Auckland was the fastest growing region. Photo:
Every region of the country has experienced population growth in the past year, following two years in which several shrank.
Statistics New Zealand data shows of the 16 regions, Auckland was the fastest growing in the year to June.
Estimates and projections manager Michael MacAskill said Auckland grew by 47,000 people - 2.8 percent - in the year ended June, "reversing a population loss in 2022".
About 78 percent of new Aucklanders were recent arrivals to the country.
"Auckland gained people through international migration, but lost people through internal migration, continuing the pattern since the late 1990s," MacAskill said.
Nationally, the population grew 2.1 percent, about 105,900 people, in the year ended June 2023 - 18 times higher than the previous year, when it flatlined at 0.1 percent.
Otago, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty regions also grew faster than the New Zealand average.
The fastest growing district by far was Queenstown-Lakes, which went up 8 percent, or 3900 new residents, with 2500 coming from overseas.
Meanwhile, deaths exceeded births in some regions.
"A record 16 out of 67 territorial authority areas experienced natural decrease, or more deaths than births, in the year ended June 2023," MacAskill said.
The areas with the largest natural decreases included Dunedin City (190 more deaths than births), Thames-Coromandel District (170 more), Kāpiti Coast District (160 more), Nelson City (100 more), Whanganui District (90 more), and Timaru district (80 more).
With the exception of Buller district, all areas experiencing "natural decrease" still had population growth, due to net migration.