Aotearoa’s Māori population is continuing to grow, with new figures from Stats NZ showing the Māori ethnic population reached an estimated 932,300 people by June 2025 — making up 17.5 percent of the national population.
The latest estimates highlight a steadily growing and significantly younger Māori population compared with the wider country. Median ages for Māori remain more than a decade younger than the national average, reflecting ongoing population momentum through higher birth rates and whānau growth.
Stats NZ says the Māori population increased by more than 11,000 people during the 2024 year, driven mainly by natural increase — births outnumbering deaths — alongside changes in ethnic identification.
The data also shows Māori population growth continues despite negative net migration figures, with more Māori leaving New Zealand than arriving during the reporting period.
Nationally, females slightly outnumber males within the Māori population estimates, with around 463,000 wāhine Māori compared with approximately 459,000 tāne Māori.
The updated estimates are based on revised population modelling following the 2023 Census and updated migration figures. Stats NZ says the numbers provide the best available measure of the Māori ethnic population usually living in Aotearoa.
The next official Māori population estimates covering the year ended December 2025 are due to be released later this month.
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