Kaingaroa, Bay of Plenty

Kaingaroa
Town
Coordinates: 38°24′29″S 176°33′54″E / 38.408°S 176.565°E / -38.408; 176.565
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Rotorua Lakes District
Ward	Rotorua Rural General Ward
Community	Rotorua Rural Community
Electorates	Rotorua Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Rotorua Lakes Council
• Regional council	Bay of Plenty Regional Council
Area [1]
• Total	11.29 km2 (4.36 sq mi)
Population  (June 2023)[2]
• Total	420
• Density	37/km2 (96/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3073

Kaingaroa, also called Kaingaroa Forest (not to be confused with the actual forest) or Kaingaroa Village, is a small town southeast of Rotorua within the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island. The town is the headquarters of Kaingaroa Forest.

Demographics

Kaingaroa is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, and covers 11.29 km² (4.36 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 420 as of June 2023,^[2] with a population density of 37 people per km². Kaingaroa is part of the larger Kaingaroa-Whakarewarewa statistical area.

Historical population for Kaingaroa

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	483	—
2013	426	−1.78%
2018	402	−1.15%
Source: [3]

Kaingaroa had a population of 402 at the

. There were 123 households, comprising 213 males and 189 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.13 males per female, with 117 people (29.1%) aged under 15 years, 87 (21.6%) aged 15 to 29, 162 (40.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 30 (7.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 23.9% European/Pākehā, 88.8% Māori, 5.2% Pacific peoples, 1.5% Asian, and 0.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.5% had no religion, 28.4% were Christian, 11.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu and 2.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (3.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 93 (32.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 9 people (3.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 108 (37.9%) people were employed full-time, 48 (16.8%) were part-time, and 33 (11.6%) were unemployed.^[3]

Kaingaroa-Whakarewarewa statistical area

Kaingaroa-Whakarewarewa statistical area, which also includes Lake Ōkareka and Lake Tarawera, covers 465.82 km² (179.85 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 1,990 as of June 2023,^[4] with a population density of 4.3 people per km².

Historical population for Kaingaroa-Whakarewarewa

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,902	—
2013	1,881	−0.16%
2018	1,887	+0.06%
Source: [5]

Kaingaroa-Whakarewarewa had a population of 1,887 at the

. There were 690 households, comprising 975 males and 912 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.07 males per female. The median age was 42.0 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 402 people (21.3%) aged under 15 years, 324 (17.2%) aged 15 to 29, 903 (47.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 261 (13.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 76.5% European/Pākehā, 32.6% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 2.1% Asian, and 1.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 14.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.8% had no religion, 31.2% were Christian, 3.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 336 (22.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 243 (16.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $37,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 312 people (21.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 771 (51.9%) people were employed full-time, 264 (17.8%) were part-time, and 48 (3.2%) were unemployed.^[5]

Marae

Te Huingawaka Marae is local meeting ground for the

In October 2020, the Government committed $461,159 from the

Education

Kaingaroa Forest School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students living in the forest area,[9] with a roll of 28 as of February 2024.^[10]

References