Tauranga City's population grew by almost 11,000 people in the last seven years, according to the latest census figures released today.

The 2013 Census shows Tauranga is the second fastest growing city in the North Island with a population increase of 11 per cent, or 10,908 more people, since the 2006 census.

'Tauranga city was the second-fastest-growing district or city council area in the North Island, but it didn't grow as fast as it did between 2001 and 2006,” says Government Statistician Liz MacPherson.

Liz says Tauranga is driving the Bay of Plenty region's population growth, recorded to be 267,741 on the March 5, 2013 census - 4 per cent higher, or 10,362 more people, than in 2006.

This puts the Bay of Plenty as the fifth largest region in New Zealand.

But while the Western Bay of Plenty district grew by more than four percent, Rotorua, Whakatane, Kawerau, and Opotiki districts, each fell by 500–600 people. The total population count at the March 5, 2013 census was 4,242,048 – a 5.3 per cent rise, or 214,101 more people since the 2006 census.

Auckland region was the fastest growing region, increasing 8.5 percent to 1.42 million people – equivalent of adding a city the size of Tauranga to the city in the last seven years.

Just over half of New Zealand's population growth since the last census occurred in Auckland. Nelson was the second-fastest growing region, up 8.3 percent to 46,437 people.

'After Auckland, Nelson was the next-fastest-growing region, followed by Waikato. Southland turned around a declining population, growing by over 2000 people in the seven years since the last census,” says Liz.

All regional council areas showed population growth or steady populations between 2006 and 2013, except for Gisborne, which had a small decline of 843 people.

Five of the top 10 areas with the largest population growth were in the Canterbury region. Four were in the North Island which included Tauranga city, Waikato, Carterton, and Waipa.

New Zealand gained 7000 people a year from migration between 2006 and 2013 – less than a third of the 23,000 gained per year between 2001 and 2006.

'The census counts show that population change has not been uniform across New Zealand. This largely reflects the movement of people within New Zealand as well as the influence of international migration.”

The 33rd New Zealand Census of Population and Dwellings was held on 5 March 2013. It was originally scheduled for March 2011, but was cancelled following the 22 February Christchurch earthquake.