Pongakawa
Rural community in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pongakawa is a rural community in the Bay of Plenty of New Zealand's North Island.[6] State Highway 2 runs through it.
Pongakawa | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Pongakawa | |
| Coordinates: 37.836741°S 176.476480°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Bay of Plenty |
| Territorial authority | Western Bay of Plenty |
| Ward | Maketu-Te Puke Ward |
| Established | pre-European |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial authority | Western Bay of Plenty District Council |
| • Regional council | Bay of Plenty Regional Council |
| • Mayor of Western Bay of Plenty | James Denyer[1] |
| • East Coast MP | Dana Kirkpatrick[2] |
| • Waiariki MP | Rawiri Waititi[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 52.20 km2 (20.15 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 27 m (89 ft) |
| Population (2023 Census)[5] | |
• Total | 459 |
| • Density | 8.79/km2 (22.8/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
| Postcode | 3189 |
| Area code | 07 |
The name of the settlement comes from Māori terms meaning "Bitter ferns".[7]
Demographics
Pongakawa community covers 52.20 km2 (20.15 sq mi).[4] It is part of the larger Pongakawa statistical area.[8]
The community had a population of 459 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (6.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 42 people (10.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 252 males and 210 females in 153 dwellings.[10] 1.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 105 people (22.9%) aged under 15 years, 78 (17.0%) aged 15 to 29, 219 (47.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 57 (12.4%) aged 65 or older.[5]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 89.5% European (Pākehā); 22.2% Māori; 0.7% Pasifika; 3.3% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.7%, Māori by 3.3%, and other languages by 6.5%. No language could be spoken by 2.6% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 11.8, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]
Religious affiliations were 22.9% Christian, 1.3% Māori religious beliefs, and 3.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.7%, and 9.2% of people did not answer the census question.[5]
Of those at least 15 years old, 57 (16.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 210 (59.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (23.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 48 people (13.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 210 (59.3%) full-time, 81 (22.9%) part-time, and 3 (0.8%) unemployed.[5]
Pongakawa statistical area
Pongakawa statistical area, which also includes Paengaroa and Otamarakau, covers 389.03 km2 (150.21 sq mi)[11] and had an estimated population of 3,510 as of June 2025,[12] with a population density of 9.0 people per km2.
Pongakawa statistical area had a population of 3,261 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 180 people (5.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 588 people (22.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,725 males, 1,527 females, and 9 people of other genders in 1,038 dwellings.[15] 1.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 36.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 759 people (23.3%) aged under 15 years, 564 (17.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,500 (46.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 438 (13.4%) aged 65 or older.[13]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 81.3% European (Pākehā); 26.5% Māori; 3.9% Pasifika; 4.1% Asian; 1.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori by 6.4%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 7.3%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[13]
Religious affiliations were 22.3% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 2.0% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.2%, and 9.8% of people did not answer the census question.[13]
Of those at least 15 years old, 351 (14.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,464 (58.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 681 (27.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 261 people (10.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,416 (56.6%) full-time, 402 (16.1%) part-time, and 36 (1.4%) unemployed.[13]
Marae
The local Tokerau Marae and Pikiao meeting house are a traditional meeting ground of the Ngāti Pikiao tribe.[16][17]