Dunedin residents continue to rate their city as a great place to live, according to the results of the latest Quality of Life Survey.

The survey found 87% of Dunedin residents ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ Dunedin is a great place to live, compared to 80% across the eight New Zealand cities that participate in the survey, including Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The survey also found 87% of Dunedin residents rated their quality of life as ‘extremely good’, ‘very good’ or ‘good’, compared to 84% across all cities surveyed.

Mayor of Dunedin Dave Cull says, “The survey results confirm again that Dunedin’s liveability is one of our biggest drawcards.

“Two of the main reasons why survey respondents feel positive about their city are health and wellbeing, and lifestyle.

“Dunedin offers good work and business opportunities, but perhaps more importantly it offers a quality of life that is hard to beat. The compact nature of Dunedin means people don’t have to spend hours commuting to and from work. That creates a better work/life balance and more time for people to enjoy the city’s wide range of recreational and cultural opportunities, which contribute to our physical and mental wellbeing.”

Dunedin residents also rate the way their city looks and feels – 73% of local respondents ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ that they feel a sense of pride in the way their city or local area looks or feels, compared to 61% for all cities surveyed.

Dunedin residents also appear to be feeling safer in their city, with improvements in perceptions of problems relating to alcohol and drug issues, vandalism, and safety after dark.

Mr Cull says he’s also pleased to see some improvements in how residents rate the quality of housing in the city.

Fewer Dunedin residents feel that their home has a problem with damp or mould when compared to all cities surveyed (19% compared to 26%). A higher percentage of Dunedin residents ‘strongly agree’ or ‘agree’ they can afford to heat their home properly, 71% compared to 66% for all cities surveyed.

“Housing quality has been a major area of focus for the Dunedin City Council and partners in recent years. Through the work of the Cosy Homes Trust, a range of initiatives and projects are contributing towards our goal of making every Dunedin home warm and cosy by 2025.

“On the other hand, however, housing availability and affordability is an area of concern.

“Dunedin’s population is growing and the rate of growth will only increase as major projects such as the hospital rebuild get underway. Population growth is already impacting housing availability and affordability, so this will be a major area of focus for the Council and the city over the coming years,” he says.

Since 2004, the Quality of Life Survey has been carried out every two years in partnership with councils throughout New Zealand. Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hutt City, Porirua, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin councils participated in the survey in 2018, which was carried out by independent research company Nielsen.

The full report, and information on the national highlights, is available at www.qualityoflifeproject.govt.nz.

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