Seventy-four percent of Queenstown Lakes residents rate their quality of life as good or extremely good - down two percentage points on last year - but more people say they feel proud to live in the district, according to the latest annual survey.

The 2025 Quality of Life Survey shows 70 percent of residents feel a sense of pride in the district, the highest level recorded since 2020 and up from 63 percent in 2024.

Nineteen percent say their quality of life has improved, citing better housing, general life improvements and stronger employment opportunities, while 30 percent report it has worsened.

The latter group put it down to cost of living, ‘council services’, and income shortage.

Six percent said they cannot cover their expenses, while 70 percent had some or sufficient disposable income. PHOTO: Supplied

Queenstown Lakes mayor John Glover said the results showed progress in some areas but ongoing pressures in others.

“It’s encouraging to see some improvements in the metrics around the issues that affect our communities but there are still big challenges to overcome,” he said.

Housing remains relatively steady, with little change on last year. Sixty-five percent of residents own their home, 18 percent rent a house and 12 percent rent a room. 

Ten percent experienced homelessness or relied on temporary or insecure accommodation in the past year, most often staying with friends or family.

When it comes to employment, seventy-nine percent are in paid work.

Seventy percent said they have some or sufficient disposable income, while six percent said they cannot cover their expenses. 

Ninety three percent said they feel safe in their community. PHOTO: Supplied

Access to healthcare is also becoming more difficult, with cost, wait times and service locations emerging as key barriers, according to the survey. Just 35 percent said nothing prevents them from getting care.

Concern about climate change has continued to decline over the past three years, with 68 percent worried about the impacts of climate change.

Use of alternative transport modes at least once a month has also declined across the board, with cycling dropping from 42 percent to 35 percent. 

On a more positive note, 93 percent of residents said they feel safe in their community and 65 percent describe it as welcoming.

Evaluation and research company Versus compiled a report on the survey findings, which noted that “not all respondents experience the district equally”.

“Respondents who are younger, renting their home, facing financial strain, or living with a health condition all consistently report lower levels of wellbeing.”

But broadly speaking “residents continue to enjoy a high standard of living” and most respondents have described themselves as having high quality of life - results that have been stable since the surveys began back in 2018.

John said the council is “firmly focused on delivering better outcomes” in the areas where there is room for improvement. 

The 2025 Quality of Life survey received 1,767 responses from residents and 330 from non-resident ratepayers. 

Survey results are shared with other agencies including Te Whatu Ora and the Otago Regional Council to support their future planning and decision-making.

Questions about satisfaction with local services and governance have been moved to the Community Insights Survey, due out next month.

Read the full results from the 2025 Quality of Life survey here.