It has been suggested that this article be merged with List of cities in New Zealand, List of cities and towns in the South Island, List of cities and towns in the South Island by population, List of functional urban areas in New Zealand, List of towns in New Zealand and List of New Zealand urban areas by population to List of populated places in New Zealand. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2025. |
This is a list of cities and towns in the South Island of New Zealand by the population of their urban area.
The populations given in the table below are provisional New Zealand usually resident populations, June 2025 estimates, and refer to the urban area defined under the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA) unless otherwise stated.
Cities
| Urban area | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch | 407,800 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Dunedin | 104,000 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Invercargill | 51,200 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Nelson | 50,800 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
Towns
Population 10,000 and over
| Urban area | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashburton | 21,600 | Canterbury | Ashburton District |
| Blenheim | 29,800 | Marlborough | Marlborough District |
| Kaiapoi | 13,700 | Canterbury | Waimakariri District |
| Lincoln | 12,100 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Mosgiel | 15,100 | Otago | Dunedin City |
| Oamaru | 14,300 | Otago | Waitaki District |
| Queenstown | 29,000 | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District |
| Rangiora | 19,300 | Canterbury | Waimakariri District |
| Richmond | 19,950 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Rolleston | 34,100 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Timaru† | 29,300 | Canterbury | Timaru District |
| Wānaka | 13,200 | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District |
† Timaru was officially a city until local government reorganisation in 1989, and is still frequently referred to as such.
Population 1,000 to 9,999
| Urban area | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandra | 5,860 | Otago | Central Otago District |
| Amberley | 2,870 | Canterbury | Hurunui District |
| Arrowtown | 2,860 | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District |
| Arthurs Point | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District | |
| Balclutha | 4,460 | Otago | Clutha District |
| Bluff | 1,840 | Southland | Invercargill City |
| Brighton | 1,470 | Otago | Dunedin City |
| Brightwater | 2,330 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Clyde | 1,200 | Otago | Central Otago District |
| Cromwell | 7,470 | Otago | Central Otago District |
| Darfield | 3,590 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Diamond Harbour | 1,610 | Canterbury | Christchurch City |
| Geraldine | 3,070 | Canterbury | Timaru District |
| Gore | 8,310 | Southland | Gore District |
| Greymouth | 8,610 | West Coast | Grey District |
| Hokitika | 3,420 | West Coast | Westland District |
| Hope | 840 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Kaikōura | 2,350 | Canterbury | Kaikōura District |
| Lake Hāwea | 2,500 | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District |
| Lake Hayes | Otago | Queenstown Lakes District | |
| Leeston | 2,470 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Lyttelton | 3,220 | Canterbury | Christchurch City |
| Māpua | 1,680 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Mataura | 1,670 | Southland | Gore District |
| Methven | 2,170 | Canterbury | Ashburton District |
| Milton | 2,120 | Otago | Clutha District |
| Motueka | 8,290 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Oxford | 2,250 | Canterbury | Waimakariri District |
| Pegasus | 4,260 | Canterbury | Waimakariri District |
| Picton | 4,850 | Marlborough | Marlborough District |
| Pleasant Point | 1,470 | Canterbury | Timaru District |
| Prebbleton | 5,750 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Rakaia | 1,680 | Canterbury | Ashburton District |
| Reefton | 1,050 | West Coast | Buller District |
| Renwick | 2,470 | Marlborough | Marlborough District |
| Riverton / Aparima | 1,700 | Southland | Southland District |
| Runanga | 1,200 | West Coast | Grey District |
| Tākaka | 1,440 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Te Anau | 2,920 | Southland | Southland District |
| Temuka | 4,760 | Canterbury | Timaru District |
| Twizel | 1,790 | Canterbury | MacKenzie District |
| Wakefield | 2,730 | Tasman | Tasman District |
| Waikouaiti | 1,310 | Otago | Dunedin City |
| Waimate | 3,610 | Canterbury | Waimate District |
| West Melton | 2,700 | Canterbury | Selwyn District |
| Westport | 4,600 | West Coast | Buller District |
| Winton | 2,560 | Southland | Southland District |
| Woodend | 5,470 | Canterbury | Waimakariri District |
Major suburbs
The following suburbs have a population of over 2,000.
