Most people are satisfied with their work-life balance in Dunedin, a new survey shows, with the city rating highly as a safe and quiet place to be.
The latest results from The Quality of Life Survey, which canvassed residents under eight councils - Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton, Porirua, Wellington, Hutt City, Christchurch and Dunedin - have been released.
The survey, carried out every two years, collected data on a range of issues including perceptions of local neighbourhoods, housing, safety, employment, public transport, crime and climate change.
Overall, 87% of the 6412 participants questioned last year were upbeat about their quality of life.
An overwhelming 91% of people in Wellington and Porirua, followed closely behind Dunedin at 90%, were more satisfied with their quality of life than those in the other cities.
More Wellington residents, 89%, also thought the capital was a great place to live and were proud of its look and feel.
Hamilton was a close second with 88% of residents giving their endorsement for the city.
And those same positively Wellington residents, along with their Hamilton friends, also believe their cities are the greatest places to live.
Whereas those in Tauranga say their area is becoming a progressively worse place to reside.
Wellington mayor Andy Foster took heart in the fact that Wellington stood out from its counterparts as being a great place to live and that people had pride in it.
"I take confidence from the survey that the majority of Wellingtonians believe we are working to a vision of an equitable and affordable city," he said.
Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate was also pleased the survey results showed some good improvements for the council under her leadership including the quality of life aspect increasing 10% to 88%.
However she said the impacts of Covid-19 were still being felt and would continue for some time.
Tauranga's results have taken the biggest dive, with 53% of participants saying their perception of the city was worse than 12 months ago.
Residents blamed growing traffic congestion and dissatisfaction with the council - cemented by the local government minister last year sacking the dysfunctional council and replacing it with commissioners - as the main reasons for it deteriorating.
A whopping 98% of Tauranga residents said traffic was an issue, followed by 86% in Wellington and 84% in Hamilton and the Hutt.
Despite Auckland's traffic jams constantly making headlines, only 79% of its residents complained about it.
More than half of those people living in Tauranga had no faith in the council making good decisions. Hamilton politicians were given the biggest confidence boost, with 42% of residents trusting them to make the right calls.
And while they may not be satisfied with how their city is being run, Tauranga residents have the most suitable and driest homes, followed by Dunedin and Christchurch.
The Wellington areas have the most frequented public transport with almost half of those living in Wellington City using it. Auckland is a distant second at 22%.
Public transport is not popular in Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch, with fewer than 10% of people opting to hop aboard a bus or train.
The physically fittest people of those surveyed were from Dunedin, while those in Tauranga and Porirua had the best mental health. Hamilton had the worst of both.
Christchurch had the biggest problem with theft and burglary, dangerous driving, and vandalism, while Wellington had the most trouble with beggars.
Those in Wellington and Dunedin felt safer both in their homes and out in public.
Dunedin also appeared to be the quietest city to live in.
Christchurch had the highest rate of unemployment perhaps due to both it and Auckland being the most financially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of those still employed, people in Hutt, Tauranga and Wellington had the highest job satisfaction and Dunedin had the best work-life balance.
Racism is still rife with more than half of those surveyed saying it was a problem. It is the most prevalent in Christchurch with 72% of residents raising it as an issue.
And when it comes to trusting others in their community, Wellingtonians had it in spades, whereas Aucklanders were the most wary.
