The Bay of Plenty's population is growing more ethnically diverse but home ownership in the region has decreased while dwelling numbers have increased, according to newly-released 2013 Census data.

Government Statistician Liz MacPherson says newest batch of information from the 2013 Census shows the Bay of plenty region is reflecting national trends in all three of these statistics.

The Bay of Plenty's population is growing more diverse, according to latest Census data.

'The Bay of Plenty reflects those [national] trends,” says Liz.

'The 2013 Census results show that 17.3 per cent of the Bay of Plenty's population was born overseas. This is up 2.4 percentage points since 2006. Of this, overseas-born population, 39.8 per cent were from the United Kingdom and Ireland, with the next most common birthplace being Asia, with 21.8 per cent.”

Liz says the Bay of Plenty region's rate of home ownership is 64.7 per cent in 2013 – a decrease from 67.3 per cent in the 2006 Census.

'This drop in rate of home ownership is in line with the national trend, as is the increase in the number of dwellings. The number of occupied dwellings in the Bay of Plenty region has increased by 6882 since the last census in 2006.”

Other key points about the Bay of Plenty from the 2013 Census results include:

• The median income for people aged 15 years and over in the Bay of Plenty region is $26,200 in 2013. This compares with a New Zealand median income of $28,500.

But the median income for the Bay of Plenty region has increased 15.9 per cent since 2006.

• In the 2013 Census, 14.3 per cent of people aged 15 years and over said they had a university degree or equivalent, compared with 10.3 percent in 2006.

• Bay of Plenty has the third-highest number (and rate) of te reo Maori speakers, with more than 21,000 people (8.5 per cent) able to have a conversation in Maori. French continues to be the third most common language, with 0.9 per cent speaking it.

Liz says the census is about counting everyone, 'once, only once, and in the right place”.

More importantly, it's about counting people where they live, and about creating a picture of communities.

'The accuracy of the information collected in the March 5, 2013 Census is what makes it so valuable for planning. This information will be extremely useful for those planning the Bay of Plenty's future.”