|8.7
|17.2
|7.1
| style="color:blue;" |3.66
|-
|1910
|1,040,000
|25,984
|9,639
|16,345
|24.9
|9.2
|15.7
|2.4
| style="color:blue;" |3.51
|-
|1911
|1,070,000
|26,354
|9,534
|16,820
|24.6
|8.9
|15.7
| 13.3
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1912
|1,090,000
|27,508
|9,214
|18,294
|25.2
|8.4
|16.7
|2.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.55
|-
|1913
|1,120,000
|27,935
|10,119
|17,816
|24.9
|9.0
|15.9
|10.7
| style="color:blue;" |3.50
|-
|1914
|1,140,000
|28,338
|10,148
|18,190
|24.9
|8.9
|15.9
|1.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1915
|1,150,000
|27,850
|9,965
|17,885
|24.2
|8.6
|15.5
|–7.2
| style="color:blue;" |3.39
|-
|1916
|1,150,000
|28,509
|10,596
|17,913
|24.8
|9.2
|15.5
|–15.6
| style="color:blue;" |3.48
|-
|1917
|1,150,000
|28,290
|10,528
|17,762
|24.6
|9.1
|15.4
|–15.6
| style="color:blue;" |3.44
|-
|1918
|1,170,000
|25,860
|16,364
| style="color: red" |9,496
|22.1
|13.9
|8.12
|2.0
| style="color:blue;" |3.14
|-
|1919
|1,200,000
|24,483
|10,808
|13,675
|20.4
|9.0
|11.4
|17.5
| style="color:blue;" |2.87
|-
|1920
|1,240,000
|29,921
|12,109
|17,812
|24.1
|9.7
|14.3
|21.9
| style="color:blue;" |3.36
|-
|| 1921 || 1,270,000|| 29,623 ||11,474 || 18,149 || 23.3|| 9.0|| 14.3|| 9.4|| style="color:blue;" |3.08
|-
|| 1922 || 1,300,000|| 30,448 || 11,874 || 18,574 || 23.4|| 9.1|| 14.3|| 8.9|| style="color:blue;" |3.08
|-
|| 1923 || 1,330,000|| 29,148 || 12,239 || 16,909 || 21.9|| 9.2|| 12.7|| 10.0|| style="color:blue;" |2.96
|-
|| 1924 || 1,350,000|| 29,260 || 11,540 || 17,720 || 21.7|| 8.6|| 13.1|| 1.7|| style="color:blue;" |2.93
|-
|| 1925 || 1,380,000|| 29,869 || 11,844 || 18,025 || 21.9|| 8.7|| 13.2|| 8.8|| style="color:blue;" |2.90
|-
|| 1926 || 1,410,000|| 29,904 || 12,517 || 17,387 || 21.4|| 9.0|| 12.4|| 9.0|| style="color:blue;" |2.88
|-
|| 1927 || 1,429,700 || 29,278 || 12,600 || 16,678 || 20.3 || 8.8 || 11.6 || 2.9 || style="color:blue;" |2.79
|-
|| 1928 || 1,450,400 || 28,938 || 12,860 || 16,078 || 19.8 || 8.8 || 11.0 || 0.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.70
|-
|| 1929 || 1,467,400 || 28,859 || 13,220 || 15,639 || 19.5 || 9.0 || 10.6 || 2.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.64
|-
|| 1930 || 1,486,100 || 28,822 || 13,145 || 15,677 || 19.3 || 8.8 || 10.5 || 3.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.60
|-
|| 1931 || 1,506,800 || 28,867 || 13,062 || 15,805 || 19.1 || 8.6 || 10.4 || 0.2 || style="color:blue;" |2.56
|-
|| 1932 || 1,522,800 || 27,535 || 12,875 || 14,660 || 18.0 || 8.4 || 9.6 || -1.8 || style="color:blue;" |2.38
|-
|| 1933 || 1,534,700 || 27,204 || 12,862 || 14,342 || 17.7 || 8.3 || 9.3 || -1.2 || style="color:blue;" |2.31
|-
|| 1934 || 1,547,100 || 27,220 || 13,810 || 13,410 || 17.5 || 8.9 || 8.6 || -1.3 || style="color:blue;" |2.29
|-
|| 1935 || 1,558,400 ||27,150 || 13,664 || 13,486 || 17.4 || 8.7 || 8.6 || -1.3 || style="color:blue;" |2.25
|-
|| 1936 || 1,569,700 || 28,395 || 14,658 || 13,737 || 18.0 || 9.3 || 8.7 || 0.8 || style="color:blue;" |2.30
|-
|| 1937 || 1,584,600 || 29,896 || 15,215 || 14,681 || 18.8 || 9.6 || 9.2 || 1.7 || style="color:blue;" |2.39
|-
|| 1938 || 1,601,800 || 30,845 || 16,874 || 13,971 || 19.2 || 10.5 || 8.7 || 1.6 || style="color:blue;" |2.44
|-
|| 1939 || 1,618,300 || 32,872 || 15,933 || 16,939 || 20.2 || 9.8 || 10.4 || 4.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.56
|-
|| 1940 || 1,641,600 || 36,945 || 15,875 || 21,070 || 22.6 || 9.7 || 12.9 || -17.8 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.84
|-
|| 1941 || 1,633,600 || 39,170 || 17,047 || 22,123 || 24.0 || 10.4 || 13.6 || -15.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.93
