New Zealand's national median rent reached a record-breaking $475 per week in April after a 5.6 per cent jump on last year, according to the latest Trade Me Property Rental Index.

Head of Trade Me Property Nigel Jeffries says rents typically cool in autumn and winter, but April bucked the seasonal trend after strong demand for rental properties in the regions pushed prices north.

Regional rents crack $400

Nigel says rents for properties outside New Zealand's three major metropolitan areas (Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch) climbed 3.9 per cent on last year to reach $400 for the first time.

"This jump across the country has been caused by strong demand in a number of regions.

"The average number of enquiries on rental listings in Taranaki soared 122 per cent on last April and Southland topped the charts with enquires up a staggering 164 per cent."

Nigel says this demand has led to record rents in Taranaki which climbed 2 per cent to $380 per week and in Southland the median weekly rent jumped 10.2 per cent to $270 per week.

"Around the remaining regions, rents in Hawke's Bay leaped 14.3 per cent to reach $400 per week and Bay of Plenty saw a new record after rising 4.4 per cent to $470 per week, just $10 less than Wellington."

The only region that didn't grow on April last year was Manawatu/Whanganui which remained unchanged on April 2017.