Using Census and deprivation data to demonstrate need for iwi and Māori kaupapa
## What this page is for
This page explains practical ways to use Stats NZ Census data and deprivation indices to demonstrate need for iwi and Māori kaupapa, support funding applications, and target services. It includes trusted data sources, cautions about interpretation, and analysis methods you can do in GIS and spreadsheets.
This is not advice about individuals. These tools describe areas and populations, not personal circumstances.
## Key ideas to keep straight
Area based measures
NZDep and IMD assign a deprivation value to a small area. They do not say every person in that area is deprived.
Use the right geography
Most social and health indicators are best mapped at SA2 or SA1 for planning. For very small communities, you may need to aggregate to protect privacy and to stabilise rates.
Explain your choices
Funders respond well when you explain why you chose the geography, why you used NZDep or IMD, and what limitations apply.
## Where to get the data
### Stats NZ Census and community tables
Stats NZ 2023 Census main hub
https://www.stats.govt.nz/2023-census/
Aotearoa Data Explorer (ADE) is the main tool for detailed Census tables and downloads
ADE is referenced in Stats NZ guidance about accessing 2023 Census data and includes iwi affiliation tables and other outputs.
Iwi affiliation tables and releases (2023 Census)
https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/iwi-affiliation-2023-census/
Māori and iwi population concepts in the 2023 Census (methods paper)
Useful for explaining definitions in funding applications and reports.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/methods/maori-and-iwi-population-concepts-in-the-2023-census/
Stats NZ Place and ethnic group summaries
Good for quick, readable profiles with standard topics.
https://tools.summaries.stats.govt.nz/
Stats NZ wellbeing statistics
Useful context for cost pressures, safety, and wellbeing trends.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/information-releases/wellbeing-statistics-2023/
Stats NZ severe housing deprivation (homelessness) estimates
Includes strong ethnicity and regional patterns useful for evidence statements.
Stats NZ housing report (2025)
Useful for crowding and housing pressure trends into 2023.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/housing-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-2025/
Stats NZ products and services for iwi Māori
https://www.stats.govt.nz/2023-census/2023-census-products-and-services-for-iwi-maori/
### NZDep deprivation index (University of Otago)
NZDep index downloads and manuals, including NZDep2018 and NZDep2023
This page provides spreadsheets, text files, and PDF manuals.
Stats NZ release: New Zealand index of socioeconomic deprivation, NZDep2023 (2023 Census based)
A plain language profile of NZDep (Environmental Health Indicators NZ)
Useful wording for funders and community audiences.
https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/population-vulnerability/socioeconomic-deprivation-profile/
### IMD Index of Multiple Deprivation (University of Auckland)
IMD overview and downloads
https://hgd.auckland.ac.nz/imd/
IMD data downloads page for IMD18 and IMD23 (spreadsheets and GIS geodatabases)
https://hgd.auckland.ac.nz/data/
IMD18 download page
https://imdmap.auckland.ac.nz/download/
IMD2023 dataset record (Figshare)
Useful as a citable record with versioning.
A comparison paper of NZDep and IMD indexes (Stats NZ library PDF)
Useful when you need to justify why you chose one index over the other.
https://statsnz.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p20045coll17/id/1162/download
## Choosing NZDep or IMD
NZDep
- built from Census variables
- commonly used in public health reporting and many NZ monitoring systems
- available at small areas (meshblock, SA1, SA2 depending on release)
IMD
- built from multiple administrative indicator domains (employment, income, crime, housing, health, education, access)
- provides domain level views that can be powerful for targeting, such as access to services or housing pressures
- intended for neighbourhood scale, with clear documentation about methods and confidentiality
Good practice
- Use NZDep when you want a widely recognised Census based deprivation summary.
- Use IMD when you need domain specific targeting and a broader set of indicators, and you can explain that it is research derived from the IDI context.