|-
|| 1942 || 1,631,200 || 37,818 || 18,117 || 19,701 || 23.1 || style="color: red" | 11.1 || 12.1 || -8.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.87
|-
|| 1943 || 1,636,400 || 34,684 || 17,122 || 17,562 || 21.2 || 10.4 || 10.7 || -7.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.61
|-
|| 1944 || 1,642,000 || 38,037 || 17,049 || 20,988 || 22.9 || 10.3 || 12.7 || 8.2 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.85
|-
|| 1945 || 1,676,300 || 41,534 || 17,686 || 23,848 || 24.4 || 10.4 || 14.0 || 16.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.10
|-
|| 1946 || 1,727,800 || 47,524 || 17,720 || 29,804 || 27.1 || 10.1 || 17.0 || 13.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.45
|-
|| 1947 || 1,781,200 || 49,698 || 17,442 || 32,256 || style="color: blue" | 27.6 || 9.7 || style="color: blue" |17.9 || 2.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.63
|-
|| 1948 || 1,817,500 || 49,062 || 17,285 || 31,777 || 26.7 || 9.4 || 17.3 || 2.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.57
|-
|| 1949 || 1,853,900 || 48,841 || 17,578 || 31,263 || 26.1 || 9.4 || 16.7 || 3.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.53
|-
|| 1950 || 1,892,100 || 49,331 || 18,084 || 31,247 || 25.8 || 9.5 || 16.4 || 2.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.55
|-
|| 1951 || 1,927,700 || 49,806 || 18,836 || 30,970 || 25.6 || 9.7 || 15.9 || 6.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.60
|-
|| 1952 || 1,970,500 || 51,846 || 18,896 || 32,950 || 26.0 || 9.5 || 16.5 || 11.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.67
|-
|| 1953 || 2,024,600 || 51,888 || 18,354 || 33,534 || 25.3 || 9.0 || 16.4 || 8.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.65
|-
|| 1954 || 2,074,700 || 54,055 || 18,876 || 35,179 || 25.8 || 9.0 || 16.8 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.78
|-
|| 1955 || 2,118,400 || 55,596 || 19,225 || 36,371 || 26.0 || 9.0 || 17.0 || 4.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.88
|-
|| 1956 || 2,164,800 || 56,531 || 19,696 || 36,835 || 25.8 || 9.0 || 16.8 || 3.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.98
|-
|| 1957 || 2,209,200 || 58,425 || 20,862 || 37,563 || 26.1 || 9.3 || 16.8 || 7.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.03
|-
|| 1958 || 2,262,800 || 60,556 || 20,301 || 40,255 || 26.5 || 8.9 || 17.6 || 5.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.11
|-
|| 1959 || 2,316,000 || 61,798 || 21,128 || 40,670 || 26.4 || 9.0 || 17.4 || 1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.18
|-
|| 1960 || 2,359,700 || 62,779 || 20,892 || 41,887 || 26.4 || 8.8 || 17.6 || 1.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.24
|-
|| 1961 || 2,403,600 || style="color:blue;" |65,390 || 21,782 || style="color: blue" | 43,608 || 26.9 || 9.0 || 17.9 || 6.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.31
|-
|| 1962 || 2,461,300 || 65,014 || 22,081 || 42,933 || 26.1 || 8.9 || 17.3 || 4.8 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.19
|-
|| 1963 || 2,515,800 || 64,527 || 22,416 || 42,111 || 25.4 || 8.8 || 16.6 || 3.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |4.05
|-
|| 1964 || 2,566,900 || 62,302 || 22,861 || 39,441 || 24.0 || 8.8 || 15.2 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.80
|-
|| 1965 || 2,617,000 || 60,047 || 22,976 || 37,071 || 22.7 || 8.7 || 14.0 || 3.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.54
|-
|| 1966 || 2,663,800 || 60,003 || 23,778 || 36,225 || 22.3 || 8.8 || 13.5 ||4,3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.41
|-
