District · Canterbury
Ashburton district in numbers
Ashburton district had an estimated 37,400 people at 30 June 2026, up 3.6% (1,300 people) since the 2023 Census, 6th of 9 in Canterbury for growth. 32% of its 13,671 households rent, 57% own and 11% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census).
People, June 2026
37,400
+3.6% (+1,300) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.8%
+300 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+45.5%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent, Canterbury
$550
Lower quartile $470, upper $646. 56,910 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026. Regional figure; MBIE does not publish this district on its own
Median full-time earnings, Canterbury
$1,563 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Canterbury
69%
Unemployment 4.4%, 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 | 34,700 | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 35,200 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 35,200 | 0% |
| 2022 | 35,200 | 0% |
| 2023 | 36,100 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 36,900 | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 37,100 | +0.5% |
| 2026 | 37,400 | +0.8% |
How Ashburton district households hold their homes
- 57% own their home
- 32% rent
- 11% held in a family trust
13,671 households, 2023 Census.