Richmond, Tasman

When the area was first settled, it was known as Waimea East.^[8]

During the period 1853 to 1876, the Richmond urban area was administered as part of Nelson Province. With the Abolition of Provinces Act 1876, Waimea County was created, effective in January 1877. Richmond was included in the Waimea County boundaries, and served as the administrative headquarters of the county.

In 1891, the administrative authority for the urban area of Richmond was transferred from Waimea County to the Richmond Borough Council.^[9]

Richmond Borough existed until the 1989 local government reforms, when the Tasman District was formed through the amalgamation of the Richmond Borough, Golden Bay County, Murchison County and Waimea County administrative areas.^[10]

Stats NZ describes Richmond as a medium urban area, which covers 17.55 km² (6.78 sq mi).^[4] It incorporates nine statistical areas. The Daelyn statistical area, covering 1.47 km² (0.57 sq mi), is the sole area of Richmond within Nelson City; the remaining eight areas are within Tasman District.^[4] It had an estimated population of 19,950 as of June 2025,^[5] with a population density of 1,137 people per km².

Richmond had a population of 18,447 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3,069 people (20.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 4,974 people (36.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 8,841 males, 9,546 females, and 60 people of other genders in 7,266 dwellings.^[13] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 45.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 3,069 people (16.6%) aged under 15 years, 3,000 (16.3%) aged 15 to 29, 7,689 (41.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 4,692 (25.4%) aged 65 or older.^[11]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.2% European (Pākehā); 8.5% Māori; 1.9% Pasifika; 6.0% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori by 1.5%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 8.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 20.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[11]

Religious affiliations were 32.4% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 0.1% Māori religious beliefs, 1.2% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.2%, and 7.9% of people did not answer the census question.^[11]

Of those at least 15 years old, 3,045 (19.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 8,667 (56.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 3,660 (23.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 1,530 people (9.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 7,074 (46.0%) full-time, 2,232 (14.5%) part-time, and 270 (1.8%) unemployed.^[11]

Nelson Speedway is a motorcycle speedway, approximately 4 kilometres to the north on Lansdowne Road, off Lower Queen Street.^[55] The track races various types of cars, such as stock cars, superstocks, midgets, sprint cars, sidecars and saloons.^[56] It was a significant venue for motorcycle speedway events, including qualifying rounds of the Speedway World Championship, (the first in 1988).^[57][58]

• 
  Sundial Square in central Richmond, New Zealand. The sundial in view was unveiled in 1994 and weighs 800 kilograms.
• 
  Richmond seen from the air, showing its close connection to Nelson at the right

• Nelson
• Tasman District
• Hope
• Brightwater
• Wakefield