Hamilton Urban Area

Hamilton Urban Area is a New Zealand urban area in the Waikato Region. It is the fourth largest urban area in the country with a population of 203,400. At its centre is Hamilton City, New Zealand's fourth largest territorial authority. While rural land separates Hamilton from many of the nearby towns, there is significant economic and social integration between the towns and Hamilton.

Like the urban areas of Auckland, Napier-Hastings and Wellington, the Hamilton urban area is subdivided into urban zones. The urban area contains around half the population of the Waikato Region.

Hamilton Urban Zone, with a population of 171,600, includes Hamilton City, the towns of Ngaruawahia, Taupiri, Horitiu, Gordonton, Ohaupo, Ngahinapouri, Te Kowhai, Whatawhata, Matangi, Tauwhare, Rukuhia and the surrounding rural outskirts. While outside the city limits of Hamilton City, there are many lifestyle blocks in the rural land surrounding the city, primarily in Tamahere, Matangi and Horsham Downs.

Future growth of Auckland

Auckland is expecting substantial population growth via immigration and natural population increases (which contribute to growth at about one-third and two-thirds, respectively), and is set to grow to an estimated 1.9 million inhabitants by 2031. 

This substantial increase in population will have a major impact on transport, housing and other infrastructure that is in many cases already considered under pressure. It is also feared by some organisations, such as the Auckland Regional Council, that urban sprawl will result from the growth and, as a result, that it is necessary to address this proactively in planning policy.

A 'Regional Growth Strategy' has been adopted that sees limits on further subdivision and intensification of existing use as its main sustainability measures. This policy is contentious, as it naturally limits the uses of private land, especially the subdivision of urban fringe properties, by setting 'Metropolitan Urban Limits' in planning documents like the District Plan.

According to the 2006 Census projections, the medium-variant scenario shows that the population is projected to continue growing, to reach 1.93 million by 2031. The high-variant scenario shows the region's population growing to over two million by 2031.