Perceptions of safety

Waikato progress indicators – Tupuranga Waikato
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Waikato Progress Indicators - Tupuranga Waikato

Image - people at party PERCEPTIONS OF SAFETY

 WPI - up arrow  IMPROVING TREND

Perceptions of safety in the Waikato region are higher in 2024 compared with 2006.

This indicator is the percentage of people in the Waikato region who feel fairly or very safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, using results from the Quality of Life survey.

Why is this indicator important?

People’s perceptions of safety impact on their health and wellbeing as well as that of their family and the wider community. If people feel unsafe, they are less likely to talk to their neighbours, use public transport, cycle or walk, go out in the evening, use public amenities and/or generally participate in their communities.

Perceptions of safety

Graph - Perceived safety walking in neighbourhood alone

Year Percentage who feel very/fairly safe walking alone in neighbourhood after dark
2006 60
2016 65
2018 64
2020 62
2022 63
2024 66

 

What is this indicator telling us?

  • Compared to 2006, Waikato regional survey respondents in 2024 were more likely to report feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (66% in 2024 compared to 60% in 2006).
  • Across the Waikato region in 2024:
    • In terms of statistically significant results, respondents from Hamilton city (56%), South Waikato (55%) and Waitomo (49%) were less likely to report feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark, whereas respondents from  the Thames-Coromandel, Matamata-Piako and Waipā districts (84%, 82% and 78% respectively) were more likely to report feeling safe.
    • Male respondents were substantially more likely than female respondents to report feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (75% compared to 57%).
    • Respondents aged 25-34 years were less likely to report feeling safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark (58%), while people 65 years and over were more likely to feel safe (73%).
  • According to results from the New Zealand General Social Survey, in 2023 an average of 53.5% of people in the Waikato region felt very safe/safe walking alone in the neighbourhood after dark, similar to the national estimate of 55.1%.
  • In general, New Zealanders feel less safe than the OECD average. In New Zealand, 66% of people say that they feel safe walking alone at night, less than the OECD average of 74%.

DATA SOURCE AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION

This indicator is the percentage of adults who feel safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark. Results are from the Quality of Life Survey.

The latest NZGSS results for 2023 were released in September 2024. NZGSS time series results for this item are not comparable prior to 2014 due to a change in the question wording.

Update details: Waikato regional results are available for 2006, 2016, 2018,  2020, 2022 and 2024.

Customised data request requirements: Quality of Life data.

DATA AVAILABILITY – OTHER THAN WAIKATO REGION:

Territorial Authority (TA) disaggregation: Yes

Other regions: Yes 

New Zealand: No (note for 2022, this question was removed from the 8-cities questionnaire)

Other countries/ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): OECD Better Life Index