A majority of people living in the Waikato region (79%) rate their overall quality of life positively, according to the initial results of a collaborative local government study canvassing a range of wellbeing-related issues.
Nine councils – including Waikato Regional Council and Hamilton City Council – participated in the 2024 Quality of Life survey, which is conducted every two years.
The survey included topics covering health and wellbeing, crime and safety, housing, public transport, environment, economic wellbeing, neighbourhood and community, culture and social networks, and council decision-making processes.
Although the survey found the reported quality of life remains high, there has been a decrease since 2022, when 86% of Waikato respondents rated their quality of life positively. When asked to rate their quality of life compared with one year prior, 24% said it had increased while 26% said it had decreased.
“The latest Quality of Life survey results bear out findings in previous years which suggest Waikato people are a very positive lot,” said Waikato Regional Council Principal Strategic Advisor, Beat Huser.
“At the same time, the survey indicates groups of people are increasingly experiencing financial stress, poor health, work-related stress and housing problems.”
People living in the Waikato region cited health, wellbeing and relationships as the most important reasons for a good quality of life, whereas poor financial wellbeing and poor health topped the reasons for a negative quality of life.
Waikato respondents rated both their physical (67%) and mental health (71%) positively. Most feel they have people in their lives they can call on if they need practical or emotional support (86% and 85%, respectively).
Most Waikato people feel safe in their neighbourhood at dark (66%) and agreed that their local area is a great place to live (73%), while more than half (63%) agreed that they are happy with the way their local area looks and feels.
Over a third (35%) of Waikato survey respondents have more than enough or enough income to cover costs of everyday needs, but an additional 43% say they have “just enough”.
Crime is a key concern raised in the survey, with relatively large proportions of Waikato respondents rating theft and burglary (74%), dangerous driving (66%) and vandalism (61%) as problems in their local area in the previous 12 months.
Climate change impacts on their city/local area in the next five years was a worry for a fifth (20%) of Waikato people surveyed, while nearly a third (30%) indicated they were not worried. Compared to 2022, worry about climate change impacts has decreased from 32 to 20%.
Public transport is considered affordable by half of Waikato respondents (50%), while just 10% disagree. On the downside, half (50%) disagree that public transport is a practical alternative to driving.
Some 32% of Waikato respondents have confidence that their local council makes decisions in the best interest, of their area while 30% don’t. Just over a third (35%) of respondents perceive they have some or a large influence on the decisions their council makes, while 20%. feel they have no influence.
The initial survey results give a region-wide view and will be supplemented with more detailed district-level data later this year, which will be available on the Waikato Progress Indicators website.
“The survey results provide a valuable snapshot of our people and will be used by Waikato Regional Council to help plan for the future and to monitor economic, social and environmental outcomes, such as outlined in the council’s strategic direction.”
They survey was carried out for participating councils by Ipsos with data collected online and via interviews between 23 April and 1 August 2024. A total of 6,994 people aged 18 and over took part, including 1327 residents of the Waikato (500 from Hamilton city and 827 from the rest of the Waikato region).
View the Quality of Life survey results.
