Dunedin Ranked New Zealand’s Best City for Quality of Life

Ōtepoti Dunedin has been recognized as New Zealand’s top city for quality of life in a recent biennial survey involving over 6,000 residents across eight major centres. The 2024 survey results show that despite facing challenges such as the coldest climate among the surveyed cities, areas prone to flooding, and a median adult income at only 80% of the national average, Dunedin boasts the highest percentage of residents who rated their quality of life positively. An impressive **83%** of those surveyed in Dunedin described their quality of life as good to extremely good, surpassing the **77%** average across all participating cities.

Dr Ian Griffin, director of Tūhura Otago Museum, is a prominent advocate for Dunedin’s lifestyle. Recently, he shared his passion for the city after spending the early hours watching an aurora at Hoopers Inlet on the Otago Peninsula. An astronomer by training, Griffin moved to Dunedin from Oxford in the United Kingdom **12 years ago** and quickly “fell in love with the place.”

Factors Contributing to Dunedin’s Appeal

Griffin attributes Dunedin’s appeal to various factors, including comparatively affordable housing, a dramatic natural landscape, abundant wildlife, a robust schooling system, and the presence of a leading university. He notes that the student population injects a unique energy into the city, stating, “You notice it when they’re gone. From November to February, the place gets quieter.”

The city’s rich cultural offerings further enhance its quality of life. Griffin pointed to institutions like Tūhura Otago Museum, the Hocken Collections, Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, declaring, “For a city of **100,000** people, we’ve got an incredibly rich cultural scene.”

Dunedin’s digital infrastructure has also played a significant role in its ranking. In **2014**, the city won the Gigatown competition, which resulted in the establishment of one gigabit-per-second broadband connectivity. Griffin emphasized, “If you are starting a company or want to work remotely, then Dunedin’s the place to be.” This connectivity was highlighted recently when Dunedin-based Animation Research, founded by Sir Ian Taylor, produced live graphics for the **2025 Masters golf tournament** in Augusta, Georgia. Taylor remarked, “The whole world was watching our graphics as Rory McIlroy won that amazing event, and we were doing it from Dunedin.”

Community Pride and Challenges

Lifestyle factors significantly contribute to Dunedin’s charm. Taylor mentioned that despite the perception of a cold and dark climate, the local beaches were bustling with surfers even on cooler days. “Yesterday the beach was full of people surfing. Waves were breaking right up to the waterfront where I was sitting having pizza with other people,” he remarked.

Former Dunedin mayor Aaron Hawkins highlighted the city’s accessibility, vibrant food and drink culture, and strong local pride. However, he cautioned against complacency, stating, “But with anything like this, you can never rest on your laurels.” Hawkins underscored the importance of community infrastructure, such as skate parks, swimming pools, and public art, which are essential yet vulnerable during economic downturns. “That’s something we need to be mindful of in the longer term.”

While the survey results were predominantly positive, **6%** of Dunedin respondents reported a poor to extremely poor quality of life, slightly below the overall average of **8%**. Taylor pointed out the need for awareness, saying, “We need to remind ourselves that while we are comfortable, there are more people that aren’t.”

The survey included **6,194** participants from cities including Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Hutt City, Porirua, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, with **581** respondents specifically from Dunedin. These findings reflect the diverse experiences of residents and underscore the importance of continued community engagement and support to maintain and improve the quality of life in Dunedin.