Quick facts

Population

As with the populations of other OECD countries, New Zealand’s population is ageing. In 2006, 495,600 New Zealand residents were aged 65 years or older, making up one in eight of all New Zealanders, compared to one in 12 in the early 1970s. It is projected that by 2026, approximately one in five New Zealanders will be aged 65 and over.

On average, women live longer than men, therefore older age groups tend to be more female. In 2006, there were 274,500 women and 221,100 men in the 65 and over age group – a ratio of 124 women to 100 men. The gender dynamic is more pronounced among the older portion of the 65 and over population. In 2006 there were 106 women per 100 men in the 65-69 age group, compared to 221 women per 100 men in the 85 and over age group.

The vast majority of the female 65 and over population (81 percent) identify themselves as belonging to the European ethnic group. A further 9 percent identified themselves as belonging to the Other ethnicity group, most of whom classified themselves as a New Zealander. Māori women make up 5 percent of the female population aged 65 and over, and Pacific women make up 2 percent. The Pacific ethnic group had the highest female to male ratio of all the ethnicities in the 65 and over age group, with 131 women per 100 men. There were 128 European women per 100 European men, and 121 Māori women per 100 Māori men in the 65 and over age group.

Families and households

Home ownership is relatively high among older New Zealanders. In 2006, approximately 76 percent of those aged 65 and over owned or part-owned their own home, compared to 49 percent of the 15-64 year old population. Of those aged 65 and over, women are less likely than men to own or partly own their own home (69 percent compared to 74 percent).

Older people live in a range of situations:

• 41 percent of women and 20 percent of men aged 65 and over lived alone.
• 42 percent of women and 65 percent of men aged 65 and over lived with their spouse or partner.
• 9 percent of both women and men aged 65 and over lived with one or more of their children.

Paid work

A growing number of men and women in New Zealand are staying in the labour force beyond the age of entitlement for superannuation. In 2006, 12 percent of women and 24 percent of men aged over 65 were in the labour force.  

Of those in the workforce aged 65 years and over, women were much less likely than men to be working full-time (34 percent compared to 57 percent). In 2006, 34 percent of women aged 65 and over who were in employment worked less than 15 hours per week. Surprisingly, 24 percent of women in this age group reported working more than 40 hours per week.

Income

Despite universal superannuation, older women still receive less income per year than older men. According to the 2006 census, median annual earnings for women aged 65 and over were $14,800, compared to $16,800 for men aged 65 and over.

Older women were less likely to be earning a wage or salary than older men (7 percent compared to 13 percent). Older women were also less likely than older men to be drawing income from investments (37 percent compared to 41 percent). Older women were less likely than older men to be drawing income from private superannuation schemes (10 percent compared to 16 percent).

Unpaid work

Older women and older men both participate in a range of unpaid work. In 2006:

• 5 percent of older women had looked after a child who is a member of their household, compared to 4 percent of older men and 38 percent of women aged 15 64
• 11 percent of older women had looked after a child who is not a member of their household, compared to 8 percent of older men and 20 percent of women aged 15 64
• 16 percent of older women had done some other form of voluntary work, compared to 15 percent of both older men and women aged 15-64.

Education

• 38 percent of older women and 33 percent of older men held no qualification
• 3 percent of older women and 6 percent of older men held a Bachelor Degree (or equivalent qualification)
• 1 percent of both older women and older men held a Masters Degree.

Differences in educational qualifications between older women and older men will narrow as more qualified cohorts of women age.

Health

Disability rates are much higher in the 65 and over age group than for the population as a whole, with 45 percent of those aged 65 and over having some form of disability in 2006. Older women are slightly more likely to have a disability than older men (46 percent compared to 43 percent). This is likely to be a result of women living longer than men.

Last updated April 2009

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