Post-enumeration Survey (PES) results show that the 2023 Census of Population and Dwellings counted 98.9 percent of the population usually living in Aotearoa New Zealand, according to data released by Stats NZ today.
This is the highest coverage rate achieved by a New Zealand census since coverage was first measured in 1996.
"The Post-enumeration Survey provides an independent measure of census coverage," general manager of Statistical Delivery - Population and Housing Sean Broughton said.
"The results show that through a combination of 2023 Census forms and the inclusion of administrative data collected by other agencies, an overall coverage rate of nearly 99 percent was achieved."
The coverage rate of 98.9 percent equates to a net undercount of 57,200 people (1.1 percent). This is the difference between an estimated 116,000 people who were not counted at all, and 58,800 people who were counted more than once or counted in error.
"Results from the PES will be used to update population estimates and projections which will be published in 2025," Broughton said.
| Year | Percent |
| 1996 | 1.6 |
| 2001 | 2.2 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2.4 |
| 2018 | 2.6 |
| 2023 | 1.1 |
| 1.4 | 1.8 |
|---|---|
| 1.9 | 2.5 |
| 1.5 | 2.4 |
| 1.9 | 2.8 |
| 2.3 | 2.9 |
| 0.9 | 1.4 |
Improved coverage among ethnic groups
All of New Zealand's largest ethnic populations experienced higher coverage in the 2023 Census compared with previous censuses.
The net undercount of people of Māori ethnicity was 1.6 percent in 2023, down from 4.4 percent in 2018. For Pacific peoples, the net undercount was also 1.6 percent in 2023, down from 4.9 percent in 2018.
| Ethnicity | Percent |
| European | 0.67 |
| Māori | 1.6 |
| Pacific peoples | 1.59 |
| Asian | 2.21 |
| MELAA | 2.9 |
| Other | 1.58 |
| 0.44 | 0.89 |
|---|---|
| 1.05 | 2.24 |
| 0.64 | 2.54 |
| 1.53 | 2.97 |
| 1.33 | 5.07 |
| 0.49 | 2.88 |
Census response rate 87.6 percent
Census response rates measure the percentage of the population living in New Zealand who were counted on census forms. These are lower than the census coverage rates which also include people counted in administrative data collected by other agencies.
In 2023, the census response rate was 87.6 percent, up from 85.8 percent in 2018. However, the 2023 response rate was below the response rates of 93.2 percent in 2013 and 95.1 percent in 2006.
