Matapihi
Suburb of Tauranga, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matapihi is a suburb and peninsula of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island, surrounded on most sides by the Tauranga Harbour.
Matapihi | |
|---|---|
Matapihi railway bridge to Tauranga Central | |
 Interactive map of Matapihi | |
| Coordinates: 37.696607°S 176.191083°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Tauranga |
| Local authority | Tauranga City Council |
| Electoral ward | Mauao/Mount Maunganui General Ward |
| Area | |
| • Land | 394 ha (970 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 880 |
| • Density | 220/km2 (580/sq mi) |
| (Waipu Bay) | Arataki | |
| (Tauranga Harbour) |
  Matapihi  |
|
| Maungatapu | (Rangataua Bay) |
It is connected to Mount Maunganui in the northeast by a land bridge, and Maungatapu in the southwest by Maungatapu Bridge. State Highway 29A runs through the suburb along this diagonal.
Demographics
Matapihi covers 3.94 km2 (1.52 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 880 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 223 people per km2.
Matapihi had a population of 837 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 108 people (14.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 162 people (24.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 414 males, 420 females, and 3 people of other genders in 219 dwellings.[5] 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 177 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 186 (22.2%) aged 15 to 29, 360 (43.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 111 (13.3%) aged 65 or older.[3]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 36.2% European (Pākehā); 80.6% Māori; 4.7% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 1.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 0.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori by 36.9%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 2.9%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 6.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.[3]
Religious affiliations were 25.8% Christian, 0.4% Hindu, 24.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, and 0.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 43.7%, and 4.7% of people did not answer the census question.[3]
Of those at least 15 years old, 108 (16.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 384 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 168 (25.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,700, compared with $41,500 nationally. 60 people (9.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 324 (49.1%) full-time, 102 (15.5%) part-time, and 39 (5.9%) unemployed.[3]
Marae
Matapihi has two marae:
- Hungahungatoroa or Whakahinga Marae and Tāpuiti meeting house is a meeting place of the Ngāi Te Rangi hapū of Ngāi Tukairangi.
- Waikari Marae and Tapukino meeting house is a meeting place of the Ngāi Te Rangi hapū of Ngāti Tapu.[6][7]