Editing West Coast Region (section)

==Population==
The West Coast Region covers {{Convert|23245.52|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=8 October 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref> and has an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|West Coast Region|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|||}}, {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|New Zealand|y}}|R}}*100|1}}% of New Zealand's population. It is the least populous of New Zealand's sixteen regions.<ref name="NZ_population_data_2018" /> The West Coast is also the most sparsely populated region, with just {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}/23245.52|2}} people per square kilometre ({{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}/8975.15|2}} per square mile).

{{Historical populations
|1991|31,563
|1996|32,511
|2001|30,303
|2006|31,326
|2013|32,148
|2018|31,575
|2023|33,390
|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx|title=2001 Census: Regional summary|website=archive.stats.govt.nz|language=en-nz|access-date=2020-04-28|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929211821/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/Census/2001-census-data/2001-census-regional-summary.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
[[File:Knight's Point, West Coast.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Knights Point]], typical rugged coastline of the West Coast]]<!-- this image is width-forced to the infobox width – please adapt if infobox width changes -->
West Coast Region had a population of 33,390 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 1,815 people (5.7%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 1,242 people (3.9%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 17,031 males, 16,245 females and 117 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 14,793 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.12.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 2.7% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 48.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 5,448 people (16.3%) aged under 15 years, 4,518 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 15,861 (47.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 7,563 (22.7%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.7% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 13.5% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 1.6% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 4.0% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, Māori language by 2.3%, Samoan by 0.2% and other languages by 5.6%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 29.8% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.6% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.2% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 0.3% [[Religion of Māori people|Māori religious beliefs]], 0.4% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.7% [[New Age]], 0.1% [[Judaism in New Zealand|Jewish]],  and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 57.8%, and 9.0% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 2,658 (9.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 15,825 (56.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 8,490 (30.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $32,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,956 people (7.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 12,819 (45.9%) people were employed full-time, 4,101 (14.7%) were part-time, and 687 (2.5%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.12.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=West Coast Region (12)}}</ref>

=== Cities and towns ===

There are only four towns with a population over 1,000: [[Greymouth]], [[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]], [[Hokitika]] and [[Runanga, New Zealand|Runanga]]. These four towns, plus [[Reefton]] (population {{NZ population data 2018|Reefton|y}}), are recognised as urban areas by Statistics New Zealand.

During the gold rush days, Hokitika had a population of more than 25,000 with more than 100 [[pub]]s. A recreation of an [[history of New Zealand|early New Zealand]] settlement is at [[Shantytown, New Zealand|Shantytown]].
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Urban area
! Population<br />{{small|({{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||)}}}}
! % of region
|-
|[[Greymouth]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Greymouth|y}}
| align="right" |{{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Greymouth|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Westport|y}}
| align="right" |{{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Westport|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Hokitika]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Hokitika|y}}
| align="right" |{{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Hokitika|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Runanga, New Zealand|Runanga]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Runanga|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Runanga|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Reefton]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Reefton|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Reefton|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Gloriavale Christian Community|Gloriavale]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Gloriavale|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Gloriavale|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Dobson, New Zealand|Dobson]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Dobson|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Dobson|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Franz Josef / Waiau|Franz Josef]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Franz Josef|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Franz Josef|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Karamea]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Karamea|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Karamea|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|-
|[[Carters Beach]]
| align="right" | {{NZ population data 2018|Carters Beach|y}}
| align="right" | {{Rnd|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Carters Beach|y}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|West Coast region|y}}|R}}*100|1}}%
|}
Other towns and settlements include:

* [[Ahaura]]
* [[Blackball, New Zealand|Blackball]]
* [[Fox Glacier (town)|Fox Glacier]]
* [[Granity]]
* [[Haast, New Zealand|Haast]]
* [[Hari Hari]]
* [[Kaniere]]
* [[Kumara, New Zealand|Kumara]]
* [[Hector and Ngakawau|Ngakawau]]
* [[Ross, New Zealand|Ross]]
* [[Waimangaroa]]

<gallery mode="nolines" widths="200">
File:Greymouth Town Clock.jpg|[[Greymouth]]
File:Hokitika Clock Tower.jpg|[[Hokitika]]
File:Westport Municipal Chambers 2019.jpg|[[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]]
File:TWC Reefton • Stewart Nimmo • MRD 3.jpg|[[Reefton]]
</gallery>