2001 Census Snapshot 12 (Housing) - Media Release
What It's About
Housing
Printable version
Overview
The number of private occupied dwellings increased by 6.5 percent between the 1996 and 2001 Censuses, according to figures released today by Statistics New Zealand. The increase in dwellings is larger than the increase in population for the same period (3.3 percent).
Results from the 2001 Census give a comprehensive insight into the size of households and dwellings, tenure arrangements, rental costs and some facilities within dwellings.
New Zealand houses have become larger but occupancy rates have fallen (from 2.8 people per household in 1991 to 2.7 people in 2001). The proportion of one-, two- and three-bedroom dwellings has fallen and the proportion of four-, five- and six- bedroom dwellings has increased. One major cause of falling occupancy rates has been a rise in one-person households – declining fertility rates have contributed to smaller families and more childless couples.
The style of New Zealand's housing stock is also changing. Separate houses are still the dominant form of housing in New Zealand but the proportion of multi-unit dwellings has been increasing.
Home ownership has also been a dominant feature of New Zealand housing but this has been falling steadily in recent years. In 1991, 73.8 percent of households owned the homes that they lived in but this fell to 70.7 percent in 1996 and to 67.8 percent in 2001.
1. Dwelling Type
Changes in the number of private occupied dwellings
There were 1,359,843 private occupied dwellings in 2001.
The number of private occupied dwellings has increased steadily since the 1991 Census: by 8.4 percent between March 1991 and March 1996 and by 6.5 percent between March 1996 and March 2001.
Permanent private occupied dwellings
In 2001, there were 1,287,888 permanent private occupied dwellings, which made up 99.6 percent of all private occupied dwellings.
Most permanent private occupied dwellings were separate houses: 1,030,077 dwellings (80.0 percent). The number of separate houses first passed the million mark in 1996.
The number of separate houses has increased since 1991 by 79,434 dwellings (8.4 percent); however, the proportion of separate houses as a total of all permanent private occupied dwellings has fallen slightly.
Multi-unit dwellings have increased since 1991. For the first time the number of three or more flats or houses joined together (such as apartments or townhouses) in a one-, two- or three-storied dwelling rose above 100,000 (by 9.8 percent from 91,179 dwellings in 1991 to 100,098 dwellings in 2001). In 2001, there were 132,111 dwellings consisting of two flats or houses joined together, a 20.0 percent increase from 1991.
Temporary private occupied dwellings
Temporary private occupied dwellings, such as caravans or tents, have decreased from 7,194 dwellings in 1991 to 5,265 dwellings in 2001, representing 0.4 percent of all private occupied dwellings.
There were 3,042 occupied caravans, cabins, tents or mobile units in a motor camp on census night 2001 (representing 57.8 percent of all temporary private occupied dwellings). Census night 2001 also revealed 1,386 occupied mobile units not in a motor camp (26.3 percent of all temporary private occupied dwellings).
Non-private dwellings
There were 8,364 non-private dwellings (for example, hotels and homes for older people) on census night 2001.
Approximately half of all non-private dwellings in 2001 were hotels, motels or guest houses (4,164 dwellings or 49.8 percent), an increase of 38.5 percent between 1991 and 2001.
The number of institutions (for example prisons and welfare institutions) declined by 7.7 percent between 1991 and 2001 while other non-private dwellings increased by 14.3 percent in this period.
There were 894 homes for older people in 2001, an 11.6 percent increase from 1996 and a 21.6 percent increase from 1991.
The number of religious institutions fell from 198 in 1991 to 165 in 1996 and then 87 in 2001, a decline of 56.1 percent between 1991 and 2001.
2. Tenure of household
Private dwellings owned by usual residents
Approximately two-thirds of households (868,656 or 67.8 percent) in New Zealand owned their dwellings with or without a mortgage in 2001, a decline from 73.8 percent in 1991 and 70.7 percent in 1996.
Dwellings owned or partly owned with a mortgage fell by 5 percentage points between 1991 and 2001, from 39.6 percent to 34.6 percent.
In 2001, 32.3 percent of dwellings were owned without a mortgage, a decline of nearly 2 percentage points compared with 1991.
Tasman and Southland Regions had the highest rates of home ownership, with 75.8 percent and 75.5 percent of dwellings owned with or without a mortgage.
Home ownership was higher in rural areas (75.6 percent) than urban areas (66.6 percent).
Kapiti Urban Area had the highest home ownership rate for an urban area (77.8 percent).
Central Auckland had the lowest rate of home ownership for a main urban area (55.7 percent).
Tenure of Household(1) for Selected Urban Areas, 2001
(1) Excludes not elsewhere included
Private dwellings not owned by usual residents
The category 'private dwellings not owned by usual residents' consists of private dwellings that are rented by, or provided rent free to, the usual residents.
