The Takapuna area had sufficient population to became a city in 1966, with East Coast Bays in 1975 and Birkenhead in 1979, while Devonport and Northcote remained as boroughs. The earliest publicly available meshblock data for local population numbers and density is from the 1981 census, when the North Shore had a combined population of 135,505. As of June 2024, the estimated population of the North Shore was 258,697.

In 1981, Narrow Neck had a population density of 21.7 people per hectare (a hectare is around 2.47 acres), while Mount Victoria (Takarunga) had 28.3 and Stanley Bay 20.7 (including Devonport Naval Base); Devonport as a whole averaged 23.4. In 1956 Devonport Borough was the only borough on the North Shore to see a drop in population, and at that time had a population density of around 25 people per hectare, while Takapuna had just 14. Back in 1936, Devonport Borough had a population density of around 22.45 people per hectare.
By 1981, most Takapuna suburbs had now reached a similar population density to Devonport. Results for central Takapuna (20.4 density) now echoed that in Belmont (19.2) and Bayswater (23.6), along with Hauraki (26), Milford (25.9) and Westlake (a 10.5 density but the area included the Takapuna Golf Course, three secondary schools and North Shore Hospital). Elsewhere in the Takapuna area Crown Hill had 28.3 and Castor Bay 20.4. Access to the Auckland harbour bridge on and off ramps, and the Northern motorway, were now key factors, rather than close proximity to Takapuna or Milford Beaches.
In 1981 both Birkenhead and Northcote presented a complete reversal of the situation in 1925, when most of the population lived close to the ferry wharves. Around 67% of Northcote residents now lived north of Onewa Road, while around 64% of Birkenhead City residents now lived in either Beach Haven or Birkdale.
As with Takapuna, the East Coast Bays, to the east of East Coast Road, now had a similar population density to Devonport. Castor Bay had 20.4, Torbay 19.5, Waiake 21.4, Browns Bay 18, Rothesay Bay 16.4, Murrays Bay 17.9 and Mairangi Bay 24.5. The exceptions were Campbells Bay (including Centennial Park and the Pupuke Golf Course) with only 11.8, and undeveloped Long Bay at 0.5.
What is also interesting in 1981 is the growth of new suburbs. These included Wairau (16.4, including the industrial zone), Target Road (13.8, also including the industrial zone), Forrest Hill (24.6), Sunnynook (28.4) and Sunnybrae (17.7). Further west, there are Kaipatiki (23), Eskdale (15), Manuka (16.7), Hillcrest (29.2) and Glenfield Central (30.3). Northwards, rural Albany had just 1.1 (north) and 0.7 (south), while Greenhithe had 1.8. It wasn't until the 1990s that Albany and Greenhithe were opened up for suburban development.
At the 2013 census, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area had a population density of 26.3 people per hectare (over 30 in Hauraki and Sunnynook), while Kaipatiki had 24.4 (over 30 in each of Beach Haven, Eskdale, Bayview, Glenfield and Hillcrest). In comparison, across the harbour the Albert-Eden Local Board density was 33.4 and inner city Waitematā  39.8.
Today the population growth in both the Devonport-Takapuna and Kaipatiki Local Board areas has now plateaued, or even dipped slightly. The Auckland population is now expanding further north, as well as to the north-west and to the south.

david.verran@xtra.co.nz