Social connectedness

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

Image - people socialising SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS

 WPI - down arrow   WORSENING TREND

The reported sense of community experienced in the Waikato region is lower in 2024 compared to 2006.

This indicator is measured as the percentage of people who agree or strongly agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood. Data are from the Quality of Life Survey.

Why is this indicator important?

People have a basic need to connect with other people for social contact. A lack of social connectedness can impact on people’s overall health. Within communities it can also lead to other problems such as increased crime. Measuring levels of social connectedness can help us to plan for current and future support systems and other resources in our region.

Social connectedness

Waikato Progress Indicators - Social connectedness graph

Year Agree or strongly agree
2006 63
2016 65
2018 62
2020 56
2022 57
2024 49

 

What is this indicator telling us? 

  • Following a long period of stability in this measure, in 2020 there was a decline in Waikato people’s reported sense of community followed by a further substantial decline in 2024.
  • Compared to 2006, a lower percentage of Waikato regional survey respondents in 2024 agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood (49% in 2024 compared to 63% in 2006).
  • Across the Waikato region in 2024:
    • The percentage of people who agree they experience a sense of community ranged from 38% for Hamilton respondents up to 76% for Ōtorohanga district respondents.
    • Respondents aged 65 and over were more likely to agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood (65%); while respondents aged under 25 years and 25-34 years (32% and 42% respectively) were less likely to agree.
    • Respondents who identified with the rainbow community were less likely to agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood (34%).
  • Based on a question in the 2023 New Zealand General Social Survey, more than half (56.5%) of respondents from the Waikato region said they felt lonely ‘none of the time’ in the last four weeks, similar to the national average of 56.1% (sampling error was ±4.5% for Waikato results at 95% confidence level). Over the past decade, there been a decline of around 8 percentage points in the results for this item at both the regional and national levels.
  • In comparison to other developed countries, New Zealand has one of the highest levels of social connectedness. In New Zealand, 95% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in time of need, more than the OECD average of 91%.

DATA SOURCE AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION

Indicator is the percentage of people who agree or strongly agree that they experience a sense of community with others in their neighbourhood. Data 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 2012 due to a change in the question.

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 (but 8 cities average is available)

Other countries/ Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD): Secondary statistics from the OECD Wellbeing Report: Community – Key findings.