District · Waikato
South Waikato district in numbers
South Waikato district had an estimated 26,000 people at 30 June 2026, up 1.2% (300 people) since the 2023 Census, 9th of 10 in Waikato for growth. 36% of its 9,009 households rent, 59% own and 5% hold the home in a family trust (2023 Census).
People, June 2026
26,000
+1.2% (+300) since the 2023 Census
Latest year
+0.4%
+100 people, June 2025 to June 2026
Since 1996
+0.8%
Thirty years of Stats NZ estimates
Median weekly rent, Waikato
$570
Lower quartile $470, upper $650. 40,506 active bonds. MBIE, July 2026. Regional figure; MBIE does not publish this district on its own
Median full-time earnings, Waikato
$1,518 a week
June 2026. Regional, not district level
Employment rate, Waikato
64.7%
Unemployment 5.2%, 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 | 25,000 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 25,300 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 25,400 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 25,500 | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 25,700 | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 25,900 | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 25,900 | 0% |
| 2026 | 26,000 | +0.4% |
How South Waikato district households hold their homes
- 59% own their home
- 36% rent
- 5% held in a family trust
9,009 households, 2023 Census.