19+ Pros and Cons of Living In Northland (Explained)

Commonly known as ‘the winterless North’ for its subtropical climate, Northland’s vastness of white sandy beaches, great fishing, and scenic locations like the Bay of Islands all combine to make it a popular place to live.

New Zealand’s northernmost region is home to around 150,000 people. Ponder upon the following pros and cons before moving to Northland.

BENEFITS  of Living in NorthlandDRAWBACKS  of Living in Northland
Good job market.Economic development is required.
Cheap housing.Poor transport system.
Good Immigration services for immigrants.Location of the region.
Learning academic English is easy here in the city.Unpredictable weather.
Loads of recreational activities.No separate government.
For a relatively small country, it has great educational facilities.
Comprehensive health services.
Very helpful communities.
Favorite tourism spot.
Less crime rate.

Advantages of Living in Northland:

Good job market in Northland.

While jobs in the IT, service, and hospitality sectors are increasing, manufacturing has been on the decline. This has been creating an increase of workers in the job pool that have lower education than is needed in the job market because many dropped out of high school to begin work at a factory.

The province offers apprenticeship incentives, education upgrading, and specialty programs to help workers transition to new careers, free of charge.

Cheap housing.

Housing in Northland is generally a bit cheaper than other parts of the country, and because it’s such a long skinny region, the place you call home will never be far from the coast. 

Good immigration services for immigrants.

Immigration New Zealand offers a free information service for all new migrants available throughout the country. A good range of information and support services is available for migrants in Northland, particularly in the main city of Whangarei.

Learning academic English is easy in the region.

English language training in New Zealand is often called ESOL training (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Courses can specialize in everyday English, academic English, or business English. They are available from many different organizations and may be full-time or part-time.  

Loads of recreational activities.

From driving the Twin Coast Discovery Highway to swimming with dolphins in the Bay of Islands, these websites will give you an excellent overview of where to go and what to do in the region.

District councils around the region provide a range of recreation facilities including sports grounds, parks, and gardens. Your local community center may also run many different social activities and groups for the community to join.

For a relatively small country it has great educational facilities.

Parents of children aged under five are well served for Kindergartens, Play centers, Playgroups, and other forms of early childhood education in Northland. There are over 200 options to choose from. 

There are many different types of early childhood services.  A key difference between these services is how much involvement they expect of the child’s parents and family. 

Facilities cover every level, from early childhood education to tertiary opportunities and ongoing education for adults.

Comprehensive health services.

The District Health Board in Northland is the Northland DHB. They are responsible for providing or funding the provision of, health and disability services for the people of Northland.

The district health board covers a large geographical area from Te Hana in the south to Cape Reinga in the north. They contract local health providers to make services available to the public.

Very helpful communities.

Living as they do in a relatively rural region, Northlanders are good at offering a helpful word and generally supporting people in their communities.

Northland has one regional council which takes care of key activities that concern the whole region, and three district councils that manage more local tasks.

Favourite tourism spot.

Northland offers a multitude of exciting outdoor adventures. This region is also the site of the earliest contact between the local and European settlers. There are many historic colonial-era towns. The most important historical site of New Zealand is Waitangi.

Less crime rate in the region.

New Zealand Police has a useful website with information about your rights in dealing with them and advice on preventing crime, plus contacts for ethnic liaison officers in your region.

Neighborhood Support Groups work together with the Police and other community organizations to reduce crime, improve safety and prepare for emergencies and natural disasters. 

Disadvantages of Living in Northland:

Economic development is required in the region.

It also faces problems with proper economic opportunities. , Northland is a state in anxious need of economic transformation.

Poor transport system.

There is no proper transport system for the inhabitants.  You need to have your own vehicle for all kinds of transportation. The roadways and the airways are not yet totally developed in the region.

Location of the region.

Although New Zealand is one of the most scenic countries in the world, Northland’s location is quite far from any other major city in the world, except of course those in Australia. Long and expensive flights connect Northland to other major cities in Europe and the United States.

Unpredictable weather in the region.

Northland welcomes a warm coastal climate without any extremes of temperature. Though it’s one of New Zealand’s sunniest regions, the weather is known to shift without warning – but you need to be prepared for unpredictable weather changes.

No separate government

Until 1989 Northland was governed by several councils and an earlier Northland Regional Council known as the Northland United Council. (It had been part of Auckland Province from 1853 until the government was centralized in 1876.

The Northland Region has been governed by the present Northland Regional Council since 1989. The seat of the council is in Whangarei. Regional council members represent 7 constituencies.

Conclusion:

The pros and cons of living in Northland are indispensable to consider if you are thinking about a prolonged visit or immigrating there forever. Most people relish the laid-back attitude and quiet viewpoint, but it can be costly if you struggle to change away from imported items.

It is safe and cheap with great food and friendly people, but of course, you also have to consider the challenges you could encounter to ensure it is the best place for you to call your new home.

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