Tauranga Population 2026

Tauranga has a population of 161,000, making it the #6 biggest city in 🇳🇿 New Zealand, located in Bay of Plenty. Roughly 3.0% of New Zealand's population lives here. It is about 9.6× smaller than Auckland, the country's biggest city.

Location of Tauranga (capital Wellington shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

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Population (city proper)

161,000

Rank in New Zealand

Coordinates

37.69°S, 176.17°E

~18 m elevation · Pacific/Auckland

Distance to capital (Wellington)

418 km

260 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Bay of Plenty

City	Population	Rank in New Zealand
Rotorua	65,901	#13
Whakatane	18,602	#42

Cities near Tauranga

Rotorua65,901 people · ~51 km away
Cambridge15,192 people · ~67 km away
Whakatane18,602 people · ~78 km away
Hamilton192,100 people · ~78 km away
Taupo27,000 people · ~111 km away
Papakura37,720 people · ~128 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Tauranga?

Tauranga has a population of 161,000 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #6 biggest city in New Zealand.

What region is Tauranga in?

Tauranga is located in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Is Tauranga the capital of New Zealand?

No, the capital of New Zealand is Wellington, about 418 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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