The New Zealand General Social Survey (NZGSS) is a multidimensional survey that gathers information across areas that are important to people's lives. It provides data on social and economic outcomes of New Zealanders aged 15 years and over.
Latest release
Data
Key objectives of the NZGSS
- to allow analysis of key population groups, across a range of areas of life at the same time.
- to provide information about how people think they themselves are faring, which complements other objective information about their situation, such as employment status, income and material standard of living
- to enable new and emerging topics to be investigated in a timely and cost-effective manner. The survey can be adapted to collect new information
- to provide timely analysis of the impact of events on social and economic outcomes
- to provide international comparisons.
Key topics
The NZGSS produces estimates for social outcomes analysed by population groups and sub-groups. These social outcomes include:
- major problems with house and neighbourhood
- satisfaction with amount of leisure time
- access to and condition of the built environment
- general health status
- safety and security
- income
- labour force status
- education
- sense of belonging to New Zealand
- availability of help in times of need
- experience of discrimination
- overall life satisfaction
The population groups
- sex
- age
- Māori descent
- ethnic group
- family type
- household composition
- labour force status
- education
- country of birth
- generation in New Zealand
- social marital status
- household income
- tenure of household.
Confidentialised Unit Record Files
Confidentialised Unit Record Files (CURFs) of the NZGSS are available for microdata research. CURFs are available to all researchers at minimal cost and free to universities.
Information and help
If you have any queries, please contact Social Conditions Business Unit, Statistics New Zealand:
Email: social.conditions@stats.govt.nz
Phone: (04) 931-4600
Related information
NZGSS Development
Technical information
General Social Survey Content Evaluation
Preliminary Views Paper
External websites
Australian General Social Survey 2006 (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Canadian General Social Survey (Statistics Canada)
General Household Survey (Office for National Statistics, UK)
The Social Report 2009 (Ministry of Social Development)
New Zealand Health Survey (Ministry of Health)
Quality of Life 2008