New Zealand added questions and sexuality and gender to their most recent census and now the figures have been released showing that 4.9 per cent of the population identify as being LGBTIQA+.

The figures also showed that 0.7 per cent of the population shared that they were transgender and 0.4 per cent identify as being intersex.

The data from the 2023 census showed that of the people who identified as being LGBTIQA+ that included 47, 631 people who said they were gay or lesbian, 78,300 who said they were bisexual and 19,026 people who used an alternative descriptor for their sexuality.

“Census data is for everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand, so it is important that rainbow communities can see themselves in the data for the first time. We thank those who have advocated for and contributed to the delivery of this data over the years,” Deputy Government Statistician and Deputy Chief Executive Insights and Statistics Rachael Milicich said of the new data.

The city with the highest proportion of its adult population who were LGBTIQ+ was Wellington, at 11.3 percent. After Wellington, the cities with the highest proportions were Dunedin (7.3 percent), Christchurch (6.0 percent), Palmerston North (5.8 percent), and Hamilton (5.6 percent).

Auckland had 57,324 people who belonged to the LGBTIQ+ population (4.9 percent of its adult population). Within Auckland local board areas, Waitematā had the highest proportion of its adult population who were LGBTIQ+, at 12.0 percent. 

“The data released today provides vital information for local communities so that they can provide support and access to services that are needed,” Milicich said.

The data records the answers provided by people who took part in the census who were over 15 years of age. When it comes to the country’s transgender population most said they identified as a descriptor other than transgender male or female.

In 2023, 26,097 people were recorded as being transgender. This included 5,013 people who said they were a transgender male, 5,736 people who identified as a transgender female, and 15,348 people who said they were of another gender.

Earlier this year the Australian government did a quick backtrack when they announced that questions about sexuality and gender would not be included in the 2026 Australian census.

After a community backlash the government reinstated questions about sexuality and then later conceded to allow questions on gender identity but ruled out including questions on sex characteristics and intersex status.