Most Unoccupied Dwellings
SA2 areas with the highest share of private dwellings unoccupied on 2023 census night — the holiday-home and empty-stock index (200+ dwellings).
Most Unoccupied Dwellings
SA2 areas with the highest share of private dwellings unoccupied on 2023 census night — the holiday-home and empty-stock index (200+ dwellings) — New Zealand
This ranking works best as a first-pass screen, especially when you need to reduce a wide field quickly.
A rank is useful because it compresses one dimension well, but it never replaces the fuller suburb-level picture.
Use the ranking to build a shortlist, then confirm whether those finalists still hold up on the rest of the data.
A ranking compresses one signal well, but it should hand you into compare or suburb detail before becoming a decision.
Save a small working set, then use compare and evidence depth before treating any row as a decision.
Rankings are strongest when they hand you a shortlist quickly. Compare the top two first, then open suburb detail if the head-to-head result still feels narrow.
- #1PāuanuiWAIKATO80.4%2,445
- #2Cooks Beach-Ferry LandingWAIKATO74.4%1,053
- #3Lake Taupō BaysWAIKATO70.8%2,751
- #4Mercury Bay NorthWAIKATO68.9%2,787
- #5AkaroaCANTERBURY68.1%996
- #6Lake BrunnerWEST-COAST66.8%606
- #7Whangamatā EastWAIKATO65.0%4,254
- #8Marlborough Sounds EastMARLBOROUGH63.3%2,649
- #9ŌhakuneMANAWATU-WHANGANUI61.8%1,428
- #10Tawharanui PeninsulaAUCKLAND61.3%2,274
- #11Whangamatā RuralWAIKATO60.8%582
- #12AviemoreCANTERBURY60.6%1,113
- #13Akaroa HarbourCANTERBURY60.3%945
- #14ColvilleWAIKATO59.5%1,392
- #15Hanmer SpringsCANTERBURY58.5%1,077
- #16TwizelCANTERBURY57.8%1,740
- #17TairuaWAIKATO55.9%1,584
- #18MahiaHAWKES-BAY55.7%1,164
- #19WhareamaWELLINGTON55.6%1,344
- #20KinlochWAIKATO55.1%1,095
- #21Waihī Beach-BowentownBAY-OF-PLENTY54.8%2,598
- #22Banks Peninsula Eastern BaysCANTERBURY52.2%546
- #23Mercury Bay SouthWAIKATO52.0%1,137
- #24Queenstown EastOTAGO51.5%891
- #25Mangawhai HeadsNORTHLAND50.0%2,184
- #26Pukehina BeachBAY-OF-PLENTY48.8%633
- #27MangakinoWAIKATO48.7%714
- #28Rotoiti-RotoehuBAY-OF-PLENTY48.7%1,449
- #29Karikari PeninsulaNORTHLAND48.3%1,242
- #30Oneroa East-Palm BeachAUCKLAND48.2%1,020
- #31Pirongia ForestWAIKATO48.2%816
- #32Mackenzie LakesCANTERBURY47.7%1,182
- #33Marlborough Sounds WestMARLBOROUGH47.3%1,782
- #34HerangiWAIKATO47.2%909
- #35Omahu-PakowhaiHAWKES-BAY47.1%618
- #36Barrier IslandsAUCKLAND46.9%1,227
- #37MuriwaiAUCKLAND46.9%537
- #38Thames CoastWAIKATO46.3%1,230
- #39Queenstown CentralOTAGO45.4%390
- #40Frankton ArmOTAGO44.9%1,128
- #41Matapouri-TutukākāNORTHLAND44.5%1,374
- #42Waipū RuralNORTHLAND43.5%1,359
- #43Russell Forest-RawhitiNORTHLAND43.5%483
- #44OnetangiAUCKLAND43.5%1,008
- #45PihaAUCKLAND43.1%717
- #46Whitianga NorthWAIKATO43.0%1,236
- #47Wānaka WaterfrontOTAGO42.9%1,608
- #48Port Waikato-WaikaretuWAIKATO42.6%549
- #49WhakapakuNORTHLAND42.1%549
- #50RussellNORTHLAND41.9%666
| # ▲ | AREA | REGION | UNOCCUPIED % | DWELLINGS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pāuanui | WAIKATO | 80.4% | 2,445 | 1,068 |
| 2 | Cooks Beach-Ferry Landing | WAIKATO | 74.4% | 1,053 | 555 |
| 3 | Lake Taupō Bays | WAIKATO | 70.8% | 2,751 | 1,854 |
| 4 | Mercury Bay North | WAIKATO | 68.9% | 2,787 | 2,079 |
| 5 | Akaroa | CANTERBURY | 68.1% | 996 | 636 |
| 6 | Lake Brunner | WEST-COAST | 66.8% | 606 | 999 |
| 7 | Whangamatā East | WAIKATO | 65.0% | 4,254 | 3,213 |
| 8 | Marlborough Sounds East | MARLBOROUGH | 63.3% | 2,649 | 2,028 |
| 9 | Ōhakune | MANAWATU-WHANGANUI | 61.8% | 1,428 | 1,284 |
| 10 | Tawharanui Peninsula | AUCKLAND | 61.3% | 2,274 | 2,187 |
