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indicator value unit
Population 4.7 mil.
Visitors per year 2.6 mil.
Renewable energy 38.3 %

How’s Life?

New Zealand performs well in many dimensions of well-being relative to other countries in the Better Life Index. New Zealand outperforms the average in income, jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction. These assessments are based on available selected data.

Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards. In New Zealand, the average household net-adjusted disposable income per capita is USD 39 024 a year, more than the OECD average of USD 30 490 a year.

In terms of employment, about 77% of people aged 15 to 64 in New Zealand have a paid job, above the OECD employment average of 66%. Some 81% of men are in paid work, compared with 72% of women. In New Zealand, 14% of employees work very long hours in paid work, above the OECD average of 10%, with 19% of men working very long hours in paid work compared with 9% of women.

Good education and skills are important requisites for finding a job. In New Zealand, 81% of adults aged 25-64 have completed upper secondary education, higher than the OECD average of 79%. However, completion varies between men and women, as 80% of men have successfully completed high school compared with 82% of women. In terms of the quality of the education system, the average student scored 503 in reading literacy, maths and science in the OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This score is higher than the OECD average of 488. On average in New Zealand, girls outperformed boys by 6 points, slightly above the average OECD gap of 5 points.

In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in New Zealand is around 82 years, one year higher than the OECD average of 81 years. Life expectancy for women is 84 years, compared with 80 for men. The level of atmospheric PM2.5 – tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs – is 6 micrograms per cubic meter, below the OECD average of 14 micrograms per cubic meter. In New Zealand, 85% of people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water, slightly higher than the OECD average of 84%.

Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in New Zealand, where 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%. Voter turnout, a measure of citizens' participation in the political process, was 82% during recent elections, higher than the OECD average of 69%. Social and economic status can affect voting rates; voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is an estimated 87% and for the bottom 20% it is an estimated 83%.

When asked to rate their general satisfaction with life on a scale from 0 to 10, New Zealanders gave it a 7.3 grade on average, higher than the OECD average of 6.7.

 

For more information on estimates and years of reference, see FAQ section and BLI database.

Topics

OECD in Action

OECD Economic Surveys: New Zealand

OECD’s periodic surveys of the New Zealand economy. Each edition surveys the major challenges faced by the country, evaluates the short-term outlook, and makes specific policy recommendations. Special chapters take a more detailed look at specific challenges. Extensive statistical information is included in charts and graphs.

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New Zealand in Detail