District · Canterbury
Christchurch city in numbers
Christchurch city had an estimated 422,400 people at 30 June 2026, up 3.6% (14,700 people) since the 2023 Census, 5th of 9 in Canterbury for growth. 35% of its 149,421 households rent, 55% own and 10% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census). MBIE puts the median rent at $550 a week (July 2026).
People, June 2026
422,400
+3.6% (+14,700) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.9%
+3,800 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+29.7%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent
$550
Lower quartile $465, upper $650. 45,072 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026
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 | 388,600 | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 395,200 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | 396,500 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 397,400 | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 407,700 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | 415,000 | +1.8% |
| 2025 | 418,600 | +0.9% |
| 2026 | 422,400 | +0.9% |
How Christchurch city households hold their homes
- 55% own their home
- 35% rent
- 10% held in a family trust
149,421 households, 2023 Census.