This book outlines the latest thinking about the preferences people have for their urban life, the patterns of urban development in Aotearoa, and the possibilities for our cities in the future. It takes a systems view, where all the components that make up the city are interlinked, so that a decision to change one aspect of the urban fabric can also affect other parts of the city system. Where we choose to build new houses and apartments affects housing and transport costs, access to social amenities, opportunities to increase healthy modes of transport such as walking and cycling, the amount of air pollution and many other factors. To explore the diverse aspects of New Zealand cities, the book draws on the knowledge of a wide range of experts. They are researchers, economists and scientists from universities, including Otago, Auckland, Massey, Victoria and Canterbury, and from Waiti, NIWA and Motu Economic and Public Policy Research. The book considers the experiences of urban Māori, the creation of community, urban transport and infrastructure, housing and housing affordability, ideas for compact cities, urban planning and governance, and what growing cities mean for our environment. Cities in New Zealand is a call to everyone with a stake in our cities to take hopeful action, so that our cities provide us, our children and grandchildren with places for a good life.