Kauwhata is a rural locality and a statistical area in Manawatū District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region in New Zealand's central North Island.

The locality is named after a Māori chief who originally owned the land.^[1]

Kauwhata School existed at least between 1913^[2] and 1928.^[3]

Demographics

Kauwhata statistical area covers 154.29 km² (59.57 sq mi)^[4] and had an estimated population of 2,130 as of June 2022,^[5] with a population density of 14 people per km².

The statistical area had a population of 1,971 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 54 people (2.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 99 people (5.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 666 households, comprising 1,002 males and 969 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The median age was 41.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 414 people (21.0%) aged under 15 years, 318 (16.1%) aged 15 to 29, 966 (49.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 276 (14.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 91.0% European/Pākehā, 12.6% Māori, 1.2% Pacific peoples, 2.4% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.2% had no religion, 39.6% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 0.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 279 (17.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 297 (19.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $39,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 342 people (22.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 897 (57.6%) people were employed full-time, 255 (16.4%) were part-time, and 42 (2.7%) were unemployed.^[6]

References