New Zealanders are living longer, increasing their life expectancy, and this is a good thing.
Healthy older people contribute to their communities and families by providing support and volunteering, while others continue working.
New Zealanders aged 65 and above also enjoy a higher level of well-being than their counterparts in other OECD countries. They have strong social support networks, higher home-ownership rates, and lower poverty rates.
However, New Zealand’s rapidly growing aging population also poses a challenge to the country’s infrastructure, including healthcare, affordable housing, transportation systems, and social services.
The report from WSP and The Helen Clark Foundation, “Age‑proofing Aotearoa: Rethinking our infrastructure for an ageing population”, released in October 2025, provides a thoughtful analysis of how the country’s infrastructure is challenged by an aging demographic and what needs to change.
The report outlines recommendations on how the government can address population aging. While this demographic shift presents significant challenges, it also creates substantial opportunities when paired with effective planning and investment.
With the right approach, we can ensure that older people live well and that our communities function better for everyone. This perspective comes from WSP Fellow Kali Mercier, the report’s author.
New Zealand’s aging population
While the country’s general population is growing, so is the number and proportion of older people. By 2051, the report projects that New Zealand’s population will reach between 6.1 and 7.2 million, from a current population of 5.29 million.
However, population growth is expected to slow as the country ages, and natural increase—births minus deaths—will shrink over time. Fertility rates in the country are also declining.
Stat NZ data for 2022-2024 shows that there are 1.60 births per woman, which is below the replacement rate. By 2053, deaths are expected to surpass births for the country and go to zero without immigration in the picture.
Meanwhile, men’s and women’s ages have risen by more than 10 years since the 1950s, with more people living into their 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Of the four broad age groups used by Stats NZ (0–14, 15–39, 40–64, and 65+ years), growth is currently highest in the 65+ age band, across all regions in the country.
This demographic shift in the country will greatly impact housing, employment, health, financial security, and social well-being. It will also affect how the nation plans and designs future infrastructure.
Infrastructure challenges with an aging demographic
New Zealand has a housing shortage, and this will increase to nearly half a million homes by 2043, while homeownership among Kiwis aged 65+ is projected to fall from 82% in 2001 to 50% by 2040.
Shortfall in aged care facilities projected to be 12,000 beds by 2032. This demand pressure is strongest in the Northland, with a current rate of only 149 beds per 1,000 people aged 65+, compared with just 272 in Canterbury.
Hospital infrastructure and facilities are also under strain and could buckle under the higher health needs of an aging population. Healthcare spending for people aged 85+ is 16 times higher than for 40-year-olds.
New Zealand has a high car dependence, and public transport is often inaccessible or unavailable in smaller centers.
The situation may lead to the isolation of older individuals who have stopped driving. To address this, we need to invest in community shuttles and enhance walking and cycling infrastructure.
Additionally, we should implement age-friendly initiatives that adapt public spaces, such as parks and libraries, and pedestrian infrastructure to better serve the needs of older residents.
These investments will benefit older adults, improve accessibility for all generations, and potentially lower long-term healthcare and aged care costs.
The report’s recommendations include the following:
- Develop a long-term, integrated infrastructure strategy that explicitly incorporates aging into planning.
- Use population projections and regional data proactively to guide investment, rather than reactively. For example, decide where to build aged-care beds and where to upgrade transport infrastructure based on demand and future growth in the older-adult population.
- Invest in housing that is accessible, affordable, and suitable for older age.
- Expand aged-care and healthcare capacity in regions where the demand will grow fastest, and upgrade infrastructure to match changing care models. For example, more community-based home care, rather than only institution-based care.
- A shift in mindset by viewing the aging population as an opportunity to create better places for all generations, not just a burden.
Read the report
Sources
Mercier, K. (2025, October 19). Age‑proofing Aotearoa: Rethinking our infrastructure for an ageing population. Rethinking Our Infrastructure for an Ageing Population. WSP and the Helen Clark Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.helenclark.foundation/research/age-proofing-aotearoa
WSP and Helen Clark Foundation report urges future-proofing infrastructure for ageing population. (2025, October 19). WSP. Retrieved from https://www.wsp.com/en-nz/news/2025/wsp-and-helen-clark-foundation-report-urges-future-proofing-infrastructure-for-ageing-population
Age-proofing Aotearoa. (2025, October 19). The Helen Clark Foundation. Retrieved from https://helenclark.foundation/publications-and-medias/age-proofing-aotearoa/
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