The NZ Herald's 5 best & worst towns to live in
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/s...0462441&pnum=0
The article is mainly about Auckland's unaffordability, but it ends with this list:
So, with the disclaimer that this list isn't definitive, here are five of the best places to live in New Zealand.
Waipu has Bream Bay's sweeping beaches, a Celtic flavour from its Scottish settlement roots, diverse job prospects from its proximity to Whangarei (port, refinery, retail), vineyards and construction.
Te Awamutu is an easy commute to Hamilton, and is nestled in dairy heartland. You can snare a three-bedroom home for about $300,000. Bayleys' Mark Dawe says he gets lots of inquiries from Aucklanders. "They're either coming back to their roots, or for the pace of life, or cost of living."
New Plymouth lays claim to city sophistication without the costs, congestion and hassle. Drawcards include the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, the TSB Bowl of Brooklands stadium and proximity to Mt Taranaki. Offshore oil prospecting promises more jobs.
Nelson's average house price is the highest on our list, at $329,800, but the small city squeezes in because of what else it offers: a regional economy founded on horticulture, agriculture, tourism, seafood and forestry; a strong arts scene, and three national parks - Abel Tasman, Nelson Lakes and Kahurangi - on its doorstep.
Rangiora offers service industry jobs locally, and is an easy commute to Christchurch.
Others on the shortlist were Matamata, Whangarei Heads and Alexandra.
In choosing New Zealand's worst places to live, we looked at measures of social disadvantage and very low-priced real estate. We included Queenstown because it's the least-affordable place to live in the country.
Here are five of the worst places to live in New Zealand:
Moerewa, is one of the Far North's more economically depressed towns. In 2001, more than a third of the Far North population had an income less than 60 per cent of the national median.
Opotiki district in the Bay of Plenty had the highest proportion - 42 per cent - in that low-income bracket. The town is notorious for its gang troubles.
Kawerau and Wairoa also had more than a third of the population in the lowest income bracket, and 15 per cent living in households with fewer bedrooms than needed.
Queenstown has the country's least-affordable homes, with an August median sales price of $592,500 - meaning loan repayments are more than 115 per cent of a 30- to 34-year-old's median take-home income.