|| 1967 || 2,711,300 || 61,022 || 23,007 || 38,015 || 22.4 || 8.4 || 13.9 || -1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.35
|-
|| 1968 || 2,745,000 || 62,112 || 24,464 || 37,648 || 22.5 || 8.9 || 13.6 || -3.4 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.34
|-
|| 1969 || 2,773,000 || 62,360 || 24,161 || 38,199 || 22.4 || 8.7 || 13.7 || -2.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.28
|-
|| 1970 || 2,804,000 || 62,050 || 24,840 || 37,210 || 21.9 || 8.8 || 13.2 || 4.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.17
|-
|| 1971 || 2,852,100 || 64,460 || 24,309 || 40,151 || 22.4 || 8.5 || 14.0 || 2.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.18
|-
|| 1972 || 2,898,500 || 63,215 || 24,801 || 38,414 || 21.6 || 8.5 || 13.1 || 8.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |3.00
|-
|| 1973 || 2,959,700 || 60,727 || 25,312 || 35,415 || 20.3 || 8.5 || 11.8 || 10.2 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.76
|-
|| 1974 || 3,024,900 || 59,336 || 25,261 || 34,075 || 19.4 || 8.3 || 11.1 || 11.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.58
|-
|| 1975 || 3,091,900 || 56,639 || 25,114 || 31,525 || 18.2 || 8.1 || 10.1 || 6.7 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.37
|-
|| 1976 || 3,143,700 || 55,105 || 25,457 || 29,648 || 17.5 || 8.1 || 9.4 || -3.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.27
|-
|| 1977 || 3,163,400 || 54,179 || 25,961 || 28,218 || 17.1 || 8.2 || 8.9 || -8.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.21
|-
|| 1978 || 3,166,400 || 51,029 || 24,669 || 26,360 || 16.1 || 7.8 || 8.3 || -8.7 ||2.07
|-
|| 1979 || 3,165,200 || 52,279 || 25,340 || 26,939 || 16.5 || 8.0 || 8.5 || -8.9 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.12
|-
|| 1980 || 3,163,900 || 50,542 || 26,676 || 23,866 || 15.9 || 8.4 || 7.5 || -3.5 ||2.03
|-
|| 1981 || 3,176,400 || 50,794 || 25,150 || 25,644 || 15.9 || 7.9 || 8.1 || -2.4 ||2.01
|-
|| 1982 || 3,194,500 || 49,938 || 25,532 || 24,406 || 15.6 || 8.0 || 7.6 || 2.5 ||1.95
|-
|| 1983 || 3,226,800 || 50,474 || 25,991 || 24,483 || 15.6 || 8.0 || 7.5 || 4.3 ||1.92
|-
|| 1984 || 3,264,800 || 51,636 || 25,378 || 26,258 || 15.7 || 7.7 || 8.0 || 0.6 ||1.93
|-
|| 1985 || 3,293,000 || 51,798 || 27,480 || 24,318 || 15.7 || 8.3 || 7.4 || -4.3 ||1.93
|-
|| 1986 || 3,303,100 || 52,824 || 27,045 || 25,779 || 16.0 || 8.2 || 7.8 || -4.7 ||1.96
|-
|| 1987 || 3,313,500 || 55,254 || 27,419 || 27,835 || 16.6 || 8.2 || 8.4 || 0.2 || 2.03
|-
|| 1988 || 3,342,100 || 57,546 || 27,408 || 30,138 || 17.2 || 8.2 || 9.0 || -8.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.10
|-
|| 1989 || 3,345,200 || 58,091 || 27,042 || 31,049 || 17.3 || 8.1 || 9.2 || -1.8|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.12
|-
|| 1990 || 3,369,800 || 60,153 || 26,531 || 33,622 || 17.7 || 7.8 || 9.9 || –2.7|| style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.18
|-
|| 1991 || 3,516,000 || 59,911 || 26,389 || 33,522 || 17.3 || 7.6 || 9.7 || 32.7|| 2.09
|-
|| 1992 || 3,552,200 || 59,166 || 27,115 || 32,051 || 16.7 || 7.7 || 9.1 || 1.2|| 2.06
|-
|| 1993 || 3,597,800 || 58,782 || 27,100 || 31,682 || 16.4 || 7.6 || 8.9 || 3.9 || 2.04
|-
|| 1994 || 3,648,300 || 57,321 || 26,953 || 30,368 || 15.8 || 7.4 || 8.4 || 5.6 || 1.98
|-
|| 1995 || 3,706,700 || 57,671 || 27,813 || 29,858 || 15.7 || 7.6 || 8.1 || 7.9 || 1.98
|-
|| 1996 || 3,762,300 || 57,280 || 28,255 || 29,025 || 15.3 || 7.6 || 7.8 || 7.2 || 1.96
|-
|| 1997 || 3,802,700 || 57,604 || 27,471 || 30,133 || 15.2 || 7.3 || 8.0 || 2.7 || 1.96
|-
|| 1998 || 3,829,200 || 55,349 || 26,206 || 29,143 || 14.5 || 6.9 || 7.6 || -0.6 || 1.89
