This week New Zealanders will have access to more population and dwellings data from the 2023 Census.

On Thursday, October 3, Stats NZ will release 2023 Census data on population counts by ethnic groups, dwelling counts, religious affiliations and Māori descent.

“Building on the first release in May, this data will provide more detail about who we are as a nation, and the richness of New Zealand’s diversity,” said Rachael Milicich, the Deputy Government Statistician and Stats NZ’s deputy chief executive for insights and statistics.

It is also New Zealand’s first Census release to include data on gender, sexual identity, and variations of sex characteristics.

“It’s important that the Census represents all the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, and that people see themselves reflected in the data,” said Milicich.

Meanwhile, the Government Statistician, Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden, is taking the opportunity to thank the more than 4.5 million people who returned a Census form.

“This data will provide valuable insights that local authorities, iwi and hapū, community organisations, and the people of Aotearoa New Zealand will be able to use in their decision-making about the infrastructure and services needed by communities across the country,” said Sowden.

“And thank you to the Stats NZ team and all of our partners for the hard work and dedication to put high-quality data back into the hands of everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

The second release of 2023 Census data will be at 10.45am on Thursday. Data will be available at www.stats.govt.nz

For more information about what’s included in the second release and future releases of 2023 Census data take a look at:

[2023 Census release schedule – updated May 2024 | Stats NZ ]