Freedom Score in New Zealand
New Zealand: Freedom Score was 99 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Freedom Score in New Zealand, 2002–2025
Source: Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, freedom score in New Zealand stood at 99. That is the highest value across all 24 years on record.
The figure is up 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, freedom score in New Zealand peaked at 99 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 96, in 2003.
New Zealand ranks 2nd of 197 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Freedom Score in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 97 | — |
| 2003 | 96 | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 96 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 96 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 96 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 96 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 96 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 97 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 97 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 98 | +1.0% |
| 2016 | 98 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 98 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 98 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 97 | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 99 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 99 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 99 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 99 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 99 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 99 | +0.0% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 99 is above the median for high income countries, which is 90, 1.1× the median. (66 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 99 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 73, 1.4× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 96.25 | 96 | 97 | 8 |
| 2010s | 97.4 | 97 | 98 | 10 |
| 2020s | 99 | 99 | 99 | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More social development data for New Zealand
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,148 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 58 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is freedom score in New Zealand?
- Freedom score in New Zealand was 99 in 2025, according to Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest freedom score recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 99 in 2020.
- What is the lowest freedom score recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 96 in 2003.
- How does New Zealand rank for freedom score?
- New Zealand ranks 2nd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is freedom score rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Freedom Score. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Freedom House’s freedom score captures the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, a functioning government, freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Higher scores indicate more freedom.