About:
This report outlines the development of a Regional Rental Affordability Index (RRAI) for New Zealand, designed to track and compare the relationship between regional rents and earnings over time. The RAI provides a clear and standardised framework for understanding housing stress and affordability trends at a regional level.
The Regional Rental Affordability Index expresses rent as a proportion (%) of income (as ‘earnings per job’).
Overall, the RRAI establishes a robust national benchmark to inform investment decisions, housing policy across the social strata, and national-regional development strategies.
1. RRAI – DYNAMIC Monthly Rents
Figure: New Zealand Regional Monthly Rents Regional December 2024 to December 2025
2. RRAI – DYNAMIC Monthly Earnings per Job – Total (Smoothed; 3 Month Rolling Average)
Figure: New Zealand Regional Monthly Earnings (per Job) TOTAL December 2024 to December 2025
3. RRAI – DYNAMIC Monthly Earnings per Job Total (Table) + (Unsmoothed) + (Smoothed; 3 Month Rolling Average) as % of Rent. December 2024 to December 2025
Table
Unsmoothed
Smoothed
4. RRAI – DYNAMIC Monthly Earnings per Job GENDER. DYNAMIC AND STATIC
Total All Regions – Male-Female Differences. DYNAMIC. DEC 2024 TO DEC 2025
Multi-Region Gender Gap. STATIC. DEC 2025
5. RRAI – STATIC Monthly Earnings per Job. AGE. DEC 2025
6. RRAI – Monthly Earnings per Job. INDUSTRY. STATIC DEC 2025
