Skip to main content

Story: Taupori Māori – Māori population change

Māori urbanisation

File size
403 bytes

The movement of Māori to towns and cities after the Second World War is sometimes referred to as the 'second Māori migration' (the first being their migration to New Zealand). In 1945 just over 20% of Māori lived in urban areas; by 2006 over 80% were urban dwellers. Declining job opportunities in rural districts and the attractions of city life were the main reasons for the dramatic exodus.

Using this item

Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

Source: Ian Pool, Te iwi Māori. Auckland: Auckland University Press, 1991, pp. 123, 154, 182, 197

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Ian Pool rāua ko Tahu Kukutai, Taupori Māori – Māori population change – Post-war changes, 1945–1970, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/graph/31326/maori-urbanisation (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ian Pool rāua ko Tahu Kukutai, published 10 May 2011.