Easton said this indicated resilience locally.
Whanganui’s unemployment rate has remained steady over recent years while the national average climbed.
The unemployment rate in Whanganui District was 5.7% in 2023, 5.5% in 2024 and 5.6% in 2025.
National unemployment for the same years was 3.7%, 4.7% and 5.3%, respectively.
The wider Manawatū-Whanganui region’s unemployment rate last year was 4.7%.
Whanganui district also differed in Jobseeker Support rates, rising significantly less last year than the national average.
Whanganui district residents receiving Jobseeker Support rose 3.1% in 2025 from the previous year, with an average of 2413 people receiving such payments.
The 10-year annual average for those on Jobseeker Support in Whanganui district is 2348.
Recipients in the greater Manawatū-Whanganui region rose 9.1%. The number of nationwide recipients increased by 8.1%.
“Whanganui’s employment base is also different from many parts of the country,” Easton said.
He said Whanganui’s main industries could be the reason for the difference.
“The district’s mix of manufacturing, primary industries, health and education continues to provide a stable foundation, helping the local economy navigate the current cycle.”
The healthcare and social assistance industry is the largest employer in Whanganui, providing 16.6% of the district’s jobs.
Manufacturing is the second-largest sector with 12.7%, followed by education and training (10%), retail trade (10%) and construction (9.8%).
Easton said these industries positioned the district for growth.
Business Whanganui chief executive Helen Garner said manufacturing was a core strength of the Whanganui economy, “supporting a significant share of local jobs and producing goods for markets well beyond the region”.
Employment in goods-producing industries such as construction and manufacturing fell nationally by 3.6% last year.
However, they remain key employers in the Whanganui district.
Garner said the employment decrease was indicative of the recent economic climate felt widely among businesses.
“The 2% drop in employment in Whanganui reflects the more cautious economic environment we’ve seen across the country over the past year,” she said.
“Businesses have been managing higher costs and uncertain demand.”
This led many employers to maintain staff levels and focus on productivity rather than large-scale hiring, she said.
The rise in the national unemployment rate was driven by more people re-entering the labour market in search of work, rather than further job losses.
Easton said figures from the national December quarter showed some job growth at the end of last year but half the roles were in part-time work, “indicating a level of reluctance from businesses to commit to fulltime roles”.
The Whanganui district’s final quarter did not show a rise in employment.
“However, there are early signs the labour market may be stabilising nationally,” Easton said.
“Some improvement [is] emerging in parts of the economy, particularly in primary industries and services.”
Garner said there might be some hope for Whanganui’s employment in the coming months.
“Looking further into 2026, there is cautious optimism that as confidence improves we may see employment gradually strengthen again.”
Erin Smith is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
