Māori see highest increase in life expectancy
Stats NZ published new figures today, revealing Māori life expectancy was 75.8 years in 2022-2024, up 3.1 years from 2005-2007.
For people who identified as 'European or Other' – which includes New Zealander – Pacific, or Asian ethnicities, each increased by 1.5-1.6 years in the same period.
In 2022–2024, life expectancy at birth for other ethnicities was:
• 81.8 years for the population of Aotearoa New Zealand as a whole
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• 82.8 years for people who identify with European or Other (including New Zealander) ethnicities
• 76.9 years for people who identify with a Pacific ethnicity
• 86.3 years for people who identify with an Asian ethnicity.
Victoria Treliving is the Stats NZ spokesperson on population estimates, projections, and coverage. She said: 'Although life expectancy has increased since 2005–2007, the size of this increase has reduced over the past five years across all ethnicities – while Māori have continued to show some of the largest increases.'
She added that male life expectancy across all ethnic groups has increased faster than for females.
For Māori males, in 2022-2024 life expectancy was 73.7 compared to 70.4 in 2005-2007. For the same period, Māori females jumped from 75.1 to 78.
Life expectancy at birth by ethnic group and sex 2005-2007 and 2022-2024
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