Quick facts

Population

In 2006, 13 percent of women in New Zealand lived in rural areas.

Although there are more women than men in New Zealand, in rural areas men outnumber women. In 2006, 49 percent of people living in rural areas were women.

The ethnic composition of rural women differs from that of urban women. In 2006, 17 percent of rural women were Māori, compared with 14 percent of urban women. Only 2 percent of Pacific women and 2 percent of Asian women lived in rural areas in 2006.

The age composition of rural women and urban women is also different. In 2006, 23 percent of rural women were aged under 15 years, and 10 percent were aged 65 years and over. Twenty percent of urban women were aged under 15  years and 14 percent were aged 65  years or over in 2006. In comparison 24 percent of rural men were aged under 15 years and 10 percent were aged 65  years and over.

Households

Women residing in rural areas are more likely to own their own home than women residing in urban areas. In 2006, 73 percent of rural women and 53 percent of urban women owned or partly owned their usual residence.

Income

While rural women tend to earn less than rural men, there is no significant difference in income between women living in rural and urban areas. In 2006, 31 percent of rural women had a total personal income of more than $30,000. This compares with 31 percent of urban women and 53 percent of rural men.

Rural women are also just as likely to have no income as urban women. In 2006, the proportion of women with no income was 6 percent in both urban and rural areas. Only 3 percent of rural men reported no income in 2006.

Education

Rural women are more likely to hold an educational qualification than rural men. In 2006, 24 percent of rural women and 32 percent of rural men had no educational qualification.

Rural women are also more likely to complete qualifications at higher levels than rural men. Thirteen percent of rural women and 9 percent of rural men had a Bachelor’s degree or above.

A similar proportion of urban women had no educational qualification as rural women in 2006 (25 percent). However, urban women were more likely to have a Bachelor’s degree or above (17 percent).

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 Last updated April 2009