Population aged between 18 and 25

IBISWorld forecasts the population aged between 18 and 25 will increase by 1.0% during 2024-25, to total 529,951 people. The resumption of international tourism and in turn, growth in net migration is the most important driver of growth in the population aged between 18 and 25 over the year. In particular, the return of international students to New Zealand's university system is a major contributor to growth in younger populations. During the pandemic, international student numbers were very low while New Zealand's international border closed.

The New Zealand population aged between 18 and 25 has declined over the past five years. The key driver of this was the closure of New Zealand's international border from March 2020 to July 2022 because of the pandemic. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, many international students left New Zealand, prompting a drop in the number of New Zealanders that fall into this age group. Strong growth in migration levels can have a positive effect on the size of this age demographic, as many migrants are young people entering the country for job opportunities as well as educational studies. This meant that the border closures weighed heavily on this age groups share of the total population. Overall, IBISWorld forecasts the population aged between 18 and 25 will decline at a compound annual rate of 0.6% over the five years through 2024-25.