## Māori focused framing for analysis and reporting
A useful way to keep kaupapa clear is to organise analysis around whānau outcomes and service access, not just deficits. Examples:
- housing security and warmth
- access to primary care, transport, and pharmacies
- access to education and training
- income stability and employment
- exposure to hazards and ability to recover
- barriers to digital access
Stats NZ Te Pā Harakeke: Māori housing and wellbeing (2021)
Good narrative and measures for housing related need and wellbeing.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/reports/te-pa-harakeke-maori-housing-and-wellbeing-2021/
HUD report: Exploring Māori housing data sources (2024 PDF)
This is a practical guide to datasets and how they are used.
https://www.hud.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Documents/Exploring-Maori-Housing-Data-Sources.pdf
## Practical analysis methods that work well for funding and planning
### Method 1: Build an iwi rohe social profile at SA2 level
Inputs
- SA2 boundaries
- Census counts by age, ethnicity, whānau composition, housing
- NZDep decile or IMD decile
- key service locations (marae, clinics, schools, community hubs)
Outputs
- a map series showing where high deprivation deciles cluster
- a table that ranks SA2 areas by deprivation and population counts
- a short narrative that links the maps to service planning
Notes for accuracy and trust
- Show both counts and rates where possible.
- Include a comparator, such as regional average and national average.
- Avoid releasing maps at too small a geography if there is a privacy risk.
### Method 2: Combine deprivation with access to services
A common funding question is not only who is in need, but what the barriers are.
Approach
- Map travel distance or travel time from communities to services.
- Overlay deprivation deciles and population counts.
- Identify high deprivation areas that also have poor access.
IMD includes an access to services domain and other domain measures that support this type of targeting.
https://hgd.auckland.ac.nz/imd/
Example of a barrier indicator
EHINZ factsheet on unmet need for GP services due to lack of transport (2022 PDF)
### Method 3: Health outcomes and deprivation gradients
When you need to link need to health outcomes, use reputable health reporting sources and keep interpretation careful.
Ministry of Health, Health and Independence Report 2021 (PDF)
Includes vaccination differences by population group and deprivation context.
https://www.health.govt.nz/system/files/2022-11/health-and-independence-report-2021-nov22.pdf
Ministry of Health report: COVID-19 mortality inequities in risk (2022 PDF)
Includes discussion of the role of deprivation in risk differences.
For narrative support on Māori hospitalisation and mortality patterns in the literature
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10928727/
### Method 4: COVID recovery and social impacts
Stats NZ COVID-19 topic hub
https://www.stats.govt.nz/topics/covid-19/
Stats NZ experimental COVID-19 data portal
Useful for describing social and economic impact patterns.
https://www.stats.govt.nz/experimental/covid-19-data-portal/
Auckland region report on impacts of COVID-19 on Māori (2021 PDF)
Useful example of framing, indicators, and local board level discussion.
### Method 5: Storm impact, climate risk, and recovery targeting
A strong approach for funders is to show that high deprivation and hazard exposure overlap, then show what that means for recovery needs.
Social Vulnerability Indicators 2023 (EHINZ, 2025 PDF)
Includes deprivation distribution and vulnerability context, suitable for hazard planning narratives.
Climate Commission monitoring report input, EHINZ social vulnerability to climate related hazards (PDF)
This links vulnerability indicators to climate hazard contexts.
Cyclone Gabrielle by the numbers (Public Health Communication Centre, 2023)
Useful for national level event impacts and cost context.
https://www.phcc.org.nz/briefing/cyclone-gabrielle-numbers-review-six-months
A case study on coordination and inclusion of iwi and community actors in Cyclone Gabrielle response (AJEM, January 2026)
## How to present evidence of need in funding applications
A good evidence pack usually includes:
- who is affected: population counts, age structure, and key groups
- what the need looks like: deprivation deciles and domain indicators
- where it is concentrated: maps and ranked SA2 tables
- what the barriers are: access to services, housing pressures, transport barriers
- what has changed: before and after comparisons where you can
- what will improve: a measurable set of outcomes linked to the programme
Recommended map and chart outputs
- a deprivation map (NZDep or IMD) with clear legend and geography label
- a map of service access or travel time, plus deprivation overlay
- a table ranking SA2 areas by deprivation decile with Māori population counts
- a short set of dot point findings that connect directly to the programme design
Common mistakes to avoid
- claiming the index describes individuals
- using different years and geographies without explaining the mismatch
- mapping very small area outputs publicly where privacy risk is present
- comparing NZDep and IMD deciles as if they are identical measures
## GIS workflow notes
If you are using QGIS or ArcGIS Pro:
- download NZDep or IMD files
- join by the correct geographic code (SA2 2018, SA2 2023, meshblock, data zone)
- verify the join worked by checking record counts and a few known places
- reproject layers to a consistent CRS before analysis
- use the same geography for all comparative maps in a report
If you are using web maps:
- publish only aggregated outputs if there is any chance of identifying small groups
- include a short metadata note on the map describing the index, the year, and the limitations