Christchurch
| Suburb | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riccarton | 9,786 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Linwood | 9,024 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Hornby | 8,007 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Christchurch Central City | 7,653 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Shirley | 7,176 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Cashmere | 6,876 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Woolston | 5,733 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Sydenham | 5,478 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Halswell | 4,065 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Sumner | 3,978 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Belfast | 3,726 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| New Brighton | 3,642 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Papanui | 3,543 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Merivale | 3,012 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Fendalton | 2,898 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Bishopdale | 2,454 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
| Burnside | 2,370 | Canterbury | Christchurch City Council |
Dunedin
| Suburb | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mosgiel‡ | 10,497 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Dunedin North | 7,047 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| St Kilda | 5,904 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Caversham | 5,058 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| North East Valley | 4,413 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| St Clair | 4,179 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Roslyn | 3,957 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Vauxhall | 3,918 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Brockville | 3,393 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Mornington | 3,393 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Wakari | 3,069 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Port Chalmers‡ | ~3,000 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Musselburgh | 2,835 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| South Dunedin | 2,538 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Andersons Bay | 2,532 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Green Island‡ | 2,430 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| City Rise | 2,406 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Pine Hill | 2,259 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
| Fairfield | 2,010 | Otago | Dunedin City Council |
‡ Mosgiel, Port Chalmers, and Green Island were officially separate towns until local government reorganisation in 1989, and are separated from Dunedin's main urban area. They are still frequently referred to as towns.
Invercargill
| Suburb | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosedale | 3,855 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Gladstone-Avenal | 3,768 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Grasmere | 3,342 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Heidelberg | 3,078 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Newfield | 2,910 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Georgetown | 2,229 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
| Waikiwi | 2,193 | Southland | Invercargill City Council |
Nelson
| Suburb | Population | Region | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stoke | ~7,000 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
| The Wood | 2,730 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
| Maitlands | 2,412 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
| Atawhai | 2,154 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
| Tāhunanui | ~2,000 | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
| Annesbrook | Nelson | Nelson City Council | |
| Britannia Heights | Nelson | Nelson City Council | |
| Nelson South | Nelson | Nelson City Council | |
| Washington Valley | Nelson | Nelson City Council |
Others
| Suburb | Population | Town | Territorial authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allenton | 5,172 | Ashburton | Ashburton District Council |
| Redwoodtown | 4,881 | Blenheim | Marlborough District Council |
| Whitney | 4,005 | Blenheim | Marlborough District Council |
| Witherlea | 3,993 | Blenheim | Marlborough District Council |
| Marchwiel | 3,741 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Highfield | 3,408 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Springlands | 3,081 | Blenheim | Marlborough District Council |
| West End | 2,790 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Tinwald | 2,703 | Ashburton | Ashburton District Council |
| Mayfield | 2,694 | Blenheim | Marlborough District Council |
| Seaview | 2,505 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Parkside | 2,412 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Hampstead | 2,325 | Ashburton | Ashburton District Council |
| Watlington | 2,256 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
| Gleniti | 2,022 | Timaru | Timaru District Council |
Map
Alexandra
Amberley
Arrowtown
Ashburton
Balclutha
Blenheim
Bluff
Brightwater
Christchurch
Collingwood
Cromwell
Dunedin
Franz Josef
Geraldine
Gore
Greymouth
Haast
Hanmer Springs
Hari Hari
Havelock
Hokitika
Invercargill
Kaikōura
Karamea
Leeston
Lincoln
Lumsden
Māpua
Mataura
Milton
Motueka
Murchison
Nelson
Oamaru
Oban
Picton
Queenstown
Rai Valley
Rangiora
Reefton
Rolleston
Ross
Saint Arnaud
Seddon
Tākaka
Tapawera
Te Anau
Temuka
Timaru
Twizel
Wakefield
Wānaka
Westport
Whataroa
Winton
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City TownSee also
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