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10 Fantastic Places to Raise a Family in New Zealand — Is It Time to Leave Auckland?

2,351 views · Published 5 April 2017 · 9:32 · Indexed 27 October 2026

Channel: Mike Martins · 2017 · News & Politics

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“I want to try and motivate and get people out of these positions that they're in, these predicaments that they're in.”
— Mike Martins

Here’s something a little different today. Instead of another negative story about the housing crisis, I wanted to go back to an article originally published in July 2015 highlighting 10 fantastic places to raise a family in New Zealand.
We’re now in 2017, and I want my Kiwi viewers to tell me: how much has changed in just two years?
New Zealand has an incredible reputation for its scenery, outdoor lifestyle and places to raise children, but the housing situation—especially around Auckland—has become a major concern. I've heard from people struggling with extremely expensive housing, overcrowding and families looking outside the major centres for somewhere they can actually afford to live.
So instead of only talking about the problem, let's look at some alternatives.
The article highlights places including New Plymouth, Wellington, Auckland’s North Shore, Nelson, Queenstown Lakes, Selwyn, Hamilton, Dunedin, Upper Hutt and Invercargill. It considers things such as housing affordability, employment, education, crime, recreation and the overall environment for raising children.
Some really caught my attention.
New Plymouth is highlighted for relatively affordable family housing, employment and its outdoor lifestyle. Nelson gets attention for sunshine, beaches, parks and low unemployment. Selwyn offers the possibility of more affordable housing while remaining within reach of Christchurch. Hamilton is presented as a growing alternative to Auckland. Invercargill stands out because the article describes its housing as among the most affordable in New Zealand.
Then you have places such as Queenstown, which offers incredible scenery and outdoor recreation but was already described as expensive.
My question is simple: Are these places still affordable in 2017?
Two years can make an enormous difference in a rapidly moving housing market. That's why I want people actually living in New Zealand to comment. Tell us what's really happening on the ground. Which of these places are still realistic for an ordinary working family? Which ones have become expensive? And are there smaller towns the article completely missed?
One of the biggest messages I've been trying to get across with my Living the Dream series is that sometimes you have to look outside the biggest city. I did it myself. There can be opportunities beyond the major metropolitan centres, especially if your goal is to own a home, raise a family and become part of a community.
So to all my Kiwi viewers: where would YOU raise a family in New Zealand in 2017?

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