Living in Grafton: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 3,996 live property titles in Grafton, Auckland are almost all unit title (85%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 34 (0.9%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 34
- Share of live titles
- 0.9%
- Live titles in total
- 3,996
- Auckland share
- 14.4%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Auckland
- 158 of 160
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 638 of 644
Grafton at a glance
Where Grafton differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: median age (lower than 99% of NZ suburbs); homes with a heat pump (lower than 99% of NZ suburbs); cross-lease share of titles (lower than 98% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Grafton is listed under Auckland.
- 3,996 live titles are recorded here, including 34 cross-lease titles (0.9%).
- The page includes 2023 Census context for the statistical area that represents this suburb.
- The page includes MBIE new-tenancy rent figures for April–June 2026.
Contextual observations
- Cross-lease titles make up 0.9% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 85.0% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- Public-transport figures describe how recorded titles sit near mapped stops. They do not describe a service from a particular property.
- Coast distance is a suburb-level map measure, not a flood or hazard assessment.
Questions worth investigating
- For any cross-lease property you consider, do the current title, flats plan and lease match what is built today?
- What do the LIM, council property file and a suitable inspection add for the specific address?
No data held for this suburb
- The core title, Census, rent, transport and coast measures used by this page are available.
Title mix in Grafton
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 417 | 10.4% |
| Cross lease | 34 | 0.9% |
| Unit title | 3,397 | 85.0% |
| Leasehold | 83 | 2.1% |
| Other record types | 65 | 1.6% |
| Total | 3,996 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Grafton compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Grafton is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across Auckland as a whole, the share is 14.4%; Grafton is well below the overall Auckland share (14.4%).
Its cross-lease share is 3rd lowest of 160 in Auckland (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Grafton are set up
More schemes have four or more flats on one section (30%, against 11% nationally), up to 7.
Less land per flat than is typical in New Zealand: about 204 m² per flat, against 408 m².
Two-flat schemes are less common here (60% of schemes, against 76% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Grafton | Auckland | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 10 | 39,589 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 60.0% | 73.7% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 10.0% | 14.0% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 30.0% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 516 m² | 961 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 204 m² | 418 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 30.0% | 23.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 0.0% | 19.2% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 0.0% | 5.5% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 0.0% | 42.1% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1986 | 1989 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 0 | 26,275 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Grafton
Unit titles are 85% of Grafton's titles, well above Auckland (15%) and well above New Zealand (8%). They belong to 52 developments, each run by a body corporate; 25 have 50 or more units.
The unit-title share is the highest of 160 in Auckland.
83 titles (2.1%) are leasehold, 81 of them units in a unit-title development.
Stated lease terms, as at 30 September 2026:
| Stated lease term | Titles |
|---|---|
| Stated term has ended | 0 |
| Under 10 years left | 0 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 0 |
| More than 50 years left | 0 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 2 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 81 |
New titles in Grafton since 2020
250 of Grafton's current titles (6%) were first issued since 2020, well below Auckland's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (16%) and well below New Zealand (12%).
That rate is in the lowest quarter of 157 in Auckland.
Most are unit titles: 227 in 12 developments (apartments, terraces or townhouses under a body corporate).
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 21 | 16 |
| Unit title | 227 | 43 |
| Cross-lease | 0 | 0 |
| Leasehold | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 2 | 1 |
New titles include cross-leases converted to freehold and titles re-issued; they are not a count of new homes. Sources and limits
The lie of the land in Grafton
The typical building in Grafton stands on ground sloping 5.1° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated).
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Grafton
Grafton is inland: the typical title is 1.7 km from the sea or harbour edge, and fewer than 1 in 2,000 titles are within 1 km of it.
Measured in a straight line from the centre of each title's land to the coastline on LINZ's 1:50k topographic map, which follows harbours and estuaries as well as the open coast; lakes and rivers are not included. Distance says nothing about beach access, views or exposure to coastal hazards; council hazard maps and the LIM describe those.
Who lives around Grafton: 2023 Census
Grafton's titles fall in 9 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 3 shown below hold 90% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer homes are stand-alone houses in Symonds Street East than across Auckland: 1.3% against 71.5%.
More workers walk or cycle to work in Symonds Street East than across Auckland: 37.5% against 4.2%.
More households have no car in Symonds Street East than across Auckland: 58.5% against 6.8%.
