Quality of Life Survey 2018: Waikato results

Report: TR 2019/06

Author: Paul Killerby (APR Consultants), and Beat Huser (Waikato Regional Council)

About this report

This report presents Waikato regional results from a survey undertaken in parallel with the 2018 Quality of Life Survey (a national partnership between nine New Zealand councils including Hamilton). It includes results at the overall Waikato region level as well as locally (by district council area), by age group, gender and ethnic group.

A total of 1,416 Waikato regional residents aged 18 years and over completed the survey between April and June 2018, including 572 people (40%) from Hamilton city[1].

Questions were asked in relation to:

1. Overall quality of life
2. Environment (built and natural)
3. Housing
4. Public Transport
5. Health and wellbeing
6. Crime and safety
7. Community, culture and social networks
8. Economic wellbeing
9. Council decision-making processes.

Trends for the period 2006 to 2018 are also identified. The results show that over the past decade, Waikato respondents became:

• Less likely to rate their overall quality of life positively (87% in 2018 compared to 90% in 2006).
• More likely to report feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (64% compared to 60%).
• Less likely to rate their overall health positively (79% compared to 90%).
• Almost unchanged in terms of the percentage who agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood (62% compared to 63%).
• Less likely to agree that they feel a sense of pride in the way their city or local area looks and feels (62% compared to 70% in 2006).
• Less likely to report having been physically active on five or more of the past seven days (40% compared to 61%).
• Less likely to agree that New Zealand becoming home for an increasing number of people with different lifestyles and cultures from different countries makes their city/area a better place to live (41% compared to 51%).
• Less likely to agree that the public have an influence over the decisions that their local Council makes (36% compared to 62%).

[1] The Hamilton survey was commissioned by Hamilton City Council, who shared the results with Waikato Regional Council.

Read or download the report

Quality of Life Survey 2018: Waikato results [PDF, 2.1 MB]