Palmerston North continues to set new records for net migration

Annual overseas net migration in Palmerston North reached 752 people in the year to May, a new record for the city. That was an increase of 21 percent from the previous year.

The city has experienced strong growth in net migration over the past 12 months, with new records set in January, February, March and May 2018.

Most of the gain in net migration is from a decline in the number of people leaving the region. However, there was also some growth in arrivals.

Mayor Grant Smith said the 10 percent decline in the number of people leaving the city to move overseas was evidence of the city’s economic boom.

“The biggest contributor to that boom has been the 54 percent increase in the value of building consents issued in the year to April,” says Mayor Smith.

“There are some large projects still under development in the region, so the amount of construction activity in the region is expected to grow further over the next two to three years. The largest of these will be the construction of the alternative Manawatū Gorge road, which starts in 2020.”

He noted an encouraging aspect of the data was the decline in people leaving was highest for those under 40.

“The city already has a much younger population than the average for New Zealand,and now more families and young people starting work are seeing their economic prospects are better here than overseas”.

The data for the city contrasts with national data, which showed a nine percent increase in the number of people moving overseas.The number of people arriving was stable, resulting in an eight percent decline in net migration.

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