St Johns Hill
Suburb of Whanganui, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
St Johns Hill is a suburb of Whanganui, in the Whanganui District and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island.
St Johns Hill | |
|---|---|
The Higginbottom Fountain at Virginia Lake Reserve | |
 Interactive map of St Johns Hill | |
| Coordinates: 39.916764°S 175.037380°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | Whanganui |
| Local authority | Whanganui District Council |
| Area | |
| • Land | 225 ha (560 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 3,440 |
| • Density | 1,530/km2 (3,960/sq mi) |
| Otamatea | Aramoho | |
  St Johns Hill  |
||
| Springvale | College Estate | Whanganui Central |
Demographics
St Johns Hill covers 2.25 km2 (0.87 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 3,440 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 1,529 people per km2.
St Johns Hill had a population of 3,396 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (0.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 252 people (8.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,524 males, 1,860 females, and 12 people of other genders in 1,431 dwellings.[5] 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 52.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 528 people (15.5%) aged under 15 years, 417 (12.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,305 (38.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,149 (33.8%) aged 65 or older.[3]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.8% European (Pākehā); 14.1% Māori; 1.8% Pasifika; 5.5% Asian; 1.1% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.9%, Māori by 3.4%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 8.9%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.[3]
Religious affiliations were 41.4% Christian, 0.8% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 1.3% Māori religious beliefs, 1.0% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.4% Jewish, and 0.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 46.6%, and 7.1% of people did not answer the census question.[3]
Of those at least 15 years old, 741 (25.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,515 (52.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 615 (21.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 351 people (12.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,155 (40.3%) full-time, 363 (12.7%) part-time, and 48 (1.7%) unemployed.[3]
Education
St Johns Hill School is a state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,[8] with a roll of 404.[9] The school opened in 1929, but there were predecessors from 1901.[10]
St Mary's School is a state-integrated primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[11] with a roll of 241.[12] It opened in 1919 on Victoria Avenue in the central city, moved to Grey Street in 1927 and then to Wicksteed Street in 1964. It moved to Aramoho in 1988, on a site occupied by Holy Infancy (later St Joseph's) school from 1899 to 1979.[13]
Cullinane College is a state-integrated secondary school,[14] with a roll of 495.[15] It opened in 2003 from a merge of Sacred Heart Girls College (established 1912 with a predecessor from 1880)[16] and St Augustine's [Boys] College (established 1944).[17][18]
Both these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of July 2026.[19]
Parks
Rotokawau Virginia Lake, located on St John's Hill, is a historic lake with a fountain, Art Deco conservatory and winter garden.[20]
Notable people
- James K. Baxter, poet and playwright, attended St Johns Hill School in 1936
- Emily White started a garden on her large property on St Johns Hill in 1882; it gained international renown
See also
- St John's railway station, 1881-1960