78% feeling financially comfortable but 36% expect lives to worsen

Sub-groups of the adult population whose financial situation is significantly more uncomfortable are shown below:

This table excludes results by age-group, which are shown in the previous chart.

Sub-groups of the adult population whose financial situation is significantly more comfortable are shown below:

This table excludes results by age-group, which are shown in the previous chart.

Will life in New Zealand be better or worse in the coming year?

There is little change since February 2024 in people thinking their lives will be better or worse in the coming year.

25% (955,000 adults) think their lives in New Zealand will be better in the coming year than the past year.

31% (1,179,000 adults) think life will be worse. Of these 10% say it will be much worse.

39% (1,519,000 adults) say their life for them will be about the same.

75+ year olds are more likely to believe their life will be the same in the next year compared with the past year.

55+ year olds are not positive about the coming year, with 30% saying it will be worse.

35-54 year olds are more positive with 27% of 35-44 year olds saying it will be better and 13% of 45-54 year olds saying it will be much better.

Those with annual household income above $200,000 are more inclined to say that their life will be much better in the coming year.

23% of household incomes less than $20,000 say it is likely to get much worse.

Those with household income between $70,000 and $150,000 think their life will stay the same in the next year.

17% of people with personal incomes below $20,000 believe their lives will be much worse in the next 12 months. This is a significant change from Feb 2024 with 9% saying it will be much worse. In 2025, those saying it will be much better dropped to 5% from 11%(not significant).

28% of people earning more than $200,000 think it will be much better. 

Among voters, ACT and National party voters are more likely to say that their lives will be better in the next 12 months.

48% of National voters think it will stay the same.

Labour and Green Party voters do not see their lives getting better in the next 12 months and significantly more likely to say that it will be worse.

About the survey:

The online survey of 1,017 adults living in New Zealand was conducted between February 20 and 25, 2025, using two Horizon Research panels and a third party panel for source diversity.

The total sample is weighted on age, gender, ethnicity, region and party vote at the 2023 general election to reflect the New Zealand adult population. The maximum predicted margin of error is ±3.1% at the 95% confidence level. Horizon is a member of Research Association New Zealand and follows it rules and guidelines when conducting research.

The financial comfort and life outlook surveys are self-commissioned by Horizon as part of its public interest research programme. Our aim is to make New Zealanders heard by those making decisions which affect them.

For further information please contact

Graeme Colman, Principal, Horizon Research, email gcolman@horizonresearch.co.nz, telephone +64 21 848 576.