Household income increased at a slightly higher rate than housing costs in the year ended June 2025, according to data released by Stats NZ today.
Average weekly household disposable income increased from $1,977.70 to $2,077.70 in the 12 months to June 2025, up 5.1 percent from the previous year (not adjusting for inflation).
Housing costs also increased between June 2024 and June 2025, for households with housing expenditure, the average weekly cost for housing increasing from $457.90 in 2024 to $478.00 in 2025, up 4.4 percent.
"While household income increased in the year ended June 2025, increasing housing costs meant households were spending a similar proportion of their income on housing as the previous year," household financial statistics spokesperson Victoria Treliving said.
"Across all households, $22.30 per $100 of disposable income was spent on housing costs in the year to June 2025, and $22.50 the previous year."
In the year ended June 2025, homeowners with mortgages spent an average of $690.90 per week on mortgage payments, while renters spent an average of $505.50 on rent payments.
| Housing cost | Year ended June 2023 RB |
| Total mortgage payments | 606.2 |
| Total rent payments | 426.2 |
| 582.6 | 417.2 |
| 629.8 | 435.2 |
| Housing cost | Year ended June 2024 R |
| Total mortgage payments | 658.4 |
| Total rent payments | 463.8 |
| 642.6 | 455.9 |
| 674.2 | 471.7 |
| Housing cost | Year ended June 2025 |
| Total mortgage payments | 690.9 |
| Total rent payments | 505.5 |
| 675.0 | 497.4 |
| 706.8 | 513.6 |
For homeowners with mortgages, total mortgage payments increased 4.9 percent over the year. Interest payments were the main contributor to this increase, up from $423.40 per week in 2024 to $452.10 per week in 2025. Principal repayments remained unchanged, at $252.60 per week in 2025.
For renters, average weekly rent payments increased 9.0 percent - almost the same annual percentage increase in average weekly rent payments as the 12 months to June 2024 (8.8 percent).
Rising income pressure for mortgage holders
"An increasing proportion of households in Aotearoa New Zealand considered their income not enough or only just enough to meet everyday needs such as accommodation, food, and clothing," Treliving said.
Of those households making mortgage payments, 38.9 percent considered their income 'not enough' or 'only just enough' to meet their everyday needs in the year to June 2025, an increase of 4.3 percentage points from the previous year (34.6 percent).
Over half (55.2 percent) of renters considered their income 'not enough' or 'only just enough' to meet their everyday needs in the year ended June 2025, similar to the previous year (55.4 percent).
| Tenure | Year ended June 2023 RB |
| All households | 36.3 |
| Mortgage | 31.6 |
| Rent | 53.5 |
| 35.5 | 37.2 |
|---|---|
| 30.3 | 33.0 |
| 52.0 | 55.0 |
| Tenure | Year ended June 2024 R |
| All households | 38.5 |
| Mortgage | 34.6 |
| Rent | 55.4 |
| 37.7 | 39.2 |
|---|---|
| 33.1 | 36.1 |
| 54.0 | 56.9 |
| Tenure | Year ended June 2025 |
| All households | 40.6 |
| Mortgage | 38.9 |
| Rent | 55.2 |
| 39.7 | 41.4 |
|---|---|
| 37.5 | 40.3 |
| 53.9 | 56.6 |
Lower income households most impacted by housing costs
For lower to middle income households in particular, as housing costs approach 40 percent or more of a household's income, it becomes more likely that they will find it difficult to meet other everyday expenses.
For lower income households (disposable income under $72,600), 60.6 percent of mortgage holders and 57.7 percent of renters spent at least 40 percent of their income on housing costs.
"Housing affordability remained challenging for lower income households in the year ended June 2025," Treliving said.
"Three in five lower income households making rent or mortgage payments spent 40 percent or more of their income on housing costs."
Household income and housing-cost statistics: Year ended June 2025 provides further information about income and housing-cost statistics.
