District · Bay of Plenty
Rotorua district in numbers
Rotorua district had an estimated 78,300 people at 30 June 2026, up 2.2% (1,700 people) since the 2023 Census, 1st of 6 in Bay of Plenty for growth. 35% of its 25,413 households rent, 56% own and 9% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census). MBIE puts the median rent at $593 a week (July 2026).
People, June 2026
78,300
+2.2% (+1,700) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.8%
+600 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+17.6%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent
$593
Lower quartile $520, upper $670. 6,501 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026
Median full-time earnings, Bay of Plenty
$1,537 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Bay of Plenty
65.6%
Unemployment 7.1%, 2026 Q1. Regional survey estimate
Population, 1996 to 2026
Stats NZ estimated resident population at 30 June. Estimates after 2023 are provisional and built on the 2023 Census. Dark bars: first year, 2023 Census base, latest.
Population by year, 2019 to 2026
| 30 June | People | Change on the year |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 75,500 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 76,700 | +1.6% |
| 2021 | 76,300 | −0.5% |
| 2022 | 75,900 | −0.5% |
| 2023 | 76,600 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 77,300 | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 77,700 | +0.5% |
| 2026 | 78,300 | +0.8% |
How Rotorua district households hold their homes
- 56% own their home
- 35% rent
- 9% held in a family trust
25,413 households, 2023 Census.
Nearby in Bay of Plenty
Rents and bonds for Rotorua district Bay of Plenty in numbers