Quality Statement

Label
Dwelling occupancy status - 2023 Census: Information by concept en-NZ
Definition

Dwelling occupancy status classifies each dwelling according to whether it is occupied, unoccupied, or under construction on census night. Dwelling under construction includes all new dwellings that are being built.

For census use, a dwelling is defined as occupied if it is:

  • occupied at midnight on census night; or
  • occupied at any time during the 12 hours following midnight on census night unless the occupant(s) completed a form at another dwelling during this period.

This includes occupied dilapidated dwellings and new dwellings under construction that are occupied on census night.

For census use, a dwelling is defined as unoccupied if it is:

  • unoccupied at midnight and at all times during the 12 hours following midnight on census night.

Unoccupied dwellings may be classified as ‘empty’ or ‘residents away’.

An unoccupied dwelling is classified as ‘empty’ if it:

  • had no current occupants; and
  • new occupants were not expected to arrive or move in on, or before, census night.

Unoccupied empty dwellings include:

  • an existing dwelling that is being altered, repaired, or extended, and is unoccupied on census night
  • baches and holiday homes with no occupants on census night
  • non-private dwellings, such as camping grounds and marae, that are unoccupied on census night.

A dwelling is classified as ‘residents away’ if:

  • occupants of a dwelling are identified as being temporarily away and are not expected to return by noon on the day after census night.
en-NZ
Overall quality rating

High quality
Data quality processes section below has more detail on the rating.

en-NZ
Priority level

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).
Dwelling occupancy status 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 dwelling occupancy status remains the same as 2018.
The 2023 Census: Final content report has more information on priority ratings for census concepts.

en-NZ
Subject population

All dwellings
‘Subject population’ means the people, families, households, or dwellings that the variable applies to.

en-NZ
How this data is classified

Dwelling occupancy status uses a 2-level hierarchical classification. Level 1 categories are presented in the table below:

Dwelling occupancy status – Standard classification V2.1.0 – level 1 of 2

Code Category
1 Occupied Dwelling
2 Unoccupied Dwelling
3 Dwelling Under Construction

The 2023 Census classification for dwelling occupancy status is consistent with that used in the 2018 Census. Follow the link above the table to examine the classification in more detail.

Standards and classifications has more information on what classifications are, how they are reviewed, where they are stored, and how to provide feedback on them.

en-NZ
Question format

As with previous censuses, dwelling occupancy status was not asked as a question on a census form in 2023. Dwelling occupancy status is determined via responses to the census, evidence gathered during field operations, and admin data sources.

en-NZ
Examples of how this data is used

Data from this variable is used:

  • to provide an indication of the housing stock available and in use in New Zealand
  • by central and local government to understand the number and location of unoccupied private dwellings
  • to evaluate infrastructure requirements, such as transport, sewerage, and water
  • to provide information on how communities are changing at a local level.
en-NZ
Data sources

Dwelling occupancy status was determined via responses to the census, evidence gathered during field operations, and admin data sources. It is not a question asked on a census form. The table below shows the distribution of data sources for dwelling occupancy status data.

Data sources for dwelling occupancy status data, for all dwellings, 2023 Census
Source of dwelling occupancy status data Percent
2023 Census response(1) 99.2
Historical census 0.0
Admin data 0.5
Deterministic derivation 0.0
Statistical imputation 0.3
 CANCEIS(2) donor's response sourced from 2023 Census form 0.3
 CANCEIS donor's response sourced from admin data <0.1
No information 0.0
Total 100.0
1. 2023 Census response includes evidence gathered during collection activity for non-responding dwellings.
2. CANCEIS = imputation based on CANadian Census Edit and Imputation System
Note: Due to rounding, individual figures may not always sum to the stated total(s) or score contributions.

A response to the census generally indicated that a dwelling was occupied. In some cases, collectors confirmed a dwelling’s occupancy status during the non-response follow-up stage. If there was enough evidence that a dwelling was occupied, such as open windows or a car parked in the drive, it was assumed it was occupied on census night unless alternative evidence suggested otherwise. Evidence for unoccupied ‘residents away’ included neighbour confirmation and uncollected mail. Evidence for unoccupied ‘empty’ included no visible furniture and a ‘for sale’ sign.

Admin data was used to confirm dwelling occupancy status for some dwellings, where all occupants of a dwelling were comprised of admin-enumerated individuals.

