Mosques and Indian temples are expected to become more familiar sights as the increasing numbers of Muslim and Hindu immigrants seek to express their cultural roots.
While the numbers of people who stated they were Hindus, Muslims or Sikhs in the latest Census remained small compared with the
country's main Christian denominations, they have increased dramatically in percentage terms.
The number stating affiliation to Hinduism leaped 61.8 per cent in the five years since the preceding Census, Islam 52.6 per cent and Sikhism 83 per cent.
"The numbers of people affiliating with these non-Christian religions is mainly attributed to migrants, particularly from Asia," said Statistics New Zealand.
Victoria University religious studies lecturer Associate Professor Jim Veitch said the number of Muslims was probably around 50,000, higher than counted in the Census.
Some would not have stated they were Muslim because they were from war-torn areas where they would have become wary of revealing details about themselves.
Professor Veitch said migrant communities commonly wanted "to advertise the fact we are here" by constructing religious buildings.
"So instead of just having a house you have converted, you go a step further and you put up a building.
"That's classic stuff. That's done in migrant communities all over the world. It's a matter of expressing identity. That lasts for two generations normally."
Other religions
64,392 Hindus in 2006, up 61.8 per cent.
36,072 Muslims, up 52.6 per cent.
9507 Sikhs, up 83 per cent.
