The team of (almost) 5 million is a bit older, more diverse - and even though we're growing more slowly, there are more of us than ever.

Fewer babies and migration that “fell off a cliff” during Covid-19 have contributed to slower population growth in New Zealand, the first Census results released today reveal.

The Census, conducted in early 2023, placed New Zealand’s official population just shy of 5 million, at 4,999,923.

Nearly a million people (one in five) are of Māori descent.

The total number is slightly lower than estimates of 5.34 million, because it does not include people out of New Zealand during the Census, those who did not complete the Census, and those who have been born or moved to New Zealand since.

Overall, New Zealand’s population has grown by about 295,000 since 2018.