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