Nearly every Tauranga resident believes that traffic is a problem in the city.

That is according to the results of the 2020 Quality of Life Survey.

The survey is a partnership between Auckland Council, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington, Porirua, Hutt, Christchurch and Dunedin City councils and Wellington Regional Council.

It measures the perceptions of almost 7000 New Zealanders on topics such as overall quality of life, housing, transport, crime and the community.

Conducted every two years, the 2020 survey also took into account the impact of Covid-19.

Traffic was by far one of the biggest concerns for Tauranga residents.

The survey asked residents whether they felt an issue was either a big problem, a bit of a problem, not a problem or don't know.

In Tauranga, 80 per cent of residents polled responded that traffic was a big problem, with 18 per cent stating it was a bit of a problem and just two per cent claiming it was not a problem.

It equates to an overall total of 98 per cent of people in Tauranga feeling that traffic is a problem, easily the most significant result across New Zealand with Wellington second on 86 per cent.

The figure of 80 per cent suggesting traffic is a big problem was well clear of Wellington in the same bracket, with just 42 per cent believing it to be a big problem.

In the 2018 survey, 82 percent of residents in Tauranga indicated that traffic congestion was a reason why the area had become a worse place to live.

Other significant results from the survey included 80 per cent of residents suggesting limited parking in the city centre/local area was a problem.

However, only six per cent of Tauranga residents have used public transport weekly, making the city the worse in the nation for public transport usage despite 60 per cent believing it is easy to utilise.

Homelessness is also a major concern for Tauranga residents, with 81 per cent believing it to be a problem, the highest rate in the country.

It also represents a significant rise from 2018, when only 20 per cent considered it an issue that has made the area a worse place to live.

Dangerous driving is also considered an issue as well as alcohol and drug use. Tauranga residents also have the least confidence in their council's decision making, with 56 per cent disagreeing that the council make decisions in the best interests of their city.

Overall, 53 per cent of locals suggest that Tauranga has become a worse place to live over the last 12 months from the point of the survey in 2020.

Meanwhile, despite rising house prices, only 35 per cent of people feel housing costs are a problem in Tauranga with residents in Tauranga the most satisfied across the nation with the suitability and location of their homes.

Tauranga residents are also the least stressed across the nation and, overall, 87 per cent of residents say they have a good quality of life.