|-
|| 1999 || 3,851,100 || 57,053 || 28,122 || 28,931 || 14.9 || 7.3 || 7.5 || -1.8 || 1.97
|-
|| 2000 || 3,873,100 || 56,605 || 26,660 || 29,945 || 14.7 || 6.9 || 7.8 || -2.1 || 1.98
|-
|| 2001 || 3,916,200 || 55,800 || 27,825 || 27,972 || 14.36 || 7.16 || 7.20 || 3.9 || 1.97
|-
|| 2002 || 3,989,500 || 54,021 || 28,065 || 25,956 || 13.67 || 7.10 || 6.57 || 12.1 || 1.89
|-
|| 2003 || 4,061,600 || 56,136 || 28,011 || 28,125 || 13.94 || 6.95 || 6.99 || 11.1 || 1.93
|-
|| 2004 || 4,114,300 || 58,074 || 28,419 || 29,655 || 14.20 || 6.95 || 7.25 || 5.7 || 1.98
|-
|| 2005 || 4,161,000 || 57,744 || 27,033 || 30,711 || 13.96 || 6.54 || 7.42 || 3.9 || 1.97
|-
|| 2006 || 4,209,100 || 59,193 || 28,245 || 30,948 || 14.14 || 6.75 || 7.39 || 4.2 || 2.01
|-
|| 2007 || 4,245,700 || 64,044 || 28,521 || 35,520 || 15.15 || 6.75 || 8.40 || 0.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.18
|-
|| 2008 || 4,280,300 || 64,341 || 29,187 || 35,154 || 15.10 || 6.85 || 8.25 || -0.1 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.19
|-
|| 2009 || 4,332,100 || 62,541 || 28,965 || 33,579 || 14.53 || 6.73 || 7.80 || 4.3 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.13
|-
|| 2010 || 4,373,900 || 63,897 || 28,437 || 35,457 || 14.68 || 6.53 || 8.15 || 1.5 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.17
|-
|| 2011 || 4,399,400 || 61,404 || 30,081 || 31,320 || 14.00 || 6.86 || 7.14 || -1.3 || 2.09
|-
|| 2012 || 4,425,900 || 61,179 || 30,099 || 31,080 || 13.87 || 6.82 || 7.05 || -1.0 || style="text-align:right; color:blue;" |2.10
|-
|| 2013 || 4,477,400 || 58,719 || 29,568 || 29,148 || 13.20 || 6.65 || 6.55 || 5.1 || 2.01
|-
|| 2014 || 4,564,400 || 57,243 || 31,062 || 26,181 || 12.68 || 6.88 || 5.80 || 13.6 || 1.92
|-
|| 2015 || 4,663,700 || 61,038 || 31,608 || 29,430 || 13.27 || 6.87 || 6.40 || 15.4 || 1.99
|-
|| 2016 || 4,767,600 || 59,430 || 31,179 || 28,251 || 12.65 || 6.64 || 6.01 || 16.3 || 1.87
|-
|| 2017 || 4,858,500 || 59,610 || 33,339 || 26,271 || 12.43 || 6.95 || 5.48 || 13.6 || 1.81
|-
|| 2018 || 4,941,200 || 58,020 || 33,222 || 24,798 || 11.76 || 6.73 || 5.03 || 12.0 || 1.71
|-
|| 2019 || 5,027,100 || 59,637 || 34,260 || 25,377 || 12.13 || 6.97 || 5.16 || 14.9 || 1.75
|-
|| 2020 || 5,081,400 || 57,573 || 32,613 || 24,960 ||11.33 || style="color: blue" | 6.40 || 4.93 || 7.6 ||1.61
|-
|| 2021 || 5,085,400 || 58,659 || 34,932 || 23,727 || 11.44 || 6.81 || 4.63 || -2.1 ||1.64
|-
|| 2022 || 5,120,700 || 58,887 ||style="text-align:right; color:red;" | 38,574 || 20,313 || 11.43 || 7.49 || 3.94 || 4.0 ||1.66
|-
|| 2023 || 5,263,100 || 56,955 || 37,884 || 19,071 || 11.04 || 7.35 || style="color: red" |3.70 || 28.8 || 1.57
|-
|| 2024 || 5,307,800 || 58,341 ||37,722 || 20,619 || 10.94 || 7.07 || 3.87|| 5.7||1.57
|-
|| 2025 || style="color: blue" | 5,342,000 || 57,705 ||37,491 || 20,214 || style="color: red" |10.84 || 7.04 || 3.80 || || style="text-align:right; color:red;" | 1.55
|}
Current vital statistics
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+
|-
! Period
! Live births
! Deaths
! Natural increase
|-
| January - March 2025
| 14,901
| 8,622
| +6,279
|-
| January - March 2026
| 14,223
| 8,955
| +5,268
|-
| Difference
| –678 (-4.55%)
| +333 (+5.35%)
| –1,011
|-
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | Source:
|}
thumb|300px|[[Life expectancy at birth in New Zealand]]
Total fertility rates by region
Regional total fertility rates, 2023
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ 2023
!Region
!TFR
|-
|Gisborne
|2.14
|-
|Northland
|2.14
|-
|Hawke's Bay
|1.95
|-
|Bay of Plenty
|1.93
|-
|Taranaki
|1.92
|-
|Waikato
|1.89
|-
|Manawatū-Whanganui
