Refer to the current geographies boundaries table for a list of all current geographies and recent updates.
This dataset is the definitive version of the annually released statistical area 3 boundaries as at 1 January 2025, defined by Stats NZ and concorded to higher geographies. This version contains 929 statistical 3 areas (925 digitised and 4 with empty or null geometries (non-digitised)).
Statistical area 3 (SA3) is a new output geography, introduced in 2023, that allows aggregations of population data between the SA3geography and territorial authority geography.
This dataset is the definitive version of statistical area 3 (SA3) boundaries concorded to higher geographies for 2025 as defined by Stats NZ.
This version contains 929 SA3s. This statistical area 3 higher geographies file is a correspondence, or concordance, which relates SA3s to larger geographic areas or 'higher geographies'.
The higher geography contained in this concordance is: territorial authority (TA).
High-definition version
This high definition (HD) version is the most detailed geometry, suitable for use in GIS for geometric analysis operations and for the computation of areas, centroids and other metrics. The HD version is aligned to the LINZ cadastre.
Macrons
Names are provided with and without tohutō/macrons. The column name for those without macrons is suffixed ‘ascii’.
Digital data
Digital boundary data became freely available on 1 July 2007.
Further information
To download geographic classifications in table formats such as CSV please use Ariā
For more information please refer to the Statistical standard for geographic areas 2023.
Contact: geography@stats.govt.nz
