But others disagree – here's why
The Southland town of Invercargill has been recognised as New Zealand’s Sh*t Town of the Year.
This, after an online poll found it did “absolutely nothing notable” in 2022 to earn the “brown crown.”
Not everyone in Invercargill agrees though. Stuff provided five numbers to help you make an informed decision about the issue.
$1,539
Stats NZ data showed that the average salary in Southland is $1,539 per week. That compares to the $1,595 average salary in Canterbury and is not that low compared to Aucklanders’ average $2,004 a week.
3.8%
The current unemployment rate in Southland is 3.8% – that’s 0.9% higher than the rate in the Canterbury region, while Auckland comes in bang on the national average of 3.3%.
$485,000
According to REINZ, the median house price in Invercargill was $485,000 – that’s less than half the price of a property in Auckland’s Manukau ($1.05 million) or North Shore ($1.29m) and nearly $200,000 less than the median house price in Christchurch ($680,000).
$190
Median market rent in Invercargill was $408 a week, according to Tenancy Services data, and was around $190 a week less than those in Auckland, where renters pay $595 a week. Rental prices in the southern city were also cheaper than in Christchurch where renters pay around $480 a week.
146
As of 2021, the population in Invercargill was 57,000. And with an area of roughly 390km², that meant you’d share your km² with 146 other people. By comparison, there were 343 people per km² in Auckland and around 270 people per km² in Christchurch, Stuff reported.
Do you think Invercargill deserves the dubious honour? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
