Income
Household income
With an adequate income, a household can access essential services and items and can participate in social and recreational activities in the community. For families with sufficient income, children are more likely to experience higher educational achievement, higher economic status in their adult life, and better health and wellbeing [5]. It is well known that income disparity exists across ethnic groups in New Zealand [6]. These differences mean that Māori, Asian, Pacific, and Middle Eastern/Latin American/African (MELAA) population groups are likely to be disproportionately affected in terms of the income-related determinants of health and wellbeing.
This indicator presents median equivalised disposable (after tax) weekly household income for greater Christchurch and New Zealand, 2019 to 2021 (excluding investment income). Median disposable household income is the dollar amount whereby half the households have a disposable income above that amount, and half the households have an income below that amount (data are ‘equivalised’ based on household composition).
The figure shows that the median equivalised disposable weekly household income in greater Christchurch increased year-on-year, by approximately $55 overall between 2019 and 2021; compared with a $69 increase across New Zealand in the same time period. The difference between greater Christchurch and New Zealand overall was +$38 per week in 2021.
The figure shows a substantial income disparity between Māori and non-Māori ethnic groups in greater Christchurch for 2019–2021. Equivalised disposable weekly household income for Māori shows notable variability, due to smaller absolute numbers, but there is a picture of lower disposable weekly household income (compared with non-Māori). In 2021, the median equivalised disposable weekly household income in greater Christchurch for Māori was substantially below that of non-Māori ($780 for Māori and $880 for non-Māori; $100 difference). This approximately 12 percent difference (Māori vs non-Māori) in greater Christchurch is consistent with that previously reported for New Zealand overall [6].
Data Sources
Source: Statistics New Zealand.
Survey/data set: New Zealand Household Economic Survey. Custom data request for greater Christchurch region.
Source data frequency: Annually.