List of cities and towns in the South Island by population

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 2024 estimates, and refer to the urban area defined under the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA) unless otherwise stated.

Cities

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Urban area Population Region Territorial authority
Christchurch 403,300 Canterbury Christchurch City Council
Dunedin 106,700 Otago Dunedin City Council
Invercargill 51,700 Southland Invercargill City Council
Nelson 51,300 Nelson Nelson City Council

Towns

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Population 10,000 and over

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Urban area Population Region Territorial authority
Ashburton 21,700 Canterbury Ashburton District
Blenheim 30,600 Marlborough Marlborough District
Kaiapoi 13,700 Canterbury Waimakariri District
Lincoln 11,600 Canterbury Selwyn District
Mosgiel 15,150 Otago Dunedin City
Oamaru 14,350 Otago Waitaki District
Queenstown 27,700 Otago Queenstown Lakes District
Rangiora 19,400 Canterbury Waimakariri District
Richmond 19,750 Tasman Tasman District
Rolleston 31,600 Canterbury Selwyn District
Timaru 29,600 Canterbury Timaru District
Wānaka 13,600 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

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Urban area Population Region Territorial authority
Alexandra 6,150 Otago Central Otago District
Amberley 2,770 Canterbury Hurunui District
Arrowtown 2,930 Otago Queenstown Lakes District
Arthurs Point Otago Queenstown Lakes District
Balclutha 4,430 Otago Clutha District
Bluff 1,840 Southland Invercargill City
Brighton 1,580 Otago Dunedin City
Brightwater 2,390 Tasman Tasman District
Clyde 1,290 Otago Central Otago District
Cromwell 7,440 Otago Central Otago District
Darfield 3,400 Canterbury Selwyn District
Diamond Harbour 1,720 Canterbury Christchurch City
Geraldine 3,120 Canterbury Timaru District
Gore 8,290 Southland Gore District
Greymouth 8,640 West Coast Grey District
Hokitika 3,250 West Coast Westland District
Hope 900 Tasman Tasman District
Kaikōura 2,470 Canterbury Kaikoura District
Lake Hāwea 2,190 Otago Queenstown Lakes District
Lake Hayes Otago Queenstown Lakes District
Leeston 2,530 Canterbury Selwyn District
Lyttelton 3,310 Canterbury Christchurch City
Māpua 1,710 Tasman Tasman District
Mataura 1,770 Southland Gore District
Methven 2,080 Canterbury Ashburton District
Milton 2,270 Otago Clutha District
Motueka 8,300 Tasman Tasman District
Oxford 2,350 Canterbury Waimakariri District
Pegasus 4,160 Canterbury Waimakariri District
Picton 4,890 Marlborough Marlborough District
Pleasant Point 1,520 Canterbury Timaru District
Prebbleton 5,690 Canterbury Selwyn District
Rakaia 1,730 Canterbury Ashburton District
Reefton 980 West Coast Buller District
Renwick 2,650 Marlborough Marlborough District
Riverton / Aparima 1,680 Southland Southland District
Runanga 1,270 West Coast Grey District
Tākaka 1,420 Tasman Tasman District
Te Anau 3,210 Southland Southland District
Temuka 4,840 Canterbury Timaru District
Twizel 1,890 Canterbury MacKenzie District
Wakefield 2,680 Tasman Tasman District
Waikouaiti 1,330 Otago Dunedin City
Waimate 3,740 Canterbury Waimate District
West Melton 2,710 Canterbury Selwyn District
Westport 4,680 West Coast Buller District
Winton 2,550 Southland Southland District
Woodend 5,140 Canterbury Waimakariri District

Major suburbs

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The following suburbs have a population of over 2,000.

Christchurch

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

See also

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