Quality Statement
The census usually resident population count of New Zealand is a count of all people who usually live in and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes overseas visitors and New Zealand residents who are temporarily overseas.
The census usually resident population count of an area (subnational count) is a count of all people who usually live in that area and were present in New Zealand on census night. It excludes visitors from overseas, visitors from elsewhere in New Zealand, and residents temporarily overseas on census night.
Very high quality
Data quality processes section below has more detail on the rating.
Priority level 1
A priority level is assigned to all census concepts: priority 1, 2, or 3 (with 1 being highest and 3 being the lowest priority).
The census usually resident population count is a priority 1 concept. Priority 1 concepts are core census concepts that have the highest priority in terms of quality, time, and resources across all phases of a census.
The census priority level for the census usually resident population count remains the same as 2018.
The 2023 Census: Final content report has more information on priority ratings for census concepts.
Census usually resident population count
‘Subject population’ means the people, families, households, or dwellings that the count applies to.
The census usually resident population count is a count census form responses plus admin enumerated records, that is, a count of unit records.
Standards and classifications has more information on what classifications are, how they are reviewed, and where they are stored, and to provide feedback on them.
Census usually resident population count data is collected from the individual form (question 5 on the individual paper form) and from the online household set-up form or paper dwelling form (questions 18,19, 20, and 21).
Stats NZ Store House has samples for both the individual and dwelling paper forms.
Data-use outside Stats NZ:
- to formulate, monitor, and evaluate central and local government policy.
Data-use by Stats NZ:
- as a critical input to population estimates and projections, providing information on how communities are changing
- to support determining the number of electoral districts and the electoral boundary setting process.
Where there were missing census responses, admin enumerated records were added to the census file to count people who were missed.
Methodology for using admin data to count people in the 2023 Census has more information about admin enumeration.
The table below shows the distribution of data sources for the census usually resident population count.
Data sources for population count data, as a percentage of census usually resident population count, 2023 Census | ||
---|---|---|
Source of census usually resident population count data | Percent | |
2023 Census response | 89.1 | |
Admin data | 10.9 | |
No information | 0.0 | |
Total | 100.0 | |
Note: Due to rounding, individual figures may not always sum to the stated total(s) or score contributions. |
en-NZ
There is no non-response for the census usually resident population count. In the 2023 Census and the 2018 Census, admin enumerated records were used for missing responses. In the 2013 Census, substitute individual forms were created to fill in missing responses.
Overall quality rating: Very high quality
Data was evaluated to assess whether it meets quality standards and is suitable for use.
The census usually resident population count is only evaluated by the consistency and coherence quality metric (metric 2). A data sources and coverage quality metric (metric 1) is not produced as admin enumerated records were used for missing responses resulting in an inherently high quality. Accuracy of responses quality metric (metric 3) is also not applicable to unit counts.
The ‘very high quality’ rating is based on how the population counts compare with the population benchmarks and expectations (consistency and coherence of the counts) and supported by the quality assessment of the population demographic attributes (such as usual residence address).
The data was highly consistent with expectations across all consistency checks. However, while comparisons at higher geographies were consistent with expectations, there are areas at geographies below this that vary from expectations. Most, but not all, of these geographies are areas that were impacted by ex-tropical Cyclone Gabrielle.
At a higher geographic level, time series by key demographic attributes and usual residence address are largely comparable to 2018.
Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census provides more information on the quality rating scale.
Census usually resident population count data can be used in a comparable manner to the 2013 and 2018 Censuses.
When using this data, users should be aware that a small number of changes have been made to the methodology used to include individuals in the census usually resident population count in the 2023 Census:
- There is now a process to identify and remove usually resident respondents who were temporarily overseas on census night but completed census forms. In earlier censuses these respondents were not able to be identified or removed from the census usually resident population count.
- Absentees who have not completed an individual form at their census night address may now be added into the census usually resident population count if they are linked to an admin record. All absentees' records are classified based on the census record type they link/do not link to:
- Absentee records linked to a responding individual are classified as a census response and will be counted as part of the census usually resident population count.
- Absentee records linked to an admin record (admin-linked absentee) are classified as admin enumeration and will be counted as part of the census usually resident population count if the absentee was not overseas on census night.
- Absentee records not linked to a responding individual, or an admin record remain classified solely as an absentee and will not be counted as part of the census usually resident population count.
- A higher proportion of admin enumerations were able to be placed into a dwelling, rather than a meshblock, providing greater confidence on the accuracy of the location of these admin enumerations.
A break in time series occurred between the 2013 and 2018 Censuses due to the adoption of a combined census model as a mitigation to lower-than-expected response rates in 2018. This model improved the enumeration of traditionally low responding age groups, such as young adults. The 2023 Census uses a combined model by design. The population counts show very high consistency with the 2018 Census, and less consistency with the 2013 Census due to the change in census model.
To assess how this concept aligns with the variables from the previous census, please use the link below:
Contact our Information centre for further information about using this concept.
en-NZ