More than four in 10 Bay of Plenty residents experience loneliness, and a leading psychologist warns the issue is affecting the region’s ability to attract and retain workers.

Stats NZ data shows 41.6% of people in the Bay of Plenty experience loneliness to some degree, while 4.7% report feeling lonely most or all of the time, the second-highest rate of persistent loneliness in the country.

The figures come as national data suggests loneliness is becoming more common across New Zealand, rising from 39% of the population in 2018 to 43.8% in 2023, according to figures from the Ministry of Social Development.

Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin said in a press release the numbers pointed to what she described as “epidemic levels” of loneliness.

“People can be surrounded by others every day and still experience significant loneliness because they don’t have the relationships, sense of belonging or meaningful social interaction they need,” she said.

Chatwin said loneliness was especially prevalent among working-age adults. More than half of New Zealanders aged 25 to 34 reported some degree of loneliness, and almost half of those aged 35 to 44 reported loneliness.

She said building friendships could be difficult for adults once they left school or university and lost the environments where social connections often formed naturally.

Recent migrants appeared particularly vulnerable. National statistics show 61% of recent migrants reported experiencing loneliness, compared with 43% of long-term migrants and 40% of New Zealand-born residents.

Chatwin said the issue had wider implications for regions such as Bay of Plenty, which continue to compete for skilled workers.

“For somebody considering moving for work, particularly to a city or region where they may have no existing friends or family, the prospect of having to rebuild their social network from scratch can be daunting,” she said.

“Employment and housing are important parts of relocation, but people also need to feel they can establish a life with purpose and a sense of belonging.”

Auckland psychologist Sara Chatwin.

Her comments coincide with the New Zealand launch of a social discovery app designed to help people find others nearby who share similar interests.

The platform, called Zeeën, was created by New Zealanders living in Australia who said they struggled to build new friendships after relocating despite regularly being surrounded by people.

Co-founder David Parker-Smith said modern technology had made it easier to communicate across long distances but not necessarily to connect with those living nearby.

“Social media makes it incredibly easy to connect with someone on the other side of the world, yet we can know almost nothing about the person living three doors away, working in the same building or sitting beside us at a cafe,” he said.

The app is focused on friendship, community connections and networking rather than dating, allowing users to view profiles of people in their wider area who have chosen to make their information visible.

According to the company, New Zealand users make up about 16% of its more than 3000 active users.

Chatwin said shared interests and activities remained one of the most effective ways for people to form meaningful relationships.

“Finding people with whom you share interests can create an immediate sense of inclusion and validation,” she said.

“The goal is not simply to put more people in contact with each other. It is to make meaningful connection feel more achievable.”

The latest figures form part of a growing body of research highlighting loneliness as a significant public health challenge, which experts warn can extend beyond individual wellbeing to community cohesion, workforce participation and economic growth.