Population set to peak at 5m

New Zealand's population is expected to grow for some time yet, but the rate of expansion will drop as the number of deaths catches up, then overtakes the national birth rate.

Statistics New Zealand projections show population growth beginning to slow, with the population peaking at just over five million in the late 2020s.

The growth rate has sat around 1.4 per cent a year since 2001 but this will drop off as the number of deaths matches births.