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Burglary Statistics By Town And City Made Public
MoneyHub, New Zealand’s independent personal finance comparison website, has published what it believes is the most comprehensive independent analysis of burglary across New Zealand, drawing on two years of official Police Crime Snapshot data covering 120,503 recorded victimisations.
The guide, ranks every territorial authority by burglary rate per capita, identifies seasonal patterns, and connects the data directly to house and contents insurance decisions.
Highlights include:
1) Hamilton City is New Zealand’s Burglary Capital
Hamilton has the highest burglary rate in New Zealand at 212.7 per 10,000 people annually - nearly eight times higher than Queenstown-Lakes (27.4). A Hamilton resident faces roughly a 1 in 47 chance of being burgled each year. Rotorua (211.1) and Thames-Coromandel (197.0) round out the top three.
New Zealand’s 10 Highest-Risk Districts for Burglary
| Rank | District | Annual Rate Per 10,000 | vs NZ Average | Risk Level |
| 1 | Hamilton City | 212.7 | 1.8x higher | EXTREME |
| 2 | Rotorua District | 211.1 | 1.8x higher | EXTREME |
| 3 | Thames-Coromandel District | 197.0 | 1.7x higher | EXTREME |
| 4 | South Waikato District | 181.9 | 1.6x higher | EXTREME |
| 5 | Hauraki District | 179.1 | 1.5x higher | EXTREME |
| 6 | Gisborne District | 177.3 | 1.5x higher | EXTREME |
| 7 | Horowhenua District | 173.8 | 1.5x higher | VERY HIGH |
| 8 | Otorohanga District | 172.0 | 1.5x higher | VERY HIGH |
| 9 | Waitomo District | 168.8 | 1.5x higher | VERY HIGH |
| 10 | Napier City | 167.5 | 1.4x higher | VERY HIGH |
National average: 115.9 per 10,000. Source: NZ Police Crime Snapshot, 2024–2025.
“The gap between the highest and lowest-risk districts is enormous. A Hamilton resident is almost eight times more likely to experience a burglary than someone in Queenstown-Lakes. That is not a minor statistical variation - it is a completely different lived experience, and it explains why insurance premiums vary so significantly by location.”
- Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub Founder
2) Holiday Homes Face a Unique and Measurable Threat
Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki, and Kaipara - districts with high proportions of holiday homes - all rank among the top ten highest-risk areas. Seasonal vacancy, rural isolation, and distance from police stations create conditions that make empty properties significantly more vulnerable.
“If you own a holiday home in the Coromandel or Far North, check your house insurance or holiday house insurance policy for unoccupancy exclusions. Many standard policies reduce or exclude cover for properties left empty beyond 30 or 60 days. The burglary data shows this is not a theoretical risk - these areas have some of the highest rates in the country.”
- Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub Founder
3) The National Trend Is Positive, But Not Everywhere
Nationally, burglaries fell 5.8% from 62,043 in 2024 to 58,460 in 2025. Hastings saw a remarkable 35.6% decline, and Auckland dropped 9.9%. But Palmerston North rose 23.7%, Kawerau jumped 52.9%, and Ruapehu surged 55.2%.
Major Cities Compared
| Rank | City | Population | Annual Rate Per 10,000 | YoY Change |
| 1 | Hamilton City | 178,500 | 212.7 | -0.7% |
| 2 | Christchurch City | 394,000 | 157.8 | -2.6% |
| 3 | Palmerston North | 91,400 | 149.2 | +23.7% |
| 4 | Napier City | 67,500 | 167.5 | -34.1% |
| 5 | Lower Hutt City | 112,700 | 141.5 | -12.0% |
| 6 | Auckland | 1,695,200 | 111.0 | -9.9% |
| 7 | Wellington City | 215,300 | 83.4 | -0.8% |
| 8 | Tauranga City | 158,200 | 89.3 | -14.3% |
| 9 | Dunedin City | 137,000 | 55.8 | +0.3% |
Source: NZ Police Crime Snapshot, 2024–2025. Population: Stats NZ 2023 estimates.
“Declining national numbers are encouraging, but 58,460 burglaries is still 160 per day - one every nine minutes. And if you live in Palmerston North or one of the districts where burglaries are rising sharply, the national trend is irrelevant to your personal risk.”
- Christopher Walsh, MoneyHub Founder
4) January Is Peak Burglary Season
January 2025 recorded 5,746 burglaries - the highest of any month in the two-year dataset. The summer holiday period, when homes sit empty while families travel, creates opportunity.
5) Auckland: Large but Not the Worst Per Capita
Auckland accounts for 31.2% of all burglaries by volume - 37,645 over two years. But with 1.7 million residents, its per-capita rate of 111.0 places it 32nd out of 61 districts, below the national average of 115.9. Hamilton, Rotorua, and Christchurch all have significantly higher per-capita rates.
About the Guide
MoneyHub’s New Zealand burglary statistics guide ranks all 61 territorial authorities, compares major cities, analyses year-over-year trends, examines monthly patterns, and connects the data to contents insurance, house insurance, and holiday home cover decisions.
About MoneyHub
MoneyHub is New Zealand’s independent personal finance comparison and guidance website, providing consumer-first, data-driven research across investing, insurance, credit cards, banking, travel, and more. Our guides to holiday home insurance and house insurance offer insights about policy inclusions and exclusions to help New Zealand homeowners make informed financial decisions.
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