Stats NZ

Pacific peoples in Auckland

This infographic, first produced for ASB Polyfest 2025, shows some key statistics relating to Pacific peoples living in New Zealand and the Auckland region from 2023 Census.

Text description:
Pacific peoples in Auckland

What the Numbers Tell Us

Languages spoken

All ethnicities and ages

  • New Zealand totals:
    • Samoan Gagana Samoa: 110,541
    • Tongan Lea Faka-Tonga: 37,752
    • Fijian Vosa VakaViti: 8,439
    • Cook Islands Māori Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Airani: 7,854
    • Niuean Vagahau Niue: 4,035
    • Tuvaluan Te Gana Tuvalu: 3,396
    • Kiribati Te Taetae ni Kiribati: 2,862
    • Tokelauan Te Gagana Tokelau: 2,406
    • Rotuman Fäeag Rotuạm Ta: 369
    • Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea) Papua Niugini Tok Pisin: 354 
    • Solomon Islands Pidgin Solomon Aelan Pijin: 330
  • Auckland totals:
    • Samoan Gagana Samoa: 75,066
    • Tongan Lea Faka-Tonga: 29,460
    • Fijian Vosa VakaViti: 4,110
    • Cook Islands Māori Te Reo Māori Kūki ‘Airani: 5,277
    • Niuean Vagahau Niue: 3,435
    • Tuvaluan Te Gana Tuvalu: 2,208
    • Kiribati Te Taetae ni Kiribati: 1,212
    • Tokelauan Te Gagana Tokelau: 528
    • Rotuman Fäeag Rotuạm Ta: 234
    • Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea) Papua Niugini Tok Pisin: 93
    • Solomon Islands Pidgin Solomon Aelan Pijin: 102

85.1% of Niuean speakers and 78.0% of Tongan speakers in New Zealand live in the Auckland region. 

Our population

  • 134,754 people in the Auckland region identify as a Pacific ethnicity and are under the age of 25.
  • And, 221,907 people in New Zealand identify as a Pacific ethnicity and are under the age of 25.
  • Of all the Pacific peoples under 25 in New Zealand, 60.7% of them live in the Auckland region.

People of another gender

  • [There are] 414 people of another gender in the Auckland region under 25 identify as a Pacific ethnicity.
  • [There are] 801 people of another gender in New Zealand, under 25 identify as a Pacific ethnicity.
  • Of all pacific people of another gender under 25, 51.7% live in Auckland.

LGBTIQ+ people

  • Pacific peoples aged 15 years and over in Auckland region identified as LGBTIQ+ and 10,116 in New Zealand. These may include people that identify as *MVPFAFF+.
    * Māhū, Vaka sa lewa lewa, Palopa, Fa’afafine, Akava’ine, Fakaleiti or Leiti and Fakafifine.

Our education

The number of Pacific peoples aged 15 years and over, by the highest qualification they hold. People with no qualification are not shown.

Bachelor degree and Level 7 qualification or higher
  • New Zealand
    • Male: 11,244
    • Female: 20,925
    • Another gender: 174
    • Total: 32,343
  • Auckland region
    • Male: 6,684
    • Female: 12,816
    • Another gender: 96
    • Total: 19,593
Levels 1-6 and overseas secondary
  • New Zealand
    • Male: 91,662
    • Female: 93,882
    • Another gender: 708
    • Total: 186,249
  • Auckland region
    • Male: 55,254
    • Female: 60,450
    • Another gender: 390
    • Total: 116,097

In the Auckland region 19,593 Pacific peoples hold a qualification that is Level 7 or higher. Of these, 65.4% are female and 34.1% are male. Nationally, of Pacific peoples that hold a qualification that is Level 7 or higher, 64.7% are female and 34.8% are male.

Data sources

This infographic was developed using data from the Stats NZ 2023 Census. Census data has had fixed random rounding applied to protect confidentiality. Individual figures may not sum to totals.