LOCATION AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND

Key findings

• More than half of migrant youth were living in the Auckland region. The proportion of 12- to 17-year-old migrants in Auckland remained steady over the three Censuses of Population and Dwellings (censuses) in 1996, 2001, and 2006. The proportion of 18- to 24-year-old migrants increased from 51 percent in 1996 to 58 percent in 2006.
• A slightly larger proportion of migrant youth than all migrants lived in the four main regions (Auckland, the Waikato, Wellington, and Canterbury). This is likely to reflect the presence of universities and employment opportunities in the main regions. The proportion of migrant youth living in Wellington gradually decreased from 1996 to 2006.
• A larger proportion of recent 12- to 17-year-olds were living in the main regions than were all 12- to 17-year-old migrants. The larger proportion living in Auckland accounted for most of the difference. The proportion of recent migrants aged 12 to 24 years living in Auckland decreased from 2001 (60 percent) to 2006 (57 percent).
• Most 12- to 17-year-olds were living with their family. Overseas-born 12- to 17-year-olds were slightly more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be living outside their family (particularly North and South-East Asians).
• Overseas-born 18- to 24-year-olds were more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be living outside their family (that is, living alone or flatting). North Asians were the most likely to be living outside their family, followed by South-East Asians.
• Overseas-born 18- to 24-year-olds were more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be married. Youth from South Asia and the Pacific had the largest proportions that were married.

Introduction

This chapter explores the geographical location in New Zealand of migrant youth by regional council area.^[63] This chapter also looks at the living arrangements of migrant youth, which is particularly important between the ages of 12 and 24 years when youth are often making the transition from living with their parents to living apart from their families and living with partners or spouses. Migrant youth who come to New Zealand without their parents (for example, to study) are likely to have different living arrangements than other youth in New Zealand.

Location by regional council area

At each census, more than half of migrant youth resided in the Auckland region (see Table 5.1). The proportion of 12- to 17-year-olds in Auckland remained steady over the three censuses (from 54 percent to 56 percent), whereas the proportion of 18- to 24-year-olds increased from 51 percent in 1996 to 58 percent in 2006. The proportion of all migrants in the Auckland region increased from 48 percent in 1996 to 52 percent in 2006. By comparison, the proportion of New Zealand-born youth living in Auckland ranged from 26 percent in 1996 to 28 percent in 2006.

The other regions where migrant youth tended to be concentrated were Wellington, Canterbury, the Waikato, and, albeit to a lesser extent, Otago. These regions are where New Zealand's universities are located, which, along with employment opportunities, will attract 18- to 24-year-olds in particular. The proportion of both age groups living in Wellington gradually decreased over the three censuses. At each census, the proportion of migrant youth living in the four main regions (Auckland, the Waikato, Wellington, and Canterbury) was about three percentage points higher than the proportion of all migrants living in these regions.

Table 5.1 Geographical locations for migrant youth, 1996, 2001, and 2006

Regional council	1996		2001		2006
	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)
Northland	2	1	2	1	2	1
Auckland	54	51	56	57	55	58
Waikato	6	6	7	6	7	6
Bay of Plenty	4	2	4	2	4	2
Gisborne	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hawke's Bay	2	1	2	1	2	1
Taranaki	1	1	1	1	1	1
Manawatu-Wanganui	3	4	3	3	3	3
Wellington	10	12	9	11	8	10
Tasman	1	0	1	0	1	0
Nelson	1	1	1	1	1	0
Marlborough	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Coast	0	0	0	0	0	0
Canterbury	10	12	10	10	10	11
Otago	3	6	3	5	3	6
Southland	1	1	1	0	1	0
Total (%)	100	100	100	100	100	100
Total number	40,551	48,870	48,123	64,203	62,637	94,377

Note:
Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100 percent.

Table 5.2 shows the geographical location for recent migrant youth at each census. The proportions of recent migrant 18- to 24-year-olds living in the four main regions were about the same as for all 18- to 24-year-old migrant youth at each census. The main exception was the smaller proportion of recent migrant youth living in Wellington in 1996 and 2001. For 12- to 17-year-olds, the proportion of recent migrants living in the main regions was larger than for all migrant youth. The main difference was the larger proportion of recent 12- to 17-year-olds in Auckland (particularly in 1996 and 2001). The proportion of recent migrant 12- to 24-year-olds living in Auckland decreased from 2001 (60 percent) to 2006 (57 percent).

Table 5.2 Geographical locations for recent (less than five years in New Zealand) migrant youth, 1996, 2001, and 2006

Regional council	1996		2001		2006
	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)	12-17 years (%)	18-24 years (%)
Northland	1	1	1	1	2	1
Auckland	60	52	61	59	57	57
Waikato	5	6	6	6	7	7
Bay of Plenty	3	2	3	2	4	2
Gisborne	0	0	0	0	0	0
Hawke's Bay	1	1	1	1	2	1
Taranaki	1	1	1	1	1	1
Manawatu-Wanganui	2	5	3	3	3	3
Wellington	8	9	8	9	8	10
Tasman	0	0	0	0	1	0
Nelson	0	1	0	0	1	0
Marlborough	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Coast	0	0	0	0	0	0
Canterbury	12	14	10	10	11	12
Otago	3	7	2	5	3	6
Southland	0	0	0	0	1	0
Total (%)	100	100	100	100	100	100
Total number	17,448	18,306	20,247	25,620	27,462	44,007

Note:
Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100 percent.

