District · Otago
Central Otago district in numbers
Central Otago district had an estimated 26,100 people at 30 June 2026, up 4% (1,000 people) since the 2023 Census, 2nd of 5 in Otago for growth. 24% of its 9,717 households rent, 57% own and 18% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census).
People, June 2026
26,100
+4% (+1,000) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+1.2%
+300 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+71.1%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent, Otago
$580
Lower quartile $441, upper $750. 22,137 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026. Regional figure; MBIE does not publish this district on its own
Median full-time earnings, Otago
$1,500 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Otago
70.3%
Unemployment 3.6%, 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 | 22,800 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 23,800 | +4.4% |
| 2021 | 24,000 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 24,400 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 25,100 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 25,400 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 25,800 | +1.6% |
| 2026 | 26,100 | +1.2% |
How Central Otago district households hold their homes
- 57% own their home
- 24% rent
- 18% held in a family trust
9,717 households, 2023 Census.