Auckland’s economy grew only slightly in the year to December 2025, with GDP rising 0.1%.

Auckland Council’s Social and Economic Research and Evaluation team says several indicators show gradual improvement while remaining weak compared with earlier years.

Real GDP for the year ended December 2025 was 0.1% higher than the previous year, while the rest of New Zealand recorded a 0.5% rise.

Real retail sales increased 0.4% over the same period, while the rest of New Zealand saw a 0.7% lift.

The report notes growth remains low and has not returned to the pre-Covid pattern of increases of at least 2%.

Housing indicators show mixed conditions.

The median house price in January 2026 was $950,000, similar to a year earlier and continuing a three-year mild decline.

Prices are 39% below the 2021 peak.

Sales activity is recovering slowly.

A total of 23,968 homes were sold in the year to January 2026, 31% above the May 2023 low but still 34% below the 2021 peak.

Average weekly rent in December 2025 was $668.

That level has stayed similar for several months and sits 14% below February 2021 in real terms.

Construction activity has lifted from recent lows.

A total of 15,779 new dwellings were consented in the year to January 2026.

That is 13% higher than a year earlier but still 28% below the September 2022 peak.

The real value of new non-residential building consents reached $2,662 million in the year to January 2026.

That figure is 5% higher than a year earlier but remains below earlier peaks.

Trade activity has increased gradually.

Imports through Auckland seaports reached $32.3 billion for the year ended January 2026, up 4.8% over the past year and 21% above the 2020 Covid low.

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