Location by region of birth

Youth from the UK/Ireland tended to have a comparatively large proportion living in Wellington (13 percent in 2006) than in other regions. North Asian youth were the least likely to be in Wellington (6 percent in 2006). Youth from Australia, North Asia, and South-East Asia (and the UK/Ireland in 2006) had the largest proportions living in Canterbury, while only small proportions from the Pacific and South Asia lived in this region.

Figure 5.1 shows the proportion of migrant youth living in the Auckland region. A substantial proportion of youth from the Pacific lived in Auckland with the proportion increasing from 71 percent to 74 percent over the three censuses. A large proportion of youth from Asia were living in Auckland, with the proportion increasing for South Asian and South-East Asian youth and decreasing slightly for North Asian youth over the period. Australian youth were more likely than other youth to live outside Auckland. The proportion of New Zealand-born youth living in the Auckland region was 28 percent in 2006.

Figure 5.1 Proportion of migrant youth (12-24 years) living in the Auckland region, 1996, 2001, and 2006

Data table for Figure 5.1

Note:
ESANA = Europe (including Russia), South Africa and North America; UK = United Kingdom.

Living arrangements

This section provides data on the living arrangements of youth. Data is included on whether individuals were living with their family, and for those who were living with family, their role in the family.^[64] Data from the 1996 census is not included in this section because it is not comparable with the data from the 2001 and 2006 censuses.

Table 5.3 shows the role youth had in their family. Most 12- to 17-year-olds were living with their family in the role of a child. Overseas-born 12- to 17-year-olds were slightly more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be living 'not in a family nucleus'^[65] (that is, living alone or with flatmates). Analysis by region of birth shows a comparatively large proportion of 12- to 17-year-old North Asian youth (17 percent in 2006) and South-East Asian youth (12 percent in 2006) living outside their family.

Just over one-third of 18- to 24-year-olds were living as a child with their family and a similar proportion were living outside their family. Overseas-born 18- to 24-year-olds were slightly more likely than their New Zealand-born counterparts to be living outside the family and slightly less likely to be a parent. North Asians were the most likely to be living outside their family (52 percent at both censuses), followed by South-East Asians (37 percent in 2006). Eighteen- to 24-year-olds from the Pacific were more likely than others to be living with a partner and a child or children. Youth from Australia and UK/Ireland had larger proportions than others living with a partner or spouse and no children. The proportion of North Asians living with a partner or spouse increased from 2001 (5 percent) to 2006 (19 percent).

Table 5.3 Individual role in the family for youth (12-24 years), 2001 and 2006

Individual role in family	12-17 years		18-24 years
	Overseas -born (%)	NZ-born (%)	Overseas-born (%)	NZ-born (%)
2001
Child in family nucleus	84	88	36	35
Parent and spouse/partner in family nucleus	0	0	5	6
Sole parent in a family nucleus	0	0	2	5
Spouse/partner only in family nucleus	0	1	11	14
Not in family nucleus	11	6	39	36
Not in subject population	4	5	8	5
Total	100	100	100	100
2006
Child in family nucleus	87	88	35	37
Parent and spouse/partner in family nucleus	0	0	4	6
Sole parent in family nucleus	0	0	2	5
Spouse/partner only in family nucleus	0	1	16	16
Not in family nucleus	8	6	38	32
Not in subject population	4	5	6	5
Total	100	100	100	100

Notes
Statistics New Zealand classified people as 'not in subject population' if they were living in a non-private dwelling on census night.
Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100 percent.

Marital status

Table 5.4 compares the marital status of overseas-born and New Zealand-born 18- to 24-year-olds. Overseas-born youth were more likely than New Zealand-born youth to be married, although the proportion that was married decreased from 1996 to 2006 for both groups.

South Asian youth were the most likely to be married (22 percent in 2006) followed by youth from the Pacific (19 percent in 2006). Recent migrant youth were more likely to be married than migrants who had been in New Zealand longer. Eleven percent of recent overseas-born youth were married in 2006.

Table 5.4 Marital status for 18-24-year-olds, 1996, 2001, and 2006

Birthplace	Never married (%)	Married (%)	Divorced/ separated (%)
1996
Overseas-born	88	11	1
NZ-born	93	6	1
2001
Overseas-born	89	10	1
NZ-born	95	5	1
2006
Overseas-born	90	9	1
NZ-born	96	3	1

Notes
Excludes those who did not state their marital status and a small number who were widowed.
Due to rounding, percentages may not sum to 100 percent.

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