Photo: LDR/SUPPLIEDWellington City's residential rates have more than doubled since 2012, making them among the highest and least affordable in the country, a new council-commissioned report says. The report shows residential rates made up 2.2 percent of Wellington City household incomes in 2012, rising to 3.8 percent by 2025. Once regional council rates are included, Wellington City households spend 4.7 percent of median incomes on rates - tying with Porirua as the second least affordable in the country, just behind Tauranga and Dunedin at 4.8 percent. The Infometrics report also found Wellington's median commercial rates - $13,000, putting the city in the national "middle of the pack" - become the most unaffordable once measured as a share of capital value, at 2.4%. By comparison, commercial rates in Auckland and Christchurch sit at 0.9 percent of capital value, making them the most affordable.

Source: Stuff April 07, 2026 05:16 UTC