The State of the City 2026: Evidence and insights for Auckland’s Action Agenda

Over the past three years, the State of the City series, commissioned by Committee for Auckland, has tracked Auckland's performance against a consistent group of international peer cities. That benchmarking has highlighted both Auckland's strengths and shortcomings, providing the evidence base for this year's focus on the actions needed to strengthen the city's future performance and competitiveness.

The 2026 edition, sponsored by Deloitte and the University of Auckland, contributes evidence and international insights to the Auckland Action Agenda, identifying five focus areas where concentrated effort can help unlock the city's next phase of development.

The report finds Auckland is entering this next phase with significant momentum. Economic fundamentals are improving, investment activity is strengthening, housing affordability has improved relative to many comparable cities, and Auckland is emerging as one of the strongest innovation improvers in its peer group. Major catalysts, including the Auckland Deal and the City Rail Link, also provide a unique opportunity to accelerate progress.

Auckland is performing better than its reputation suggests. While the city is making progress in many areas, external perceptions have not yet caught up. Auckland remains one of New Zealand's most important assets, but ongoing challenges around productivity, skills, housing access, transport, and attracting and retaining talent continue to hold it back. The task now is to convert Auckland's strengths and recent progress into stronger outcomes, clearer priorities and coordinated delivery

The report identifies five focus areas that will be critical to Auckland's future success:

• Global gateway and primate city: Strengthen Auckland's role as New Zealand's gateway for talent, investment, trade and visitors, while converting these advantages into stronger economic outcomes and international influence.
• Innovation and talent engine: Accelerate Auckland's innovation momentum by strengthening connections between research, industry, capital and skilled talent.
• City centre and new connections: Maximise the benefits of the City Rail Link and other transformational infrastructure to improve access, unlock investment and create a more vibrant and connected city centre.
• City of nature: Build on Auckland's environmental advantages to strengthen climate resilience, advance sustainability and establish the city as a recognised leader in sustainable urban living.
• Homes, neighbourhoods and opportunity: Expand housing choice, improve access to jobs, services and opportunities, strengthen neighbourhoods, and ensure the benefits of growth are more widely shared across Auckland communities.

Across all five focus areas, the report points to a common challenge: converting Auckland's strengths into stronger outcomes and perceptions. This will require clearer priorities, stronger partnerships, visible delivery and a more confident story about Auckland's future.

About the report

The Business of Cities has prepared this report to inform Whitiki Tauā, the Auckland Action Agenda, a programme of work led by Committee for Auckland that has emerged from three years of State of the City evidence.

Unlike previous editions, the 2026 report is not a comprehensive annual benchmarking assessment. Instead, it applies insights from three years of State of the City evidence to the Auckland Action Agenda, focusing on those areas where Auckland appears to need the most concentrated action and where emerging opportunities, such as the Auckland Deal and the City Rail Link, can have the greatest impact.

Get in touch with our experts for more on how Auckland can strengthen its global competitiveness and deliver on the Auckland Action Agenda.