District · Manawatū-Whanganui
Palmerston North city in numbers
Palmerston North city had an estimated 90,200 people at 30 June 2026, up 0.4% (400 people) since the 2023 Census, 4th of 7 in Manawatū-Whanganui for growth. 36% of its 31,494 households rent, 55% own and 9% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census). MBIE puts the median rent at $520 a week (July 2026).
People, June 2026
90,200
+0.4% (+400) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
−0.2%
−200 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+17%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent
$520
Lower quartile $408, upper $610. 8,925 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026
Median full-time earnings, Manawatū-Whanganui
$1,512 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Manawatū-Whanganui
67.9%
Unemployment 4.9%, 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 | 89,200 | +1% |
| 2020 | 89,900 | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 89,600 | −0.3% |
| 2022 | 89,000 | −0.7% |
| 2023 | 89,800 | +0.9% |
| 2024 | 90,600 | +0.9% |
| 2025 | 90,400 | −0.2% |
| 2026 | 90,200 | −0.2% |
How Palmerston North city households hold their homes
- 55% own their home
- 36% rent
- 9% held in a family trust
31,494 households, 2023 Census.
Nearby in Manawatū-Whanganui
Rents and bonds for Palmerston North city Manawatū-Whanganui in numbers