Waipā District
Template:Use New Zealand English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox settlement
Waipā District (or Waipa District) is a municipality in the Waikato region of New Zealand that is administered by the Waipā District Council. Its most populous town is Cambridge. The seat of the council is at the second most populous town, Te Awamutu. The district is south and south-east of the city of Hamilton. It has five wards: Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Pirongia, Maungatautari and Kakepuku.
Although the official name remains Waipa District,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the council sought in 2020 a simpler means of changing to Waipā District, which is the orthographic form it uses.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
The District was formed from Waipa County Council and its town boroughs in 1989.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county boundaries have varied since five ridings were formed in Waipa county in 1876: Newcastle, Hamilton, Mangapiko North and South,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Rangiaowhia,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Pukekura.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1902, it covered Template:Convert and had an additional riding, Tuhikaramea.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1923, Waipa County covered Template:Convert and had a population of 9,275, with Template:Convert of gravel roads, Template:Convert of mud roads and Template:Convert of tracks.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
The Waikato River forms much of the eastern boundary of the district, before it flows north-westward through the district, past Cambridge. The Waipā River, the Waikato River's main tributary, flows northwards through the western part of the district;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the two rivers meet outside the district. The highest mountains are Mount Pirongia in the west and Maungatautari in the east.
The region's economy is based largely on dairy farming and cereal production. The southeastern corner of the district includes the hydroelectric project at Karāpiro.
Demographics
Waipā District covers Template:Convert<ref name="Area">Template:Cite web</ref> and had an estimated population of Template:NZ population data 2018 as of Template:NZ population data 2018 with a population density of Template:Decimals people per km2. Template:NZ population data 2018 people live in Cambridge and Template:NZ population data 2018 in Te Awamutu.
Template:Historical populations Waipā District had a population of 58,686 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 5,445 people (10.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 12,018 people (25.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 28,620 males, 29,886 females and 177 people of other genders in 21,795 dwellings.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 40.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 11,751 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 9,651 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 25,896 (44.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 11,388 (19.4%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 86.5% European (Pākehā); 15.9% Māori; 2.3% Pasifika; 6.1% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori language by 3.4%, Samoan by 0.2% and other languages by 8.4%. No language could be spoken by 2.1% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 32.2% Christian, 0.9% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 0.8% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.7%, and 7.8% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 7,965 (17.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 25,443 (54.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 10,878 (23.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $45,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6,432 people (13.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 24,564 (52.3%) people were employed full-time, 6,645 (14.2%) were part-time, and 891 (1.9%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Name | Area (km2) |
Population | Density (per km2) |
Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirongia-Kakepuku General Ward | 860.64 | 12,549 | 14.6 | 4,386 | 39.7 years | $50,500<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Cambridge General Ward | 83.33 | 23,556 | 282.7 | 9,009 | 43.2 years | $43,600<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Maungatautari General Ward | 471.96 | 5,229 | 11.1 | 1,869 | 40.7 years | $52,200<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Te Awamutu-Kihikihi General Ward | 54.15 | 17,352 | 320.4 | 6,534 | 39.0 years | $41,800<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
References
External links
Template:Adjacent communities Template:Waipa District Template:Cities and districts of New Zealand