Marlborough: population, economy, jobs, health, benefits and council finances

Marlborough is a region of New Zealand, number 15 of 16 by population. Marlborough had an estimated 50,800 residents at 30 June 2025, 1.0% of New Zealand's 5,324,700. Stats NZ describes this as a provisional estimate, It is 2nd smallest of 16 regions by population.

In depth

• Economy, jobs and prices in Marlborough: The economy of Marlborough produced NZ$4,249 million of gross domestic product (GDP) in the year ended March 2025, 1.0% of New Zealand's NZ$431,457 million. It is 3rd smallest of 14 regional economies, counting only regions that Stats NZ reports separately (Stats NZ marks the latest year as provisional).
• Health in Marlborough: Life expectancy at birth for males in Marlborough was 80.5 years in 2022-2024, compared with 80.1 years for New Zealand. It is joint 4th highest of 16 regions. In 2005-2007 it was 78.5 years, a change of +2.0 years.
• Poverty and living standards in Marlborough: 3,069 working-age people (aged 18 to 64) in Marlborough were receiving a main benefit in September 2026, up 3.2% from 2,973 a year earlier. The Ministry of Social Development counts Jobseeker Support, Sole Parent Support, Supported Living Payment and other main benefits.
• Government budget and revenue in Marlborough: Marlborough District Council had total operating income of NZ$187 million in the year ended June 2025 and total operating expenditure of NZ$198 million, an operating deficit of NZ$11.0 million. Marlborough District Council is a unitary authority, so it also does the work of a city or district council.

How regions are governed in New Zealand

Regional councils (11). Councillors elected for three years; the chair is elected by councillors. Environment, freshwater, regional transport, civil defence.

Every tier of government in New Zealand

Other regions of New Zealand

• Auckland 1,816,000
• Canterbury 698,200
• Wellington 543,400
• Waikato 532,100
• Bay of Plenty 351,500
• Manawatū-Whanganui 260,700
• Otago 253,900
• Northland 201,100
• Hawke's Bay 179,700
• Taranaki 130,300
• Southland 104,800
• Tasman 59,900
• Nelson 54,300
• Gisborne 52,700
• West Coast 34,700

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Sources

• Stats NZ: Regional gross domestic product: Year ended March 2025 (GDP by region and industry; GDP per person by region), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cca1f2f77ec7…)
• Stats NZ: Labour market statistics: June 2026 quarter, Household Labour Force Survey Tables 3 and 6 (by regional council area), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 315f48f981cb…)
• Stats NZ: Local authority financial statistics: Year ended June 2025 (income and expenditure, by activity, financial position; nalafs-jun2025-tables-csv.csv), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b12af625c966…)
• Stats NZ: National and subnational period life tables: 2022-2024, Tables 1-3: life expectancy at birth by region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b1e80765f358…)
• Ministry of Social Development: Quarterly Benefit Fact Sheets: Regional Council tables, September 2026 (working-age recipients of main benefits), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b2108068006a…)
• Stats NZ: Subnational population estimates: At 30 June 2025 (provisional), Tables 1, 3 and 5: regional council areas, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 001e8a896cfb…)

Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.