Hamilton Population & Facts
Population, key facts and figures about Hamilton.
Stats NZ estimate at 30 June 2026, released 29 October 2026. Up 1,900 people (1.0%) on a year earlier. Hamilton is New Zealand's fourth-largest council area, with 4% of the country's 5,357,300 people.
- 174,741counted at the 2023 Census
- 34.0median age (NZ 38.5)
- 60,435households
- 65,403homes (private dwellings)
- 17,949businesses (February 2025)
- 1,750people per km²
How Hamilton has grown
Hamilton grew from 141,612 people at the 2013 Census to 174,741 in 2023, up 23% in ten years. In the year to June 2026 the population grew by 1,900 (1.0%). Stats NZ's medium projection has Hamilton at about 246,300 people by 2043.
Year to 30 June 2026. Figures are rounded, so they may not add up exactly.
Age
The median Hamilton resident is 34.0 years old, younger than New Zealand as a whole (38.5). 12.4% of residents are 65 or over (NZ 17.4%).
Estimates at 30 June 2026.
Who lives in Hamilton
30% of Hamilton residents were born overseas (NZ 29%), most often in Asia or the Middle East or Africa. 48% have no religion.
People can choose more than one ethnicity, so these add up to more than 100%.
Languages other than English. Many people speak more than one language.
2023 Census.
Homes and rent
54% of Hamilton households own their home or hold it in a family trust (NZ 66%). The median weekly rent at the 2023 Census was $465, against $450 across New Zealand. Three bedrooms is the most common size of home (42%).
- 54%own their home or hold it in a trust (NZ 66%)
- 2.8people per household on average (NZ 2.7)
- 19%of homes are damp at least sometimes (NZ 18%)
- $465median weekly rent, 2023 (NZ $450)
Renting households, 2023 Census. Rents have changed since; see the Tenancy Services market rent tool for current rents.
Work and income
Health care and manufacturing are the biggest industries Hamilton residents work in. Unemployment was 5.6% at the 2023 Census (NZ 4.4%).
- $42,200median personal income, 2023 (NZ $41,500)
- $96,500median household income, 2023 (NZ $97,000)
- 5.6%unemployment rate (NZ 4.4%)
- 29%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher (NZ 27%)
2023 Census, employed people aged 15 and over. Getting to work leaves out people who did not work on census day.
Hamilton suburbs by population
The biggest suburbs at the 2023 Census. Each guide has the suburb's own population, schools, bin day and buses.
Guides to 65 suburbs and settlements in and around Hamilton.
Hamilton electorates and MPs
Hamilton's addresses fall across 4 general electorates. People on the Māori roll vote in the Hauraki-Waikato Māori electorate. These are the MPs elected for them at the 2026 election, on the preliminary count.
Show all 4 electorates
Preliminary count: special votes and the official result can still change close seats. From NZ Politics, an Explore New Zealand project, using Electoral Commission results and LINZ addresses.
Hamilton population questions
What is the population of Hamilton?
Hamilton City had an estimated 193,000 residents at 30 June 2026, according to Stats NZ. The 2023 Census counted 174,741 people who usually live there.
Is Hamilton growing?
Yes. The population grew by 1,900 people (1.0%) in the year to June 2026. Between the 2018 and 2023 Censuses it grew by 8.6%.
What will the population of Hamilton be in 2033?
Stats NZ's medium projection puts Hamilton at about 216,000 people in 2033 and 279,700 in 2053. Projections are a guide, not a forecast, and depend a lot on migration.
How many houses are in Hamilton?
The 2023 Census counted 65,403 private dwellings in Hamilton City. 54% of households own their home or hold it in a family trust.
What is the median age in Hamilton?
34.0 years in 2026, against 38.5 for New Zealand as a whole. 12.4% of residents are 65 or over.
What is the biggest suburb in Hamilton?
Hamilton East, with about 16,860 residents at the 2023 Census, followed by Flagstaff (about 12,920) and Nawton (about 11,270).
Sources and data notes 4
- Population estimates: Stats NZ, Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2026 (provisional), released 29 October 2026. Estimates include residents the census missed and people overseas on census night, so they are higher than census counts. CC BY 4.0.
- Projections: Stats NZ, Subnational population projections: 2023(base) to 2053, medium projection, released 25 September 2025. CC BY 4.0.
- 2023 Census: Stats NZ place summary for Hamilton City and for New Zealand (2023 Census, and the number of businesses from Business Demography). Percentages are of people or homes who answered each question. CC BY 4.0.
- Suburbs: Suburb areas: LINZ NZ Suburbs and Localities (CC BY 4.0). Suburb populations are the 2023 Census SA1 areas inside each boundary, so a suburb can reach past the council boundary.