Fewer smokers and less religion in Bay

Latest results from the 2013 Census show that Bay of Plenty is home to fewer smokers and religious people than in 2006.

Part two of the 2013 Census regional summary tables shows an interesting impression of Bay of Plenty region and its districts.

Census Statistics Manager Gareth Meech said there was a 22.8 per cent decrease in the total number of regular smokers in Bay of Plenty since the 2006 Census, which is in line with the 22.9 per cent fall nationally," he said.

"In 2006, 23.6 per cent of adults in the region were regular smokers. By 2013 that proportion had dropped to 17.4 percent."

Among 15 to 19-year-olds Bay of Plenty had 1,809 fewer regular smokers in this age group than it did in 2006 - a decrease of 46.2 per cent.

In line with national trends, the number of people in Bay of Plenty who identified with a religion in the census had dropped since 2006. In 2013, 7.7 per cent fewer people indicated a religious affiliation, and there was a 25.1 per cent increase in the number of people who checked the 'no religion' box.

In 2013, the largest iwi for Bay of Plenty people of Maori descent was the Te Arawa grouping, with 17,043 people, followed by Tuhoe, with 11,127 people.

Mr Meech said: "This local breakdown of census information is some of the most important, as it will help communities and service providers plan for the future."