Browse Data

This dataset contains counts for urban accessibility geography by region for selected variables from the 2018, 2013, and 2006 censuses. Estimated resident populations for 1996–2020 are also included.

Urban accessibility measures the degree of urban influence New Zealand’s urban areas have on surrounding rural areas. It classifies the geographic accessibility of rural statistical area 1s (SA1s) and small urban areas according to their proximity, or degree of remoteness, to larger urban areas. To find out more about the urban accessibility classification see Urban accessibility – methodology and classification.

The urban accessibility categories are:

· major urban area – 100,000 or more residents

· large urban area – 30,000–99,999 residents

· medium urban area – 10,000–29,999 residents

· high urban accessibility – small urban areas (1,000–9,999 residents) and rural SA1s within 0 to 15 minutes from major urban areas

· medium urban accessibility – small urban areas and rural SA1s within: 15 to 25 minutes from major urban areas, 0 to 25 minutes from large urban areas, 0 to 15 minutes from medium urban areas

· low urban accessibility – small urban areas and rural SA2s within: 25 to 60 minutes from major or large urban areas, 15 to 60 minutes from medium urban areas

· remote – small urban areas and rural SA1s within 60 to 120 minutes from major, large, or medium urban areas

· very remote – small urban areas and rural SA1s more than 120 minutes from major, large, or medium urban areas

· water areas – inland water, inlet, oceanic.

The dataset uses geographic boundaries (SA1, urban area, regional council) as at 1 January 2018. For explanation of geographies see Statistical standard for geographic areas 2018.

Included in this dataset:

· estimated resident population at 30 June 1996-2020

· 2006, 2013, and 2018 Census usually resident population and sex

· 2018 Census usually resident: age (10-year groups), median age, ethnic group, birthplace, work and labour force status, status in employment, occupation, industry, highest qualification, sources of personal income, total personal income (grouped), median income, individual home ownership, languages spoken, religious affiliation, main means of travel to work by usual residence address, main means of travel to education by usual residence address, New Zealand Index of deprivation

· 2018 Census dwellings: dwelling type, main types of heating used, dwelling dampness, dwelling mould

· 2018 Census households: tenure of household, access to telecommunication systems; number of motor vehicles.

The data uses fixed random rounding to protect confidentiality. Some counts of less than 6 are suppressed according to 2018 confidentiality rules. Values of ‘-999’ indicate suppressed data.

Medians are calculated from unrounded counts, with input noise added to or subtracted from each contributing value during measures calculation. Medians based on less than six individuals are suppressed.

For further information on this dataset please refer to the 2018 Census urban accessibility dataset on the 2018 Census webpage - Excel workbook (including data quality ratings and footnotes).

This dataset contains sex by ethnic group (grouped total responses), for the census usually resident population count, 2006, 2013, and 2018 Censuses for urban rural areas.

The dataset uses geographic boundaries as at 1 January 2018. For explanation of the urban rural classification see Statistical standard for geographic areas 2018.

Definitions

The census usually resident population count (CURP) of an area (subnational count) is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes visitors from overseas, visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand, and residents temporarily overseas on census night. For example, a person who usually lives in Christchurch city and is visiting Wellington city on census night will be included in the census usually resident population count of Christchurch city. The CURP variable is rated as high quality.

Ethnic group includes all people who stated each ethnic group, whether as their only ethnic group or as one of several ethnic groups. Where a person reported more than one ethnic group, they have been counted in each applicable group. The Ethnicity variable is rated as high quality.

Quality

For information on quality ratings by variable, please see Data quality ratings for 2018 census variables.

Due to changes in the 2018 Census methodology and lower than anticipated response rates, time series data should be interpreted with care.

Confidentiality

The 2018 Census confidentiality rules have been applied to 2006, 2013, and 2018 data. These rules protect the confidentiality of individuals, families, households, dwellings, and undertakings in 2018 Census data.

Counts are calculated using Fixed Random Rounding to base 3 (FRR3), and suppression of ‘sensitive’ counts less than six, where tables report multiple geographic variables and/or small populations. Individual figures may not always sum to stated totals.

For more information on the most recent 2018 Census confidentiality rules see Applying confidentiality rules to 2018 Census data and summary of changes since 2013

RC_IUA 2018 contains urban accessibility classes by regional council geography. The dataset uses geographic boundaries (urban accessibility indicator (IUA), regional council (RC) as at 1 January 2018.

To download census and other data for this classification go to '2018 Census selected variables by Regional Council Urban Accessibility Indicator 2018'.

The urban accessibility (IUA) indicator measures the degree of urban influence New Zealand’s urban areas have on surrounding rural areas. It classifies the geographic accessibility of rural statistical area 1s (SA1s) and small urban areas according to their proximity, or degree of remoteness, to larger urban areas. The full classification is: 111 Major urban area 112 Large urban area 113 Medium urban area 221 High urban accessibility 222 Medium urban accessibility 223 Low urban accessibility 224 Remote 225 Very remote 331 Inland water 332 Inlet 333 Oceanic.

Regional council (RC) boundaries for 2018 are defined by the regional councils and/or Local Government Commission and maintained by Stats NZ. This version contains 16 regional councils. The full classification is: 01 Northland Region 02 Auckland Region 03 Waikato Region 04 Bay of Plenty Region 05 Gisborne Region 06Hawke's Bay Region 07 Taranaki Region 08 Manawatu-Wanganui Region 09 Wellington Region 12 West Coast Region 13 Canterbury Region 14 Otago Region 15 Southland Region 16 Tasman Region 17 Nelson Region 18 Marlborough Region 99 Area Outside Region.

The RC_IUA codes and names combine the RC and IUA codes and names, e.g. 01112 Northland Region_Major urban area.There are 140 classes. Some regional council areas do not contain all IUA classes but each region has at least four IUA classes.

This dataset is the definitive set of 2018 meshblock boundaries and higher geographies that may be used with the Regional Council Urban Accessibility Indicator 2018 (RC_IUA 2018). The higher geographies in this dataset are statistical area 1 (SA1), urban accessibility indicator (IUA) and regional council (REGC). This version contains 53,589 meshblocks.

​

Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007. This generalised version has been simplified for rapid drawing and is designed for thematic or web mapping purposes.