Waikeria
Settlement in Waikato, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Waikeria is a rural community in the Ōtorohanga District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.[6]
Waikeria | |
|---|---|
Village | |
 Interactive map of Waikeria | |
| Coordinates: 38.120607°S 175.391019°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Waikato Region |
| District | Ōtorohanga District |
| Ward | Wharepuhunga General Ward |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Ōtorohanga District Council |
| • Regional council | Waikato Regional Council |
| • Mayor of Ōtorohanga | Rodney Dow[1] |
| • Taranaki-King Country MP | Barbara Kuriger[2] |
| • Te Tai Hauāuru MP | Debbie Ngarewa-Packer[3] |
| Area | |
• Territorial | 55.78 km2 (21.54 sq mi) |
| Population (2023 Census)[5] | |
• Territorial | 588 |
| • Density | 10.5/km2 (27.3/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+12 (NZST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+13 (NZDT) |
Waikeria Prison, one of New Zealand's largest prisons, is located on a 1,200-hectare (3,000-acre) site on Waikeria Road.[7]
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "dug-out water" for Waikeria.[8]
Marae
The local Whakamārama Marae is a meeting place of the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Puehutore.[9] It includes Te Rangimoeakau meeting house.[10]
Demographics
Waikeria locality, including the prison, covers 55.78 km2 (21.54 sq mi).[4] Waikeria is part of the larger Puniu statistical area.[11]
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7013018 had a population of 588 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 54 people (10.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 114 people (24.1%) since the 2013 census. The gender ratio is distorted by the prison population. There were 474 males, 108 females, and 3 people of other genders in 75 dwellings.[13] 3.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 42 people (7.1%) aged under 15 years, 81 (13.8%) aged 15 to 29, 402 (68.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 60 (10.2%) aged 65 or older.[5]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 59.7% European (Pākehā); 48.0% Māori; 8.7% Pasifika; 3.6% Asian; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 4.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori by 13.8%, Samoan by 1.5%, and other languages by 4.6%. No language could be spoken by 0.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.0%. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]
Religious affiliations were 25.0% Christian, 0.5% Hindu, 1.0% Islam, 11.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 1.0% New Age, and 2.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.6%, and 4.6% of people did not answer the census question.[5]
Of those at least 15 years old, 39 (7.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 348 (63.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 165 (30.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 18 people (3.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 189 (34.6%) full-time, 60 (11.0%) part-time, and 27 (4.9%) unemployed.[5]
Puniu statistical area
Puniu statistical area covers 674.02 km2 (260.24 sq mi)[14] and had an estimated population of 1,610 as of June 2025,[15] with a population density of 2.4 people per km2.
Puniu had a population of 1,587 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 99 people (6.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 180 people (12.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,011 males, 570 females, and 6 people of other genders in 438 dwellings.[18] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 37.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 291 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 258 (16.3%) aged 15 to 29, 867 (54.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 171 (10.8%) aged 65 or older.[16]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 76.6% European (Pākehā); 29.3% Māori; 4.5% Pasifika; 4.9% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori by 7.2%, Samoan by 0.9%, and other languages by 6.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 12.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.[16]
Religious affiliations were 25.7% Christian, 0.8% Hindu, 0.6% Islam, 4.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, and 2.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.7%, and 6.4% of people did not answer the census question.[16]
Of those at least 15 years old, 156 (12.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 780 (60.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 360 (27.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $28,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 96 people (7.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 654 (50.5%) full-time, 165 (12.7%) part-time, and 39 (3.0%) unemployed.[16]
Education
Climate
| Climate data for Waikeria (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1957–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 32.2 (90.0) |
32.1 (89.8) |
32.8 (91.0) |
28.2 (82.8) |
24.9 (76.8) |
21.1 (70.0) |
20.0 (68.0) |
21.8 (71.2) |
25.0 (77.0) |
28.0 (82.4) |
29.7 (85.5) |
31.3 (88.3) |
32.8 (91.0) |
| Mean maximum °C (°F) | 28.6 (83.5) |
29.0 (84.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
24.8 (76.6) |
21.0 (69.8) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.2 (63.0) |
18.0 (64.4) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.0 (71.6) |
24.4 (75.9) |
27.0 (80.6) |
29.9 (85.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.0 (77.0) |
25.5 (77.9) |
23.6 (74.5) |
20.5 (68.9) |
17.1 (62.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
14.0 (57.2) |
14.9 (58.8) |
16.6 (61.9) |
18.3 (64.9) |
20.3 (68.5) |
22.8 (73.0) |
19.4 (67.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.8 (65.8) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.1 (62.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
11.8 (53.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
8.8 (47.8) |
9.6 (49.3) |
11.4 (52.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
14.9 (58.8) |
17.3 (63.1) |
13.8 (56.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
13.1 (55.6) |
10.6 (51.1) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.5 (43.7) |
4.3 (39.7) |
3.7 (38.7) |
4.3 (39.7) |
6.2 (43.2) |
8.0 (46.4) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.9 (53.4) |
8.3 (46.9) |
| Mean minimum °C (°F) | 5.7 (42.3) |
6.0 (42.8) |
3.6 (38.5) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−0.8 (30.6) |
−3.0 (26.6) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.0 (37.4) |
5.1 (41.2) |
−4.0 (24.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 1.2 (34.2) |
1.3 (34.3) |
−1.8 (28.8) |
−3.1 (26.4) |
−5.6 (21.9) |
−5.9 (21.4) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
−2.8 (27.0) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−8.4 (16.9) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 74.1 (2.92) |
68.9 (2.71) |
78.2 (3.08) |
79.3 (3.12) |
98.8 (3.89) |
113.5 (4.47) |
116.9 (4.60) |
115.1 (4.53) |
93.9 (3.70) |
101.6 (4.00) |
82.1 (3.23) |
92.5 (3.64) |
1,114.9 (43.89) |
| Source: NIWA (rain 1981–2010)[24][25][26] | |||||||||||||