| Measure | Symonds Street East 39% of titles | Grafton West 37% of titles | Grafton 14% of titles | Auckland whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 2,208 | 1,332 | 1,779 | 1,656,486 |
| Change since 2018 | +11.5% | +49.0% | +5.5% | +5.4% |
| Change since 2013 | −1.2% | +43.2% | −5.3% | +17.0% |
| Median age | 22.7 | 32.4 | 30.7 | 35.9 |
| Households | 678 | 675 | 534 | 539,490 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 17.3% | 37.3% | 34.3% | 59.5% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 83.2% | 62.7% | 65.2% | 40.5% |
| Median household income | $51,600 | $117,700 | $122,100 | $116,800 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $425 | $600 | $520 | $540 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 11.6% | 17.0% | 17.2% | 8.8% |
| Ages | ||||
| Under 15 | 3.3% | 5.9% | 6.1% | 19.2% |
| 15 to 29 | 67.5% | 34.9% | 42.2% | 20.9% |
| 30 to 64 | 27.4% | 53.2% | 41.5% | 46.5% |
| 65 and over | 1.9% | 6.1% | 10.3% | 13.3% |
| Where people came from | ||||
| Born overseas | 61.0% | 59.6% | 49.1% | 42.9% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 60.8% | 28.6% | 38.1% | 19.6% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 76.8% | 74.6% | 62.1% | 45.0% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 11.4% | 10.3% | 9.2% | 5.6% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 69.7% | 42.8% | 46.5% | 21.1% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | ||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 34.5% | 61.8% | 47.0% | 32.9% |
| Employed full-time | 28.5% | 68.6% | 48.9% | 53.2% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 6.5% | 3.4% | 4.8% | 3.3% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 42.0% | 67.0% | 57.5% | 47.5% |
| Median personal income | $13,000 | $66,200 | $39,400 | $44,700 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | ||||
| Work from home | 14.6% | 17.0% | 17.0% | 18.2% |
| Car, truck or van | 22.3% | 37.0% | 33.7% | 68.6% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 24.4% | 15.2% | 17.0% | 7.8% |
| Walk or cycle | 37.5% | 28.8% | 30.6% | 4.2% |
| Households and families | ||||
| One-person households | 35.5% | 33.3% | 30.4% | 18.5% |
| Average people per household | 1.9 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 58.5% | 13.1% | 16.2% | 6.8% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 7.9% | 7.9% | 8.9% | 8.8% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 23.2% | 18.2% | 28.0% | 47.2% |
| Couples without children | 66.7% | 71.1% | 62.4% | 35.5% |
| One-parent families | 10.1% | 10.7% | 10.8% | 17.3% |
| Homes | ||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 1.3% | 3.0% | 27.4% | 71.5% |
| Average bedrooms | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 27.4% | 40.7% | 53.5% | 66.3% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 20.2% | 7.7% | 25.8% | 20.1% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 11.9% | 3.8% | 20.2% | 17.4% |
Rents around Grafton
New tenancies in Symonds Street East in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $472 a week (up 8.5% on a year earlier). That is below the typical suburb in Auckland ($675), and below the national median ($600); 2nd lowest of 129 in Auckland.
| April–June 2026 | Symonds Street East 39% of titles | Eden Terrace 37% of titles | Grafton 14% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $472 | $600 | $300 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $400–$499 | $460–$700 | $290–$498 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +8.5% | +3.4% | +0.0% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 102 | 126 | 69 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Grafton
No school site lies inside Grafton's boundary; the nearest is The BUSY School NZ, 0.5 km away in a straight line.
- Nearest school: The BUSY School NZ (0.5 km)
- Nearest secondary school: The BUSY School NZ (0.5 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Auckland City Hospital (0.3 km)
School enrolment zones in Grafton: a guide
Two secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Grafton's titles: Auckland Grammar and Auckland Girls' Grammar School.
- Newmarket School (primary, Years 1–6): about 50% of titles
- Newton Central School (primary, Years 1–6): about 35% of titles
- Freemans Bay School (primary, Years 1–6): about 15% of titles
- Parnell School (primary, Years 1–8): about 5% of titles
- Ponsonby Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): about 50% of titles
- Kowhai Intermediate School (intermediate, Years 7–8): about 40% of titles
- Auckland Normal Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): about 5% of titles
- Auckland Grammar (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Auckland Girls' Grammar School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Public transport in Grafton
100% of Grafton's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, above Auckland as a whole (82%).
100% are that close to a frequent stop (60 or more departures that day), well above the council (54%); in the highest quarter of 160 in Auckland.
100% are within 800 m of a train station or ferry wharf.
The typical title is 105 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Auckland Transport. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Grafton
OpenStreetMap maps 5 places of worship inside Grafton (4 Christian, 1 other or not recorded).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Liberal Catholic Church of Saint Francis, under 1 km away
- Hindu: Sri Radha Krishna Mandir, 1.2 km away
- Buddhist: New Zealand Tsi MIng Temple, 4.8 km away
- Muslim: AUT Masjid - Muslim Prayer Hall, under 1 km away
- Sikh: Gurdwara Sahib North Shore, 9.0 km away
- Jewish: Auckland Hebrew Congregation, under 1 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Auckland with many cross-leases
- Papatoetoe: 3,998 cross-lease titles (25.8%)
- Remuera: 3,046 cross-lease titles (26.7%)
- Mount Roskill: 2,891 cross-lease titles (28.3%)
- Mount Wellington: 2,700 cross-lease titles (24.1%)
- Glenfield: 2,347 cross-lease titles (36.6%)
- Epsom: 2,335 cross-lease titles (29.8%)
- New Lynn: 2,016 cross-lease titles (24.4%)
- Mount Eden: 2,005 cross-lease titles (20.7%)
Suburbs like Grafton
The closest match on the measures on this site is Mount Cook in Wellington City, nearest on near a stop, near a frequent stop, distance to the coast. Closeness is arithmetic, not a rating. Sources and limits
| Suburb | Council | Cross-lease share of titles | Median weekly rent, new tenancies | Median age | Closest on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Cook | Wellington City | 1.2% | $350 | 25.6 | near a stop, near a frequent stop, distance to the coast |
| Eden Terrace | Auckland | 1.3% | $600 | 33 | schools, distance to the coast, near a frequent stop |
| Newmarket | Auckland | 5.0% | $640 | 34.1 | near a stop, near a frequent stop, commuting by public transport |
| Parnell | Auckland | 11.7% | $720 | 32.2 | near a stop, distance to the coast, distance to a hospital |
| Hamilton Central | Hamilton City | 5.1% | $495 | 39 | stand-alone houses, distance to a hospital, rent |
Questions
What is the rent in Grafton?
New tenancies in Symonds Street East (the rent area for part of Grafton) had a median rent of $472 a week in the April–June 2026 quarter (MBIE bond data, all dwelling types). These are rents agreed for new tenancies, not asking rents. The middle half of those rents ran from $400 to $499.
What schools are in Grafton?
No school site lies inside Grafton's boundary. The nearest school is The BUSY School NZ (0.5 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles are Auckland Grammar and Auckland Girls' Grammar School; check the school's own zone map for any address.