The South Island's West Coast is the slowest-growing region in the country, according to new Statistics NZ figures.
In the year ended June 2020, West Coast's population grew by just 0.2 percent - well behind the next-lowest Southland at 1.1 percent, Gisborne at 1.2 percent, Taranaki at 1.4 percent, and Manawatū-Whanganui at 1.5 percent.
The Bay of Plenty had the biggest population percentage increase of the 16 regions at 2.8 percent.
"This was driven by high growth in Tauranga city and western Bay of Plenty district," said Stats NZ insights senior manager Brooke Theyers.
In Auckland, the fastest growth was recorded in Papakura (up 4.6 percent in the year to June), followed by Upper Harbour (4) and Rodney (3.6).
"Auckland's population growth was the largest by number - equivalent to everyone from the Whakatane district moving to Auckland in a year," Theyers said.
New Zealand's total population is now 5,084,300.
