Demographic change across New Zealand is recorded by Statistics New Zealand in the Census collections every five years. Population experts .id (informed decisions) analyse and convert these raw figures into stories of place to inform council staff, community groups, investors, business, students and the general public.

The Dunedin City Community Profile provides demographic analysis for the District and its suburbs based on results from the 2018, 2013 and 2006 Censuses of Population and Housing. The profile is updated with population estimates when Statistics New Zealand releases new figures such as the annual Estimated Resident Population (ERP).

Suburb boundaries and Census questions change over time, but .id manages the data to ensure that there is an accurate time series provided for the current geographic boundaries. You can read more about this in the Geography Notes section.

Results for the Dunedin City include population, age structure, ethnicity, religion, income, qualifications, field of qualifications, smoking behaviour, occupations, employment, unemployment, disability, disadvantage, unpaid work, family structure, household structure, housing tenure, mortgage and rental payments, and the size and type of the dwellings people live in.

The Community Profile presents this information in clear maps, tables and charts with concise factual commentary to answer three important questions:

1. What are the characteristics of the people who live here?
2. How are they changing?
3. How do they compare to other areas?

This provides the basis for making evidence-based decisions about how to provide services for the community as it changes.

You can be confident about the quality of the information as it is derived from Statistics New Zealand data, analysed and presented by population experts and funded by the Dunedin City.