Whangarei District is a territorial authority district in the Northland Region of New Zealand that is governed by the Whangarei District Council. The district is made up in area largely by rural land, and includes a fifth of the Northland Region. It extends southwards to the southern end of Bream Bay, northwards to Whangaruru and almost to the Bay of Islands, and westwards up the Mangakahia River valley past Pakotai and almost to Waipoua Forest. It includes the Hen and Chicken Islands and the Poor Knights Islands.

Whangarei District
Mt Lion at the Whangarei Heads as viewed from Mt Manaia
Mt Lion at the Whangarei Heads as viewed from Mt Manaia
Whangarei district within the North Island
Whangarei district within the North Island
CountryNew Zealand
RegionNorthland
DistrictWhangarei District Council
WardsMāori
Bream Bay
Hikurangi-Coastal
Mangakahia-Maungatapere
Whangārei Heads
Whangārei Urban
Local hapūNgāti Hine
Ngāti Wai
Patuharakeke
Te Parawhau
SeatWhangārei
Government
 • MayorVince Cocurullo[1]
 • Deputy MayorPhil Halse [2]
 • Territorial authorityWhangarei District Council
Area
 • Total
2,855 km2 (1,102 sq mi)
 • Land2,711.44 km2 (1,046.89 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate 
(June 2024)
102,200
Postcode(s)

The principal urban area and district seat is the city of Whangārei. Other towns include Hūkerenui, Hikurangi, Titoki, Portland, Ruakākā and Waipu. The district population was 102,200 in June 2024.[4]

The district contains beaches such as Ngunguru, game fishing at Tutukaka, a variety of beaches along Whangārei Harbour, as well as Matakohe or Limestone Island in the Harbour, now subject to ecological restoration. The main airport for the district is Whangarei Airport.

Demographics

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Whangarei District covers 2,711.44 km2 (1,046.89 sq mi)[5] and had an estimated population of 102,200 as of June 2024,[4] with a population density of 38 people per km2.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
200674,463—    
201376,995+0.48%
201890,960+3.39%
202396,678+1.23%
Source: [6][7]

Whangarei District had a population of 96,678 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 5,718 people (6.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 19,683 people (25.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 47,211 males, 49,218 females and 252 people of other genders in 35,535 dwellings.[8] 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 19,140 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 15,465 (16.0%) aged 15 to 29, 41,829 (43.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 20,244 (20.9%) aged 65 or older.[6]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 76.3% European (Pākehā); 31.4% Māori; 4.5% Pasifika; 6.4% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.0%, Māori language by 7.5%, Samoan by 0.3% and other languages by 8.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 30.4% Christian, 1.0% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 2.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.8%, and 7.6% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 11,343 (14.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 43,365 (55.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 19,200 (24.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $36,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6,681 people (8.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 35,892 (46.3%) people were employed full-time, 10,545 (13.6%) were part-time, and 2,256 (2.9%) were unemployed.[6]

 
Population density in the 2023 census
Individual wards
Name Area
(km2)
Population Density
(per km2)
Dwellings Median age Median
income
Mangakahia-Maungatapere General Ward 582.45 7,593 13 2,595 43.2 years $41,800[9]
Hikurangi-Coastal General Ward 987.46 13,704 14 4,839 43.2 years $38,200[10]
Whangārei Heads General Ward 271.77 7,743 28 2,925 48.7 years $39,300[11]
Whangārei Urban General Ward 56.50 52,089 922 19,215 38.0 years $35,100[12]
Bream Bay General Ward 813.27 15,552 19 5,967 48.4 years $36,500[13]
New Zealand 38.1 years $41,500

Government

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Whangarei District Council was formed by an amalgamation of Whangarei City Council, Whangarei County Council and Hikurangi Town Council as part of New Zealand's 1989 local government reforms.

There is a district-wide Māori ward and five general wards: Whangārei Urban in the city, Hikurangi-Coastal in the north, Mangakahia-Maungatapere inland to the west, Bream Bay in the south, and Whangārei Heads to the east of the city.

The mayor is Vince Cocurullo.[14]

References

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  1. ^ "Northland's longest serving politician named Whangārei Deputy Mayor". 16 September 2023.
  2. ^ "Northland's longest serving politician named Whangārei Deputy Mayor". 16 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Whangarei District Quarterly Review" (PDF). Statistics New Zealand. September 2007. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 June 2010.
  4. ^ a b c "Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  5. ^ "ArcGIS Web Application". statsnz.maps.arcgis.com. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  6. ^ a b c "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Whangarei District (002). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Whangarei District (002). 2018 Census place summary: Whangarei District
  8. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Mangakahia-Maungatapere General Ward. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Hikurangi-Coastal General Ward. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Whangārei Heads General Ward. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Whangārei Urban General Ward. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Bream Bay General Ward. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Mayor and Councillors". Whangarei District Council. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
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35°43′08″S 174°18′32″E / 35.719°S 174.309°E / -35.719; 174.309