Region
In 2006, the regions 3 with the highest rates of Māori home ownership were predominantly rural areas: Southland (40.9 percent), Northland (35.0 percent), Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough/West Coast (34.7 percent), and the Bay of Plenty (33.5 percent). In comparison, the lowest rates of Māori home ownership were found in Auckland (25.8 percent), Waikato (28.9 percent), and Wellington (28.9 percent). Overall, the South Island has a higher proportion of Māori home owners (33.5 percent) than the North Island (29.6 percent).
Between 2001 and 2006, Māori home ownership rates decreased across all regions. The largest decreases occurred in the regions with the highest rates of home ownership: the Bay of Plenty (down 2.8 percent to 33.5 percent), Northland (down 2.7 percent to 35.0 percent), Southland (down 1.8 percent to 40.9 percent) and Nelson/Tasman/Marlborough/West Coast (down 1.6 percent to 34.7 percent). Among the urban centres, Auckland exhibited the largest decrease in home ownership rate; down 1.6 percent to 25.8 percent.
Graph 1: Home Ownership Rates for Māori by Region in 2001 and 2006
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Census of Population and Dwellings, 2001 and 2006.
3 The regions employed in this section are Regional Council areas.