better stats nz

New Zealand's official statistics in one place, in plain English: prices, jobs, the economy, housing, health and more, joined up across Stats NZ and other agencies and updated within hours of each release. Better Stats NZ is independent, not part of Stats NZ or the government.

Latest release · July–September 2026 quarter
5.7

Unemployment was 5.7% in the July–September 2026 quarter, up from 5.3% a year earlier. That's 169,100 people looking for work.

From Stats NZ's Household Labour Force Survey, adjusted for the usual seasonal ups and downs. Who is out of work
Unemployment rate: share of the workforce out of work and looking, %

Latest figures

Prices (inflation) 3.7% rise in consumer prices over the year to the July–September 2026 quarter Stats NZ · Explore
Unemployment 5.7% of the workforce out of work and looking for a job, in the July–September 2026 quarter Stats NZ · Explore
The economy (GDP) +2.6% growth on a year earlier, in the April–June 2026 quarter Stats NZ · Explore
Migration +22,612 more people arrived to live here than left (early estimate), year to September 2026 Stats NZ · Explore
New homes 41,091 new homes given building consent, year to September 2026 Stats NZ · Explore

Coming up

Release calendar

Explore by topic

Cost of living

How fast prices are rising, what's driving them, and whether pay is keeping up.

What's driving inflation?3.7%rise in consumer prices over the year to the July–September 2026 quarterWhat's happening to prices month by month?+2.4%food prices, year to September 2026Whose living costs are rising fastest?4.0%highest rise by household type, July–September 2026 quarterAre wages keeping up with prices?−0.8%hourly pay after inflation, July–September 2026 quarter

Jobs and income

Who has work, who doesn't, and what they're paid.

Where does my household's income sit?$55,257typical (middle) income per person after tax, allowing for household size, year to June 2025Where are the jobs?+1.0%filled jobs, September 2026 on a year earlierWho is out of work?5.7%of the workforce out of work and looking, July–September 2026 quarterWhat do people earn?$44.86average hourly pay, July–September 2026 quarter

Economy and trade

How fast the economy is growing, which industries are driving it, what we trade, and what money costs.

What's driving the economy?+2.6%growth in the economy (GDP) on a year earlier, April–June 2026 quarterWhat do we sell, and who buys it?$85.2bgoods exports, year to September 2026Where does the government's money go?$158.6bday-to-day government spending, 2024/25 ($29,779 per person)Are interest rates high?3.25%short-term wholesale interest rate, which drives floating mortgage rates, October 2026Are people spending more?+1.0%card spending, year to October 2026How confident are businesses?102.8business confidence, September 2026 (100 is normal; higher is more upbeat)Are more businesses opening or closing?7,095more businesses closed than opened, year to February 2026How productive are we?64%of what a typical developed country produces per hour worked, 2023How do we compare as a trader?51%exports plus imports, as a share of the economy, 2024 (typical developed country 83%)How much do we invest, and who invests here?24.8%of the economy's output spent on buildings, equipment and software, 2023

Going deeper: Where does demand come from, What does an export pull through the economy, How does each industry fit in, Who supplies whom.

Housing

What it costs to rent, and how many homes are being built, where, and what kind.

Who can afford housing?48.4%of renters spend 30% or more of income on housing, year to June 2025What does it cost to rent?$594typical (median) weekly rent for new tenancies, July–September 2026How many homes are being built?41,091new homes consented, year to September 2026

People

How many of us there are, where we live, and who is arriving and leaving.

How is the population changing?5,324,700people, June 2025Who is arriving, and who is leaving?+22,612more arrivals than departures, year to September 2026

Health

How healthy we are, who is struggling, and who can't get care.

Who is struggling with mental health?14.3%adults with high or very high psychological distress (anxiety and depression symptoms), 2024/25Who skips the doctor because of cost?14.9%adults who didn't see a GP because of the cost, 2024/25How healthy are we?86.6%adults who rate their health as good or better, 2024/25

Safety

How likely people are to be victims of crime, how people get hurt, and what's happening in the courts.

How likely am I to be a victim of crime?27.5%of adults were victims of crime, survey year 2025How likely am I to be seriously injured, and how?14,283people seriously injured, 2024How safe are our roads?270people killed in road crashes, 2025What's happening in the courts?65,066adults whose court cases finished, 2025

Environment

Where our greenhouse gas emissions come from, whether they're falling, and how our electricity is made.

What's in our emissions?−2.9%change in emissions, year to June 2026Where does our electricity come from?95.3%renewable, 12 months to October 2026Are we switching to electric cars?26%of new cars plug in, 12 months to October 2026

All the data, with downloads