The district's population reached 51,321, up 17.5 per cent since 2013.
The Bay of Plenty was the second-fastest growing region in New Zealand. Graphic / Statistics NZ
Nationwide, many of the fastest-growing territorial authorities were around Auckland, also impacting Tauranga and Hamilton, census general manager Kathy Connolly said.
When the last census was taken in 2013, Tauranga had a population of 114,789 people, and New Zealand had 4,242,051.
With 2.7 per cent of New Zealand's population, Tauranga was ranked New Zealand's six largest district by population size.
In early 2017, population estimates by Statistics New Zealand revealed Tauranga had overtaken Dunedin to become New Zealand's fifth-largest district with 128,200 people.
Tauranga's population is projected to pass 147,600 by 2024.
Participation in the Census, taken in March 2018, was lower than expected and data releases were significantly delayed while Stats NZ tried to fill the gaps with other government data.
In August, following the release of an independent review that criticised aspects of the process, Government Statistician and Stats NZ chief executive Liz MacPherson resigned.
Tauranga population
2018 - 136,713 2013 - 114,789 (6th in NZ) 2006 - 103,632 (9th in NZ) 2001 - 90,906 (10th in NZ) 1996 - 77,775 (10th in NZ)
Western Bay population
2018 - 51,321 2013 - 43,692 (25th in NZ) 2006 - 42,075 (33rd in NZ) 2001 - 38,232 (32nd in NZ) 1996 - 34,971 (33rd in NZ)