Admin data sources were used to fill missing responses, in combination with evidence collected from field staff, to determine addresses where admin enumerated people usually live, and to confirm the occupancy status of their dwelling. Address information came from notifications of address changes from:
  • Accident Compensation Corporation
  • Department of Internal Affairs
  • Inland Revenue
  • Kāinga Ora
  • Ministry of Education
  • Ministry of Health
  • Ministry of Social Development
  • New Zealand Transport Authority.

The following caveat relates to the use of admin data for the dwelling occupancy status variable:

  • there can be lags from when people change their address to when they notify a government agency of their new address.

Statistical imputation was then used to fill any remaining missing information.

Editing, data sources, and imputation in the 2023 Census describes how data quality is improved by editing, and how missing and residual responses are filled with alternative data sources (admin data and historical census responses) or statistical imputation. The paper also describes the use of CANCEIS (the CANadian Census Editing and Imputation System) to perform imputation. This webpage also contains a spreadsheet that provides additional detail on the admin data sources.

en-NZ
Missing and residual responses

Missing and residual responses represent data gaps where respondents either did not provide answers (missing responses) or provided answers that were not valid (residual responses).

Dwelling occupancy status does not have a non-response (‘not stated’) or any other residual category. Occupancy status for most non-responding dwellings came from evidence gathered during field collections. Where that wasn’t available, missing information was derived from admin sources or by statistical imputation.

en-NZ
Data quality processes

Overall quality rating: High
Data has been evaluated to assess whether it meets quality standards and is suitable for use.

Three quality metrics contribute to the overall quality rating:

  • data sources and coverage
  • consistency and coherence
  • accuracy of responses.

The lowest rated metric determines the overall quality rating.

Data quality assurance in the 2023 Census provides more information on the quality rating scale.

Data sources and coverage: High quality
The quality of all the data sources that contribute to the output for the variable were assessed. To calculate the data sources and coverage quality score for a variable, each data source is rated and multiplied by the proportion it contributes to the total output.

The rating for a valid census response is defined as 1.00. Ratings for other sources are the best estimates available of their quality relative to a census response. Each source that contributes to the output for that variable is then multiplied by the proportion it contributes to the total output. The total score then determines the metric rating according to the following range:

  • 0.98–1.00 = very high
  • 0.95–<0.98 = high
  • 0.90–<0.95 = moderate
  • 0.75–<0.90 = poor
  • <0.75 = very poor.

The high proportion of census responses (including evidence gathered during collection activity for non-responding dwellings) and availability of admin data resulted in a score of 0.95 percent, leading to a quality rating of high.

Data sources and coverage rating calculation for dwelling occupancy status data, for all dwellings, 2023 Census
Source of dwelling occupancy status data Rating Percent Score contribution
2023 Census response 1.00 82.76 0.83
Non-responding dwelling 0.70 16.49 0.12
Admin data 1.00 0.47 <0.01
CANCEIS(1) nearest neighbour imputation 0.80 0.28 <0.01
No information 0.00 0.00 0.00
Total 100.00 0.95
1. CANCEIS = imputation based on CANadian Census Edit and Imputation System

Note: Due to rounding, individual figures may not always sum to the stated total(s) or score contributions.


Consistency and coherence: High quality
Dwelling occupancy status data is consistent with expectations across nearly all consistency checks, with some minor variation from expectations or benchmarks which makes sense due to real-world change, incorporation of other sources of data, or a change in how the variable has been collected.

Variations at lower-level geographies can be attributed to real-world events, such as severe weather events (for example, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne), the impact of COVID-19 causing construction delays, and higher proportions of unoccupied dwellings in some geographic areas.

Accuracy of responses: Not applicable
Dwelling occupancy status is not a question on the census form.

en-NZ
Recommendations for use and further information

Dwelling occupancy status data can be used in a comparable manner to 2018.

When using this data, users should be aware that:

  • there has been an increase in unoccupied dwellings in 2023, likely due to adverse weather events at the time of the census, delays in new construction completions due to COVID-19 impacts, reduced international student numbers, and population decreases in some areas
  • there was some loss in comparability of dwelling occupancy status data between 2013 and 2018, particularly between the two unoccupied categories (residents away and empty) due to changes made to field operations for the 2018 Census (fewer field staff visiting and checking dwelling occupancy than in 2013) and new methodologies (for example, admin data)
  • the increase in field visits for 2023 has helped to improve data quality for non-responding dwellings.
en-NZ
Information by variables from previous censuses

To assess how this concept aligns with the variables from the previous census, use the links below:

Contact our Information centre for further information about using this concept.

en-NZ

Information

History

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Revision Date Responsibility Rationale
22 26/09/2024 10:00:56 AM