This report measures New Zealand against 28 other countries – including Australia – across more than a hundred indicators, from work and prosperity to health, institutions and the environment. Among this group, New Zealand ranks first for labour force participation, second for economic freedom, fourth for honesty in government and eighth for life satisfaction, ahead of Germany, Britain and the United States.

The economic rankings sit much lower. New Zealand ranks 20th out of 29 for productivity, 22nd for trade openness and 26th for economic complexity. In the OECD’s 2024 figures, South Korea’s average wage, adjusted for purchasing power, was US$60,900, just above New Zealand’s US$60,500. South Korea’s real wage has doubled in a generation.

What sets New Zealand apart most is churn. New Zealand is simultaneously one of the world’s great importers and great exporters of people, a revolving door at the end of the Pacific. That double openness frames everything that follows in the report. A country that people can leave so easily must give them reasons to stay, and a country that admits so many newcomers must make the arrangement work. 

The report is provided with an audio version.