Published: 3 September 2026
A new survey shows Lower Hutt residents value the city’s green spaces, public transport and daytime safety. The survey also highlighted areas where improvement is needed.
The 2026 Quality of Life Survey gives Hutt City Council a snapshot of what matters to residents, what is working well and where people see challenges.
Among the things people surveyed rated highly:
- 87% felt safe in the city centre during the day
- 82% said green and open spaces were easy to get to
- 69% were happy with how green and open spaces were maintained
- 75% said public transport was easy to access
Mayor Ken Laban says the results show there is plenty for the city to be proud of.
“These results tell us people value the things that make Hutt City a great place to live – our parks and open spaces, the ability to get around and feeling safe in our city during the day.
“That is worth celebrating. These are the everyday things that help make a city feel like home.”
Survey results make it clear that cost-of-living challenges are impacting residents’ quality of life. Council acknowledges these concerns and is looking at ways to keep future rates increases as low as possible through its draft Long-Term Plan. As part of that process, the public will have the opportunity to have their say on what they see as important for the city.
Council is also positioning itself to be well-prepared for central Government’s capping of rates, to take effect in 2029, by ensuring it is focused on the things that matter and are affordable.
Traffic congestion was considered a problem by 84% of Hutt City respondents in the survey. This was significantly higher than the other cities in the survey but is due to the impact of important infrastructure projects such as Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi.
To mitigate traffic disruption, Council is monitoring traffic around the city including the installation of live traffic cameras at major intersections across Lower Hutt, allowing people to check traffic before they travel.
Housing affordability was identified as a challenge with 49% of people surveyed saying they disagreed or strongly disagreed that housing costs were affordable.
And only 44% of recipients said they were happy with the look and feel of the city or their local area.
Mayor Laban says the findings highlight to Council what the community believes is going well in the city, what needs a bit more work, and how it impacts individuals.
“It provides valuable information to guide our decisions, focus our effort and keep working towards a city people are proud to call home.”
The Quality of Life Survey is more than a measure of how people feel about the city. It helps Council to track social, economic and environmental outcomes over time, gauge community sentiment and evaluate how effectively public engagement is landing.
The 2026 results will add to that picture, helping Council track what is changing, understand where residents see the greatest pressures.
You can read the 2026 Quality of Life Survey here