|1.83
|-
|Southland
|1.75
|-
|West Coast
|1.71
|-
|Marlborough
|1.66
|-
|
|1.60
|-
|Tasman
|1.57
|-
|Canterbury
|1.53
|-
|Auckland
|1.51
|-
|
|1.40
|-
|Wellington
|1.36
|-
|
|1.25
|}
Immigration
thumb|left|upright|New Zealand's fastest growing ethnic groups are Asians. Here, [[lion dancers perform at the Auckland Lantern Festival.|alt=Lion dancers wearing bright red and yellow costumes]]
{|class="wikitable sortable floatright" style="font-size:85%; text-align:right;"
|+Countries of birth of New Zealand residents, 2018 census
|-
! Country !! Number !! %
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 3,370,122 || 72.60
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 210,915 || 4.54
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 132,906 || 2.86
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 117,348 || 2.53
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 75,696 || 1.63
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 71,382 || 1.54
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 67,632 || 1.46
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 62,310 || 1.34
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 55,512 || 1.20
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 30,975 || 0.67
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 27,678 || 0.60
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 26,856 || 0.58
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 26,136 ||0.56
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 19,860 || 0.43
|-
| style="text-align:left;" ||| 19,329 || 0.42
|-
| style="text-align:left;" ||| 16,605 || 0.36
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | () || 14,601 || 0.31
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 14,349 || 0.31
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 13,107 || 0.28
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 11,928 || 0.26
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 11,925 || 0.26
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 10,992 || 0.24
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 10,494 || 0.23
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 10,440 || 0.22
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | || 10,251 || 0.22
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | Other countries || 202,548 || 4.36
|-
| colspan=3 style="text-align:left;"|
|}
East Polynesians were the first people to reach New Zealand about 1280, followed by the early European explorers, notably James Cook in 1769 who explored New Zealand three times and mapped the coastline. Following the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 when the country became a British colony, immigrants were predominantly from Britain, Ireland and Australia. Due to restrictive policies, limitations were placed on non-European immigrants. During the gold rush period (1858–1880s) large number of young men came from California and Victoria to New Zealand goldfields. Apart from British, there were Irish, Germans, Scandinavians, Italians and many Chinese. The Chinese were sent special invitations by the Otago Chamber of Commerce in 1866. By 1873 they made up 40 percent of the diggers in Otago and 25 percent of the diggers in Westland. From 1900 there was also significant Dutch, Croatians, and Italian immigration together with indirect European immigration through Australia, North America, South America and South Africa. Following World War II, policies were relaxed and migrant diversity increased. In 2008–09, a target of 45,000 migrants was set by the New Zealand Immigration Service (plus a 5,000 tolerance).
