Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand
New Zealand: Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate was 84.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
84.0%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
58th
of 236 countries
All-time high
85.9%
in 2006
All-time low
55.1%
in 1955
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 84.0% for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand peaked at 85.9% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 55.1%, in 1955.
That places New Zealand 58th out of 236 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 55.2% | — |
| 1951 | 55.2% | -0.1% |
| 1952 | 55.1% | -0.1% |
| 1953 | 55.1% | -0.1% |
| 1954 | 55.1% | -0.0% |
| 1955 | 55.1% | -0.0% |
| 1956 | 55.2% | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 56.2% | +1.8% |
| 1958 | 58.0% | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 60.3% | +3.8% |
| 1960 | 62.4% | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 63.9% | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 64.9% | +1.5% |
| 1963 | 65.7% | +1.3% |
| 1964 | 66.5% | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 67.4% | +1.5% |
| 1966 | 68.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 71.3% | +3.6% |
| 1968 | 74.6% | +4.6% |
| 1969 | 77.9% | +4.4% |
| 1970 | 80.4% | +3.3% |
| 1971 | 81.5% | +1.3% |
| 1972 | 81.9% | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 82.3% | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 82.5% | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 82.7% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 82.9% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 83.1% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 83.2% | +0.2% |
| 1979 | 83.3% | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 83.4% | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 83.5% | +0.1% |
| 1982 | 83.6% | +0.1% |
| 1983 | 83.6% | +0.1% |
| 1984 | 83.7% | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 83.8% | +0.1% |
| 1986 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 1987 | 84.1% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 84.3% | +0.3% |
| 1989 | 84.6% | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 84.8% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 85.0% | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 85.1% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 85.2% | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 85.3% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 85.4% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 85.7% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 85.7% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 85.9% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 85.9% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 85.9% | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 85.8% | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 85.8% | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 85.5% | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 85.2% | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 84.7% | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 84.2% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 83.8% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 83.9% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 83.9% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 84.0% | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 56.0% | 55.1% | 60.3% | 10 |
| 1960s | 68.3% | 62.4% | 77.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 82.4% | 80.4% | 83.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 83.8% | 83.4% | 84.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.3% | 84.8% | 85.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 85.9% | 85.7% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 85.0% | 83.8% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 83.9% | 83.8% | 84.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 55 Switzerland 85.7% compare
- 56 Peru 85.6% compare
- 57 Saudi Arabia 84.6% compare
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 60 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 83.3% compare
- 61 Canada 82.9% compare
More work & labour data for New Zealand
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.0748 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.0721 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.0776 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -1.39 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 0.4877 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 5,200 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 511.04 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 2,819 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 2,994 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 5,812 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand?
- Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate in New Zealand was 84.0% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 85.9% in 2006.
- What is the lowest urban population vs. female labor force participation rate recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 55.1% in 1955.
- How does New Zealand rank for urban population vs. female labor force participation rate?
- New Zealand ranks 58th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population vs. female labor force participation rate rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Urban population vs. female labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.