Westown
Suburb of New Plymouth, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Westown is a suburb of New Plymouth, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the southwest of the city centre and west of Frankleigh Park.
Westown | |
|---|---|
Yarrow Stadium | |
 Interactive map of Westown | |
| Coordinates: 39°4′30″S 174°3′26″E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| City | New Plymouth |
| Local authority | New Plymouth District Council |
| Electoral ward |
|
| Area | |
| • Land | 237 ha (590 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 4,880 |
| • Density | 2,060/km2 (5,330/sq mi) |
| Hospitals | Taranaki Base Hospital |
| Lynmouth | New Plymouth Central | |
| Marfell |
  Westown  |
Vogeltown |
| Whalers Gate | Hurdon | Frankleigh Park |
Taranaki Base Hospital lies between Westown and Lynmouth. Yarrow Stadium is a rugby union ground in Westown.
Demographics
Westown covers 2.37 km2 (0.92 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 4,880 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 2,059 people per km2.
Westown had a population of 4,683 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 279 people (6.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 417 people (9.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,226 males, 2,433 females, and 24 people of other genders in 1,863 dwellings.[5] 3.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 38.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 927 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 825 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,947 (41.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 987 (21.1%) aged 65 or older.[3]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 77.6% European (Pākehā); 23.0% Māori; 3.4% Pasifika; 10.5% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.6%, Māori by 5.5%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 9.0%. No language could be spoken by 2.4% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.[3]
Religious affiliations were 34.4% Christian, 1.7% Hindu, 0.8% Islam, 1.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 50.5%, and 8.8% of people did not answer the census question.[3]
Of those at least 15 years old, 699 (18.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,046 (54.5%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,008 (26.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 267 people (7.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,695 (45.1%) full-time, 546 (14.5%) part-time, and 114 (3.0%) unemployed.[3]
Education
Francis Douglas Memorial College is a boys' secondary (years 7-13) school with a roll of 733 students as of October 2025.[6][7] It is a state-integrated Catholic school, founded in 1959.[8]
Westown School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1-6) school with a roll of 159 students as of October 2025.[6][9] It opened in 1925.[10]