Analysis of Household Crowding

Occupancy

The national occupancy rate for 2013 is 2.7 people per household (Table 2a). Census 2013 shows that occupancy rates have decreased (albeit only slightly) since 2006. That is to say, in 2013, there were on average fewer people per household than there were in 2006. There are a number of reasons why the occupancy rate has gone down, for example, single person households increased between 2006 and 2013 (a continuing trend over the last two decades). This drives down the national occupancy rate but does not necessarily discount the fact that some groups may now have higher occupancy rates than in 2006. Hence, the national occupancy rate is not a reliable indicator of crowding because it does not consider the distribution of crowded households: it would be better to use the median number of people in a household.
Table 2a: New Zealand occupancy rates*

Census year	Total people	Households	Occupancy rate
1996	3,499,900	1,268,000	2.76
2001	3,589,200	1,344,300	2.67
2006	3,897,200	1,454,200	2.68
2013	4,127,500	1,549,900	2.66

* Household crowding for usual residents in households, in private dwellings.
The Counties Manukau DHB region has the highest occupancy rate in New Zealand (3.31 people per household) followed by Waitemata (2.87 people per household), Auckland (2.76 people per household) and Tairawhiti (2.67 per household). Waitemata, Auckland, Counties Manukau, Capital & Coast and Canterbury have had small increases in occupancy rates since 2006. All other DHBs have had small decreases (Table 2b).
Table 2b: Occupancy rates by DHB region

DHB	2006	2013	Change
Northland	2.62	2.50
Waitemata	2.83	2.87
Auckland	2.73	2.76
Counties Manukau	3.29	3.31
Waikato	2.67	2.62
Bay of Plenty	2.59	2.54
Lakes	2.68	2.58
Tairawhiti	2.76	2.67
Taranaki	2.50	2.46
Whanganui	2.47	2.37
Hawke’s Bay	2.60	2.54
MidCentral	2.54	2.48
Hutt Valley	2.67	2.64
Wairarapa	2.43	2.37
Capital & Coast	2.61	2.62
Nelson Marlborough	2.48	2.42
West Coast	2.34	2.29
Canterbury	2.55	2.56
South Canterbury	2.37	2.32
Southern	2.47	2.43
New Zealand	2.68	2.66