How parties will handle the economy is to be the big vote-grabber this election, according to a new poll.

A Herald-ZB-Kanter TNS poll asked 1000 people which issue was most likely to affect their vote this election.

A whopping one quarter of those polled said the economy was most likely to be the issue they vote on, and the next biggest issue was health.

Immigration was most important to just 9 percent of people, with the majority of that group based in Auckland.

LISTEN ABOVE: Political Editor Barry Soper discusses the poll

National’s campaign manager Steven Joyce said that's not overly surprising that immigration concerned Aucklanders most.

"Probably just because of some of the infrastructure challenges that Auckland has a past experience with, but now we're getting some of those new investments open, like Waterview and so on, people can see we have good response to the growth," he said.

MORE: Govt relaxes immigration proposals

A decent 16 percent of people say they'll vote on health policy, while 12 percent of the overall figure is most concerned about housing.

45 percent of the 1000 people surveyed think the Government should do more to make house prices fall, half of those people are aged between 18 to 39.

Mr Joyce said that's fair, as it is younger people who are trying to enter the market.

"I think the good news is that Auckland housing prices, in particular, have been flat to falling for the last 10 months now and I think the sort of things that have been causing house prices to go up are starting to come to the end of their run."

Labour's housing spokesman Phil Twyford said it's not surprising that over half of those who want more done, are aged between 18 and 39.

"They know that unless there's a real change in the policies on housing, they don't stand much of a chance at all of ever owning their own home."

MORE: Extra charges for new home buyers in Auckland

Mr Twyford said every other significant survey he's seen in recent months has had housing as the top issue.

"It's such an issue that touches so many people's lives, so many people are affected by the current crisis. I'm a bit surprised that it wasn't higher."

25 percent of people said the economy will affect their vote this election, while just 10 percent put poverty, and as little as three percent chose unemployment.

Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said it shows people are worried about how the Government will set itself up to deal with our social issues.

"The issues of poverty that we face, the issues with health and housing and I think they're also worried about how the economic settings will have an impact on the environment, so it's no surprise to me."

Ms Turei said the poll is about right in saying a quarter of New Zealander's are most concerned about how the economy's tracking.

She said they want to know we can pay for things that matter the most.

"What people are saying is the economic systems have to address the serious concerns that families face."