1. Income levels

The median annual income was $18,500 for the year ended 31 March 2001. People in the Wellington region had the highest median annual income at $22,400. The Wellington region had the highest portion of people earning an annual income of over $100,000, with 1 in 25 people. The median income for males was $24,900 – more than $10,000 above that of $14,500 for females. Males in the 40 to 44-year age group had the highest median income at $35,900. The highest median income for females was in the 45 to 49-year age group at $22,000. The $10,001–$15,000 income group was the most common, with 1 in 6 people (395,106). The $30,001–$40,000 income group had 1 in 8 people (311,598).

Median Income By Region

2. Income sources

3. Work

62 percent of adults were employed in 2001, compared with 60 percent in 1996. 3 in 4 of those working were employed full time. The number of people employed full time increased by 6 percent (75,351) from 1996 to 2001. The number of people employed part time increased by nearly 6 percent (21,108) from 1996 to 2001. Nearly 3 in 4 part-time workers were female. 1 in 3 adults (33 percent) were not in the labour force. This rate was 40 percent in 1971. The labour force participation rate was 67 percent. The most common occupation was sales assistant, with 85,530 people.

Census Labour Force Participation Rate

The manufacturing industry had the most workers, with 1 in 7 (223,806). 1 in 6 workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry were from the Waikato region. 4 in 10 workers in the finance and insurance industry were from the Auckland region. 1 in 7 workers in the mining industry were from the Taranaki region and 1 in 8 from the West Coast region. On census day in 2001, 1 in 10 people worked at home, while almost 2 in 3 travelled to work in a private or company vehicle. On census day in 2001, 1 in 20 people walked or ran to work.

4. Qualifications

There has been a drop in the number of people with no qualifications, from 1 in 3 in 1996 to 1 in 4 in 2001. School Certificate in one or more subjects (or National Certificate level 1) was the highest school qualification for most people, with 1 in 5 adults (517,830). 1 in 3 adults had post-school qualifications. 1 in 5 adults had a vocational qualification (such as the New Zealand Certificate of Engineering), while 1 in 8 had a degree as their highest post-school qualification. Nearly 1 in 5 adults in the Wellington region had a degree as their highest qualification. The most common field of study for post-school qualifications was nursing, with 58,170 people. The information technology field of study for post-school qualifications had 24,009 people.

Highest Post-School Qualifications Broad Field of Study

More information

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 National Summary topic-based report due to be published at the end of March 2002. Detailed counts are also available in a series of tables. These tables are at www.stats.govt.nz/census.

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 fourth 2001 Census Snapshot – Mäori will be published on 20 March 2002.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician

For media enquiries or technical information contact: Denise McGregor or Frank Nolan Christchurch 03 374 8700 Email: info@stats.govt.nz

11 March 2002 Cat 01.500 Set 01/02 - 150