Rotorua Population 2026

Rotorua has a population of 65,901, making it the #13 biggest city in 🇳🇿 New Zealand, located in Bay of Plenty. Roughly 1.2% of New Zealand's population lives here. It is about 23× smaller than Auckland, the country's biggest city.

Location of Rotorua (capital Wellington shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

65,901

Rank in New Zealand

#13

Coordinates

38.14°S, 176.25°E

~287 m elevation · Pacific/Auckland

Distance to capital (Wellington)

372 km

231 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Bay of Plenty

City	Population	Rank in New Zealand
Tauranga	161,000	#6
Whakatane	18,602	#42

Cities near Rotorua

Tauranga161,000 people · ~51 km away
Taupo27,000 people · ~62 km away
Whakatane18,602 people · ~68 km away
Cambridge15,192 people · ~76 km away
Hamilton192,100 people · ~93 km away
Napier66,400 people · ~161 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Rotorua?

Rotorua has a population of 65,901 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #13 biggest city in New Zealand.

What region is Rotorua in?

Rotorua is located in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Is Rotorua the capital of New Zealand?

No, the capital of New Zealand is Wellington, about 372 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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