Palmerston North housing’s big mover

The Square in Palmerston North

Has comedian John Cleese’s 2006 quip that “grotty” Palmerston North is the “suicide capital” of New Zealand been taken seriously? Almost as a leap of faith, Palmerston North is becoming a risk free area to invest in housing.

Massey University calls itself the engine of the new New Zealand. And Palmerston North is providing the perfect vehicle for that engine.  Constantly changing and innovating, Palmerston North draws some of the best and brightest people; a large chunk of its population changes from one year to the next. 

More, though, are staying than ever before.  They are drawn to Palmerston North’s impressive high-value industries, including education, defence, health, agribusiness and food technology.  Alongside its increasing prosperity, Palmerston North aims to be the perfect spot for families, with a low cost of living and affordable properties. 

“People come here from New Zealand and around the world, looking for somewhere where they can have a great career and spend time with their families,” Craig Nash, director of Spearhead Manawatu, says.  “This is the best place in New Zealand to raise a family because it’s big enough to be important but small enough to be a community.”