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Homelessness statistics

New Zealand's homelessness statistics from 2020 onwards.

Comparing whether withdrawing secondary tax reduces homelessness.

Allowing for comparison of data from 2018 and 2021. 2018 showed the presence of secondary tax while in 2021 the secondary tax had been withdrawn.


Response from
Statistics New Zealand

Other

We have this table from Census 2018 - https://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=TABLECODE8382 is the best we have on the statistics on who own/don't own a home however we do not have figures on the homelessness population - this is because this a concept that is hard to measure as well as the definition of homelessness differs by people. There is a publication on the Severe Housing Deprivation in Aotearoa New Zealand 2018: https://www.hud.govt.nz/stats-and-insights/2018-severe-housing-deprivation-estimate published by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, alongside this infographic here: https://www.stats.govt.nz/infographics/the-state-of-housing-in-aotearoa-new-zealand and Otago University is also a good academic source which goes into detail on the socioeconomic deprivation index: https://www.otago.ac.nz/wellington/departments/publichealth/research-groups-in-the-department-of-public-health/hirp/socioeconomic-deprivation-indexes-nzdep-and-nzidep-department-of-public-health

13 Comments

  • Information Adviser (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia Ora Jill

    The data from the 2023 Census for Homelessness will be released in early 2025.

    In the meantime we do have data on our ADE Aotearoa Data Explorer tool on our website .
    We have data by Area on Aotearoa Data Explorer .
    Age and sex is not available online .

    Roofless Rough Sleepers Nz Total 2023 Census


    2013 27
    2018 132
    2023 450



    If you need any more data Please Contact us :

    info@stats.govt.nz

    0r


    Freephone 0508 525 525

    Or on live chat www.stats.govt.nz



    Totals by topic for dwellings, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses
    Variable codes: Roofless or rough sleeper

    Census year
    2013 27
    2018 132
    2023 450

    Terms & conditions
    Totals by topic for dwellings, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses



    Kind Regards
    Information Centre
    Customer Services and Support

  • Jill Ovens

    I am looking for data on homelessness among older women in NZ, noting that a recent Australian "UnderCover" documentary highlighted women aged over 50 as the fastest growing cohort of homeless people in that country. Is there data available from the latest Census that breaks down by sex and age?

  • Information Adviser (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia Ora

    Severe housing deprivation estimates will be available on 4 December and will include an information release, a technical report, and Aotearoa Data Explorer tables.
    This work is being undertaken in partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development – Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga.

    The 2023 estimates will benefit from improvements made to the 2023 Census collection. More breakdowns will be available than ever before, including estimates for rainbow communities and disability communities.

    Nga Mihi

    Customer Support Services

  • Information Adviser (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia Ora

    For you enquiry on Homeless in Auckland the data on Homelessness is due to be published in 2025 .

    If you need numbers for example like number of Roofless / Rough Sleepers in Auckland here is a table from ADE Aotearoa Data Explorer from the 2023 Census data :


    Dwelling type, ethnicity, age, and gender for the census usually resident population in occupied dwellings, (RC, TALB, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses
    Ethnicity: Total - ethnicity
    Age: Total - age
    Gender: Total - gender

    Census year Census year 2013 2018 2023
    Area
    Dwelling type: Total - dwelling type
    Auckland Region 1,383,474 1,412,829 1,548,618
    Total - New Zealand by territorial authority and Auckland local board 4,109,922 4,260,201 4,657,116
    Total - New Zealand by health region/health district 4,109,922 4,260,201 4,657,116
    Dwelling type: Roofless or rough sleeper
    Auckland Region 6 51 120
    Total - New Zealand by territorial authority and Auckland local board 27 180 294
    Total - New Zealand by health region/health district 27 180 294

    Terms & conditions Dwelling type, ethnicity, age, and gender for the census usually resident population in occupied dwellings, (RC, TALB, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses



    So there was about 120 in Auckland in 2023 Census that were Roofless / Rough Sleepers .


    Kind Regards Joanne

  • Information Adviser (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia Ora Suzette

    The Homelessness data will be published in 2025 but we do have some data on Roofless or Rough sleepers for New Zealand from the 2023 Census :


    Variable codes: Roofless or rough sleeper

    Census year
    2013 27
    2018 132
    2023 450

    Terms & conditions Totals by topic for dwellings, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses


    Variable codes: Roofless or rough sleeper

    Census year
    2013 27
    2018 132
    2023 450

    Terms & conditions Totals by topic for dwellings, (NZ total), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses
    Kind Regards

  • Suzette Jackson

    You noted that the data pertaining to severe housing deprivation and homelessness would be available on the 3 October 2024 - I have been unable to find this - can you provide the link please. Ngā mihi, suzette

  • Information Advisor - Stats NZ (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia ora Will,

    2023 Census data so far has only released the number of "Rough Sleepers" at a National Level. You can find that dataset here:
    https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?tm=rough%20sleeper&pg=0&snb=4&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_001&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=dt1314.2013%2B2018%2B2023&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001&to[TIME]=false

  • Will

    Hi,

    Where can I get regional breakdowns on homelessness data from the latest Census? I can't find it on the Stats website.

  • Stats NZ Information Centre (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia ora,

    As mentioned previously, Stats NZ doesn't have data on the homeless population. You can look at the resources posted in our previous responses, in particular this Ministry of Housing and Urban Development report on Severe Housing Deprivation: https://www.hud.govt.nz/stats-and-insights/2018-severe-housing-deprivation-estimate

    There are national figures on "dwelling type" from the 2018 Census, which includes "roofless or rough sleeper" - you can find them here: https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/2018-census-totals-by-topic-national-highlights-updated

    The 2023 Census equivalent will be available on October 3rd, 2024.

    Regards,
    Stats NZ Info Centre

  • Melissa Malone

    Could I please have the data for homelessness in hawkes bay for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
    Im doing a report for my bicultural social services course. Thankyou

  • Stats NZ Information Centre (Statistics New Zealand)

    Kia ora,

    The data on homelessness is not that simple in the sense there isn’t one easy dataset to point you towards, sorry.

    We do produce data with each Census on the types of dwellings people live in (including “rough sleeper”) although this data won’t be out until 3 October for the 2023 Census release.

    You could try:
    https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/living-outside-the-norm-an-analysis-of-people-living-in-temporary-and-communal-dwellings-2013-census/

    https://www.hud.govt.nz/stats-and-insights/2018-severe-housing-deprivation-estimate

    Ngā mihi

  • Harrison Gobbie

    If I could please have this data as I am currently doing a project for university based on youth homelessness in Auckland.

  • Sakina

    I need data for homeless people in Auckland and which user group is more homeless

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