At the 2018 census, 27.4 percent of people counted were not born in New Zealand, up from 25.2 percent in 2013. In 2018, over half (50.7 percent) of New Zealand's overseas-born population lived in the Auckland Region, including 70 percent of the country's Pacific Island-born population, 61.5 percent of its Asian-born population, and 52 percent of its Middle Eastern and African- born population. In the late 2000s, Asia overtook the British Isles as the largest source of overseas migrants; in 2013 around 32 percent of overseas-born New Zealand residents were born in Asia (mainly China, India, the Philippines and South Korea) compared to 26 percent born in the UK and Ireland. The number of fee-paying international students increased sharply in the late 1990s, with more than 20,000 studying in public tertiary institutions in 2002.
To be eligible for entry under the skilled migrant plan applicants are assessed by an approved doctor for good health, provide a police certificate to prove good character and speak sufficient English. Migrants working in some occupations (mainly health) must be registered with the appropriate profession body before they can work within that area. Skilled migrants are assessed by Immigration New Zealand and applicants that they believe will contribute are issued with a residential visa, while those with potential are issued with a work to resident visa. Under the work to residency process applicants are given a temporary work permit for two years and are then eligible to apply for residency. Applicants with a job offer from an accredited New Zealand employer, cultural or sporting talent, looking for work where there has been a long-term skill shortage or to establish a business can apply for work to residency.
While most New Zealanders live in New Zealand, there is also a significant diaspora abroad, estimated as of 2001 at over 460,000 or 14 percent of the international total of New Zealand-born. Of these, 360,000, over three-quarters of the New Zealand-born population residing outside of New Zealand, live in Australia. Other communities of New Zealanders abroad are concentrated in other English-speaking countries, specifically the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, with smaller numbers located elsewhere. Nearly one quarter of New Zealand's highly skilled workers live overseas, mostly in Australia and Britain, more than any other developed nation. However many educated professionals from Europe and lesser developed countries have recently migrated to New Zealand. A common pathway for New Zealanders to move to the UK is through a job offer via the Tier 2 (General) visa, which grants a 3-year initial stay in the country and can later be extended with three more years. After 5 years the person can apply for permanent residency. Another popular option is the UK Working Holiday visa, also known as "Youth Mobility Scheme" (YMS), which grants New Zealanders 2-year rights to live and work in the UK.
Migration data of New Zealand, 2001–present
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|+ New Zealand Annual Migration Data
! Year !! Migrant Arrivals !! Migrant Departures !! Net Migration
|-
| 2001 || 114,597 || 84,332 || 30,265
|-
| 2002 || 134,046 || 73,255 || 60,791
|-
| 2003 || 120,591 || 79,175 || 41,416
|-
| 2004 || 103,496 || 89,356 || 14,140
|-
| 2005 || 103,982 || 92,716 || 11,266
|-
| 2006 || 110,687 || 93,974 || 16,713
|-
| 2007 || 113,450 || 102,413 || 11,037
|-
| 2008 || 119,994 || 107,723 || 12,271
|-
| 2009 || 108,265 || 89,996 || 18,269
|-
| 2010 || 100,499 || 100,776 || -277
|-
| 2011 || 100,206 || 116,350 || -16,144
|-
| 2012 || 101,762 || 112,170 || -10,408
|-
| 2013 || 110,282 || 92,991 || 17,291
|-
| 2014 || 128,180 || 80,767 || 47,413
|-
| 2015 || 140,125 || 80,316 || 59,809
|-
| 2016 || 143,124 || 80,235 || 62,889
|-
| 2017 || 140,102 || 86,822 || 53,280
|-
| 2018 || 139,014 || 89,447 || 49,567
|-
| 2019 || 165,742 || 93,154 || 72,588
|-
| 2020 || 91,444 || 54,600 || 36,844
|-
| 2021 || 55,459 || 70,409 || -14,950
|-
| 2022 || 119,440 || 94,539 || 24,901
|-
| 2023 || 244,763 || 110,319 || 134,445
|}