REGIONAL REVIEW HAMILTON Situated on the banks of the Waikato River, Hamilton is New Zealand's largest inland city. It is a central, affordable, increasingly river-facing city which is growing fast.
The population is youthful and innovative: about half of its residents are under the age of 30. It's also a culturally diverse city, home to more than 80 ethnic groups.
Despite its strong population growth, from 160,800 in 2016 to 176,500 in 2020, it is comfortable in its own skin. At a time when city centres are suffering around the country in the wake of Covid-19, Hamilton is going through a renaissance, with new CBD developments making the most of the magnificent Waikato.
While Hamilton is larger than some Australian capital cities, such as Hobart and Darwin, it's easy to…