District · Southland
Invercargill city in numbers
Invercargill city had an estimated 57,700 people at 30 June 2026, up 1.1% (600 people) since the 2023 Census, 2nd of 3 in Southland for growth. 28% of its 22,122 households rent, 63% own and 10% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census). MBIE puts the median rent at $510 a week (July 2026).
People, June 2026
57,700
+1.1% (+600) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.2%
+100 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+6.5%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent
$510
Lower quartile $430, upper $550. 4,782 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026
Median full-time earnings, Southland
$1,464 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Southland
65.2%
Unemployment 5.3%, 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 | 56,400 | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 56,900 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 56,300 | −1.1% |
| 2022 | 56,200 | −0.2% |
| 2023 | 57,100 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 57,700 | +1.1% |
| 2025 | 57,600 | −0.2% |
| 2026 | 57,700 | +0.2% |
How Invercargill city households hold their homes
- 63% own their home
- 28% rent
- 10% held in a family trust
22,122 households, 2023 Census.