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 2023 estimates, and refer to the urban area defined under the Statistical Standard for Geographic Areas 2018 (SSGA) unless otherwise stated.

Cities[edit]

Urban area	Population	Region	Territorial authority
Christchurch	384,800	Canterbury	Christchurch City Council
Dunedin	106,200	Otago	Dunedin City Council
Invercargill	51,000	Southland	Invercargill City Council
Nelson	51,900	Nelson	Nelson City Council

Towns[edit]

Population 10,000 and over[edit]

Urban area	Population	Region	Territorial authority
Ashburton	20,800	Canterbury	Ashburton District
Blenheim	30,500	Marlborough	Marlborough District
Kaiapoi	13,600	Canterbury	Waimakariri District
Lincoln	10,250	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Mosgiel	14,800	Otago	Dunedin City
Oamaru	14,000	Otago	Waitaki District
Queenstown	29,000	Otago	Queenstown Lakes District
Rangiora	19,600	Canterbury	Waimakariri District
Richmond	19,200	Tasman	Tasman District
Rolleston	29,600	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Timaru†	28,900	Canterbury	Timaru District
Wānaka	12,400	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[edit]

Urban area	Population	Region	Territorial authority
Alexandra	6,120	Otago	Central Otago District
Amberley	2,380	Canterbury	Hurunui District
Arrowtown	3,060	Otago	Queenstown Lakes District
Arthurs Point		Otago	Queenstown Lakes District
Balclutha	4,340	Otago	Clutha District
Bluff	1,840	Southland	Invercargill City
Brighton	1,540	Otago	Dunedin City
Brightwater	2,370	Tasman	Tasman District
Clyde	1,260	Otago	Central Otago District
Cromwell	7,160	Otago	Central Otago District
Darfield	3,150	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Diamond Harbour	1,650	Canterbury	Christchurch City
Geraldine	2,970	Canterbury	Timaru District
Gore	8,240	Southland	Gore District
Greymouth	8,340	West Coast	Grey District
Hokitika	3,120	West Coast	Westland District
Hope	920	Tasman	Tasman District
Kaikōura	2,360	Canterbury	Kaikoura District
Lake Hāwea	2,020	Otago	Queenstown Lakes District
Lake Hayes		Otago	Queenstown Lakes District
Leeston	2,430	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Lyttelton	3,180	Canterbury	Christchurch City
Māpua	1,630	Tasman	Tasman District
Mataura	1,740	Southland	Gore District
Methven	2,010	Canterbury	Ashburton District
Milton	2,240	Otago	Clutha District
Motueka	8,320	Tasman	Tasman District
Oxford	2,380	Canterbury	Waimakariri District
Pegasus	4,180	Canterbury	Waimakariri District
Picton	4,880	Marlborough	Marlborough District
Pleasant Point	1,510	Canterbury	Timaru District
Prebbleton	5,280	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Rakaia	1,580	Canterbury	Ashburton District
Reefton	910	West Coast	Buller District
Renwick	2,630	Marlborough	Marlborough District
Riverton / Aparima	1,640	Southland	Southland District
Runanga	1,230	West Coast	Grey District
Tākaka	1,390	Tasman	Tasman District
Te Anau	3,060	Southland	Southland District
Temuka	4,680	Canterbury	Timaru District
Twizel	1,850	Canterbury	MacKenzie District
Wakefield	2,680	Tasman	Tasman District
Waikouaiti	1,260	Otago	Dunedin City
Waimate	3,590	Canterbury	Waimate District
West Melton	2,450	Canterbury	Selwyn District
Westport	4,250	West Coast	Buller District
Winton	2,460	Southland	Southland District
Woodend	4,550	Canterbury	Waimakariri District

Major suburbs[edit]

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

Christchurch[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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