People in New Plymouth, Christchurch and Ashburton will be the first to test the new census data collection system.
Earlier this year, the government announced the census — which has existed in a similar format for more than 70 years — would be replaced with a combination of administrative data from other government agencies and smaller annual surveys completed by a sample of the population.
Now nearly 2000 households across New Plymouth, Christchurch and Ashburton would be invited to take part in a "live test" to help shape the new approach before the new annual survey began in 2027, Stats NZ population and housing spokesman Sean Broughton said.
The test would run until November 28 and would involve selected households answering a version of the 2023 census questionnaire, Stats NZ said.
Those households would receive a letter from the agency with more information and instructions.
The test was voluntary and data would not be used to produce official statistics, Stats NZ said.
The agency would continue to test and refine the survey over the next 18 months, and the survey questions would be updated after public consultation later this year, it said.