| 11 | Whangamatā Rural | WAIKATO | 60.8% | 582 | 522 |
| 12 | Aviemore | CANTERBURY | 60.6% | 1,113 | 909 |
| 13 | Akaroa Harbour | CANTERBURY | 60.3% | 945 | 813 |
| 14 | Colville | WAIKATO | 59.5% | 1,392 | 1,563 |
| 15 | Hanmer Springs | CANTERBURY | 58.5% | 1,077 | 1,077 |
| 16 | Twizel | CANTERBURY | 57.8% | 1,740 | 1,674 |
| 17 | Tairua | WAIKATO | 55.9% | 1,584 | 1,653 |
| 18 | Mahia | HAWKES-BAY | 55.7% | 1,164 | 1,380 |
| 19 | Whareama | WELLINGTON | 55.6% | 1,344 | 1,431 |
| 20 | Kinloch | WAIKATO | 55.1% | 1,095 | 1,191 |
| 21 | Waihī Beach-Bowentown | BAY-OF-PLENTY | 54.8% | 2,598 | 2,550 |
| 22 | Banks Peninsula Eastern Bays | CANTERBURY | 52.2% | 546 | 576 |
| 23 | Mercury Bay South | WAIKATO | 52.0% | 1,137 | 1,437 |
| 24 | Queenstown East | OTAGO | 51.5% | 891 | 1,122 |
| 25 | Mangawhai Heads | NORTHLAND | 50.0% | 2,184 | 2,685 |
| 26 | Pukehina Beach | BAY-OF-PLENTY | 48.8% | 633 | 885 |
| 27 | Mangakino | WAIKATO | 48.7% | 714 | 822 |
| 28 | Rotoiti-Rotoehu | BAY-OF-PLENTY | 48.7% | 1,449 | 2,085 |
| 29 | Karikari Peninsula | NORTHLAND | 48.3% | 1,242 | 1,686 |
| 30 | Oneroa East-Palm Beach | AUCKLAND | 48.2% | 1,020 | 1,242 |
| 31 | Pirongia Forest | WAIKATO | 48.2% | 816 | 984 |
| 32 | Mackenzie Lakes | CANTERBURY | 47.7% | 1,182 | 1,131 |
| 33 | Marlborough Sounds West | MARLBOROUGH | 47.3% | 1,782 | 2,133 |
| 34 | Herangi | WAIKATO | 47.2% | 909 | 1,095 |
| 35 | Omahu-Pakowhai | HAWKES-BAY | 47.1% | 618 | 1,560 |
| 36 | Barrier Islands | AUCKLAND | 46.9% | 1,227 | 1,239 |
| 37 | Muriwai | AUCKLAND | 46.9% | 537 | 1,125 |
| 38 | Thames Coast | WAIKATO | 46.3% | 1,230 | 1,734 |
| 39 | Queenstown Central | OTAGO | 45.4% | 390 | 807 |
| 40 | Frankton Arm | OTAGO | 44.9% | 1,128 | 1,845 |
| 41 | Matapouri-Tutukākā | NORTHLAND | 44.5% | 1,374 | 1,860 |
| 42 | Waipū Rural | NORTHLAND | 43.5% | 1,359 | 1,869 |
| 43 | Russell Forest-Rawhiti | NORTHLAND | 43.5% | 483 | 738 |
| 44 | Onetangi | AUCKLAND | 43.5% | 1,008 | 1,368 |
| 45 | Piha | AUCKLAND | 43.1% | 717 | 1,044 |
| 46 | Whitianga North | WAIKATO | 43.0% | 1,236 | 1,749 |
| 47 | Wānaka Waterfront | OTAGO | 42.9% | 1,608 | 2,082 |
| 48 | Port Waikato-Waikaretu | WAIKATO | 42.6% | 549 | 807 |
| 49 | Whakapaku | NORTHLAND | 42.1% | 549 | 777 |
| 50 | Russell | NORTHLAND | 41.9% | 666 | 798 |
New Zealand most unoccupied dwellings FAQ
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What does Most Unoccupied Dwellings rank?
Most Unoccupied Dwellings ranks areas in New Zealand using QuickProperty's processed property and locality datasets. SA2 areas with the highest share of private dwellings unoccupied on 2023 census night — the holiday-home and empty-stock index (200+ dwellings)
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How should I use this ranking for property research?
Use the ranking as a screening step for New Zealand. Save realistic areas to your shortlist, compare the strongest pair, and open suburb detail pages before relying on one result.
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Does the top ranked area mean it is the best choice?
No. Rankings are a shortlist input, not a final recommendation. Check price history, rent, income, population, local services, source freshness, and current listings before making a decision.
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How current is the ranking data?
QuickProperty uses processed public-source datasets and refreshes automated sources where available. Use the suburb detail page source panels to see which signals are current, estimated, or missing for a specific area.