There were 412,197 households (32.2 percent) living in dwellings they did not own in 2001 compared with 357,063 in 1996 (29.3 percent) and 301,167 (26.2 percent) in 1991.
The proportion of households renting from the public sector has declined. In 1991, 92,124 households rented their dwellings from the public sector, but this number fell to 75,819 in 1996, then 73,047 in 2001.
Between 1991 and 2001 there has been a 65.0 percent increase in households renting from the private sector.
In 1991, 129,126 households rented from a private person. This number increased to 183,150 households in 1996 and 231,408 households in 2001. These figures represent an increase of 79.2 percent between 1991 and 2001, with the largest increase occurring between 1991 and 1996 (41.8 percent).
Tenure arrangements have become more complex. In 2001, 19,512 households (5.8 percent) stated that they rented from a private trust.
Sector of Landlord, for Households Making Rental Payments, 1991, 1996 and 2001
In 2001, weekly rents in the private sector (for households that made rent payments) were proportionately higher than rents in the public sector.
Over 40 percent (42.5 percent) of households that rented dwellings from a private person paid more than $199 a week in rent.
Only 4.0 percent of households renting from a local authority, and 5.2 percent of households renting from Housing New Zealand Corporation paid more than $199 a week in rent.
Over three-quarters of households in the Southland Region (78.8 percent) paid less than $125 in weekly rent.
Approximately 6 out of 10 households (67,641 households or 61.2 percent) renting in the Auckland Region paid more than $199 in weekly rent.
3. Household composition and number of usual residents
Permanent private occupied dwellings
Household composition and the number of usual residents changed steadily between censuses.
Households have become smaller between 1991 and 2001, continuing the long-term trend of falling occupancy rates (from 2.8 people per household in 1991 to 2.7 people in 2001).
The proportion of one-person households has increased from 20.2 percent in 1991 to 22.9 percent in 2001.
Percentage Change in the Number of Usual Residents, 1991-1996 and 1996-2001
Number of bedrooms
The size of private occupied dwellings in New Zealand has increased slightly over the last three censuses.
The proportion of one-, two- and three-bedroom dwellings has fallen from 80.5 percent of private occupied dwellings in 1991 to 73.5 percent in 2001.
The proportion of four-, five- and six-bedroom dwellings has increased from 19.3 percent of private occupied dwellings in 1991 to 25.8 percent in 2001. The proportion of four-bedroom dwellings has experienced the greatest increase, from 16.0 percent of private occupied dwellings in 1991 to 20.4 percent in 2001.
The majority of private occupied dwellings in New Zealand still contain three bedrooms. In 2001 47.5 percent of private occupied dwellings had three bedrooms, compared with 47.9 percent in 1996 and 51.3 percent in 1991.
Motor vehicles
The number of motor vehicles owned by New Zealand households has increased steadily over the last three censuses.
Household access to at least one motor vehicle has increased, to 89.9 percent of households in 2001, from 88.0 percent in 1996 and 87.6 percent in 1991.
Access to telecommunication systems
More than 9 in every 10 households (96.3 percent) in private occupied dwellings in New Zealand had access to telecommunication systems.
More than a third of all households had access to the Internet and a quarter to a fax machine.
Access to telecommunication systems rose with household income.
Fuels
Electricity is the main fuel used to heat private occupied dwellings.
Electricity was used in 72.0 percent of all private occupied dwellings in 2001, compared with 77.2 percent in 1996.
In 2001, 44.7 percent of private occupied dwellings used wood as a means of heating, compared with 48.7 percent in 1996 and 47.2 percent in 1991.
Coal use has declined from 13 percent of private occupied dwellings in 1996 to 9.3 percent in 2001.
Solar power has increased by 38.2 percent between 1996 and 2001, from 0.7 percent of private occupied dwellings to 0.9 percent in 2001.
More information
These results come from the 2001 Census of Population and Dwellings conducted by Statistics New Zealand.
For further detailed information on this subject, contact the people named below.
This release and other 2001 Census releases, along with additional information, are available free on the Statistics New Zealand website www.stats.govt.nz under "Census 2001". You are welcome to reproduce and publish this information provided you acknowledge Statistics New Zealand as the source.
The counts for this 2001 Census Snapshot are taken from tables prepared for the Housing topic based report published 24 July 2002.
To discuss the availability of further information from the 2001 Census or other collections, contact our Information Centre by telephoning:
Auckland 09 357 2100
Wellington 04 495 4600
Christchurch 03 374 8700
or emailing info@stats.govt.nz.
The thirteenth 2001 Census Snapshot – Children will be published on 22 August 2002.
Brian Pink
Government StatisticianEND
For technical information contact:
Zane Colville or Rosemary Goodyear
Christchurch 03 374 8700
Email: info@stats.govt.nz |
24 July 2002
Cat 01.500 Set 02/03 - 009 |