| Cook Islands 2016 Census | |
| Country: | Cook Islands |
| Population: | 17,434[1] |
| Percent Change: | 2.06% |
| Annual Percent Change: | 0.41% |
| Region Type: | Island |
| Most Populous: | Rarotonga (13,007) |
| Least Populous: | Palmerston (58) |
| Previous Census: | 2011 Cook Islands Census |
| Previous Year: | 2011 |
| Next Census: | 2021 Cook Islands Census |
| Next Year: | 2021 |
The 2016 Cook Islands Census took place on December 1, 2016.[1] The population of the Cook Islands was counted as 17,434 – a decrease of 360 (2.06%) from the 2011 census.[1]
Population counts for the inhabited Islands of the Cook Islands. All figures are for the total population count. The resident population count was 14,802.[1]
| Island | Population | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13,007 | 74.61 | ||
| 1,941 | 11.13 | ||
| 499 | 2.86 | ||
| 434 | 2.49 | ||
| 297 | 1.7 | ||
| 155 | 0.89 | ||
| Southern Islands | 3,326 | 19.08 | |
| 444 | 2.55 | ||
| 226 | 1.3 | ||
| 212 | 1.22 | ||
| 83 | 0.48 | ||
| 78 | 0.45 | ||
| 58 | 0.33 | ||
| Northern Islands | 1,101 | 6.32 | |
 Cook Islands | 17,434 | 100 |
The largest ethnic groups in 2016 were 78.2% Cook Islands Māori, 7.6% part Cook Islands Māori, and 14.2% other ethnic groups.[1]
Data is for the census usually-resident population count.[1]
| Ethnic group | Population | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cook Islands Māori | 11,575 | 78.2 | |
| Part Cook Islands Māori | 1,128 | 7.62 | |
| Other | 2,099 | 14.18 | |
| Total | 14,802 | 100 |
The largest religion in the Cook Islands is the Cook Islands Christian Church with 48.8% of the population identifying with that religion in 2016. Data is for the census usually-resident population count.[1]
| Religious affiliation | Population | % |
|---|---|---|
| Christian | 12,866 | 86.92 |
| 7,225 | 48.81 | |
| 2,574 | 17.39 | |
| 1,249 | 8.44 | |
| 609 | 4.11 | |
| 569 | 3.84 | |
| 357 | 2.41 | |
| 283 | 1.91 | |
| Irreligion/Not Stated | 1,097 | 7.41 |
| Other | 839 | 5.67 |
| Total | 14,802 | 100 |