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- Auckland (1.7 Million People) – The Biggest City in New Zealand. First on our list of New Zealand cities is Auckland. It’s no secret that Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city in both population and landmass.
- Wellington (542,000 People) Surprisingly, New Zealand’s capital city is not its largest, but it has been dubbed the world’s “coolest little capital”.
- Christchurch (396,200 People) The third New Zealand city on this list is Christchurch. The South Island‘s largest city is not only teaming with work opportunities for backpackers, but the artwork, views from the Port Hills, and surf beaches entice many to explore.
- Hamilton (185,300 People) Situated on the banks of the mighty Waikato River, Hamilton is the centre of the Waikato region. The Hamilton Gardens and its nightlife are a drawcard, but the city makes a good hub for visiting the likes of Raglan, Hobbiton and Waitomo.
The schedule of cities in New Zealand was brought under central government control in 1867, but continued to be sporadically applied. From 1886 the definition of a city was changed to any borough with a population of 20,000 or more. This value was increased to 50,000 in 1989.
New Zealand has 0 cities with more than a million people, 10 cities with between 100,000 and 1 million people, and 33 cities with between 10,000 and 100,000 people. The largest city in New Zealand is Auckland, with a population of 417,910 people.
- Auckland, North Island (∼1,652,000) – The Biggest City in New Zealand. Auckland is by far the largest city in New Zealand with a population of over 1.5 million people!
- Wellington, North Island (∼434,900) Auckland was once the capital of New Zealand in the 1800s, but today the city of Wellington holds that title. It’s located near the North Island’s Southernmost point and is full of awesome attractions!
- Christchurch, South Island (∼389,300) Christchurch is the third biggest city in New Zealand. It’s also the largest city in the South Island. Located on the East Coast, it is one of the most unique cities you’ll visit in New Zealand.
- Hamilton, North Island (∼179,900) Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch are the biggest cities in New Zealand by far. With Hamilton only having a population of 179,900, it is comparatively small.
This article lists urban areas of New Zealand—as defined by Statistics New Zealand—ranked by population. Only the 150 largest urban areas are listed. Urban areas are defined by the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA18).
June 2023 RankNameRegionJune 2023 Estimate [1]11,478,8002384,8003215,2004185,300Apr 25, 2017 · Learn about the population, location, and features of the 10 most populous cities in New Zealand, from Auckland to Rotorua. Find out how these cities rank among the largest in the world and what makes them unique and attractive destinations.
May 24, 2023 · Explore NZ's largest cities: Auckland (1.7M), Wellington (215K), Christchurch (385.5K), Hamilton (176.5K), Tauranga (151.3K), and more!
