View source for Waitomo District

{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2025}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2014}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
| name                    = Waitomo District
| native_name             =
| native_name_lang        = <!-- ISO 639-2 code e.g. "fr" for French. If more than one, use {{lang}} instead -->
| settlement_type         = [[Districts of New Zealand|Territorial authority district]]
| image_skyline           = Farming Country In Waitomo Area.jpg
| image_alt               =
| image_caption           =
| image_flag              =
| flag_alt                =
| image_seal              =
| seal_alt                =
| image_shield            =
| shield_alt              =
| nickname                =
| motto                   =
| image_map          = Waitomo in the North Island.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_caption        = Waitomo district within the [[North Island]]
| pushpin_map             =
| pushpin_label_position  =
| pushpin_map_alt         =
| pushpin_map_caption     =
| coordinates             = {{coord|format=dms|region:NZ-WKO_type:adm2nd|display=title,inline}}
| coor_pinpoint           =
| coordinates_footnotes   =
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[New Zealand]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Regions of New Zealand|Region]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Waikato]] region
| subdivision_type2       = Wards
| subdivision_name2       = Te Kuiti Ward<br/>Waitomo Rural Ward
| established_title       =
| established_date        =
| seat_type               = 
| seat                    = [[Te Kūiti]]
| government_footnotes    =
| leader_party            =
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             = [[John Robertson (New Zealand politician, born 1951)|John Robertson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.electionz.com/LGE2025Results/ELT20WO25_Result.pdf|title=2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result|publisher=Electionz|access-date=22 October 2025}}</ref>
| leader_title1           = Deputy Mayor
| leader_name1            = Guy Whitaker
| leader_title2           = [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|Territorial authority]]
| leader_name2            = [[Waitomo District Council]]
| unit_pref               = Metric
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
<!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref name="Area"/>
| area_urban_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_rural_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_metro_footnotes    = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_magnitude          = <!-- <ref> </re> -->
| area_note               =
| area_water_percent      =
| area_rank               =
| area_blank1_title       =
| area_blank2_title       =
<!-- square kilometers -->
| area_total_km2          = 
| area_land_km2           = 3534.84
| area_water_km2          =
| area_urban_km2          =
| area_rural_km2          =
| area_metro_km2          =
| length_km               =
| width_km                =
| dimensions_footnotes    =
| elevation_footnotes     =
| elevation_m             =
| population_total        = {{NZ population data 2018|Waitomo district|y}}
| population_as_of        = {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}
| population_footnotes    = {{NZ population data 2018||||y}}
| population_density_km2  = auto
| population_demonym      =
| population_note         =
| timezone1               = [[Time in New Zealand|NZST]]
| utc_offset1             = +12
| timezone1_DST           = [[NZDT]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +13
| postal_code_type        = Postcode(s)
| postal_code             = [http://www.nzpost.co.nz/sites/default/files/uploads/shared/postcodemaps/waitomo-district.pdf Map of postcodes]
| area_code_type          =
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                =
| website                 = [http://www.waitomo.govt.nz waitomo.govt.nz]
}}

'''Waitomo District''' is a [[Territorial authorities of New Zealand|territorial authority]], located in the [[Waikato]] region, at the north of the [[King Country]] area in the [[North Island]] of [[New Zealand]]. A small part of the district, the locality of [[Tiroa]], however, lies in the [[Manawatū-Whanganui]] region.

The District covers the west coast from Te Maika, on [[Kawhia Harbour]], to the north of [[Taharoa]], to [[Mokau]] in the south and extends inland to [[Maniaiti / Benneydale]] and [[Pureora Forest Park#Geography|Mount Pureora]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://waitomo.intramaps.co.nz/intramaps90/?project=Waitomo&configId=88c7441d-871c-424b-bd59-b2b340af22f2|title=IntraMaps|website=waitomo.intramaps.co.nz|access-date=2019-03-08}}</ref>

==Demographics==
Waitomo District covers {{Convert|3534.84|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=3 March 2022|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2018|Waitomo district|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2018|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018|Waitomo district|y}}|R}}/3534.84|1}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.

{{Historical populations|2006|9,438|2013|8,907|2018|9,303|2023|9,585|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Waitomo District (020)|waitomo-district|Waitomo District}}</ref><ref name="Census 2023"/>}}
Waitomo District had a population of 9,585 in the [[2023 New Zealand census]], an increase of 282 people (3.0%) since the [[2018 New Zealand census|2018 census]], and an increase of 678 people (7.6%) since the [[2013 New Zealand census|2013 census]]. There were 4,845 males, 4,722 females and 21 people of [[non-binary gender|other genders]] in 3,588 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.020%2Bw_02001%2Bw_02002.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 1.8% of people identified as [[LGBTQ|LGBTIQ+]]. The median age was 39.4 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 2,022 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 1,668 (17.4%) aged 15 to 29, 4,197 (43.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,698 (17.7%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 62.6% [[European New Zealanders|European]] ([[Pākehā]]); 45.3% [[Māori people|Māori]]; 4.4% [[Pasifika New Zealanders|Pasifika]]; 5.0% [[Asian New Zealanders|Asian]]; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori language by 12.0%, Samoan by 1.1% and other languages by 5.2%. No language could be spoken by 2.3% (e.g. too young to talk). [[New Zealand Sign Language]] was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 28.2% [[Christianity in New Zealand|Christian]], 0.8% [[Hinduism in New Zealand|Hindu]], 0.8% [[Islam in New Zealand|Islam]], 4.6% [[Religion of Māori people|Māori religious beliefs]], 0.5% [[Buddhism in New Zealand|Buddhist]], 0.6% [[New Age]], 0.1% [[Judaism in New Zealand|Jewish]],  and 0.7% other religions. People who answered that they had [[Irreligion in New Zealand|no religion]] were 56.1%, and 8.1% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 759 (10.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,152 (54.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,448 (32.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 438 people (5.8%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,792 (50.1%) people were employed full-time, 1,020 (13.5%) were part-time, and 270 (3.6%) were unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.020.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Waitomo District (020)}}</ref>
[[File:2023 NZ Census Population Density - Waitomo District.png|thumb|Population density in the 2023 census]]
{| class="wikitable"
|+Individual wards
|-
!Name !! Area<br/>(km<sup>2</sup>) !! Population !! Density<br/>(per km<sup>2</sup>) || Dwellings !! Median age !! Median<br/>income
|-
| Waitomo Rural Ward || style="text-align:right;"|3,530.06 || style="text-align:right;"|5,019 || style="text-align:right;"|1.4 || style="text-align:right;"|1,977 || 41.5 years || $38,700<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.w_02001.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Waitomo Rural Ward}}</ref>
|-
| Te Kuiti Ward || style="text-align:right;"|4.78 || style="text-align:right;"|4,566 || style="text-align:right;"|955.2 || style="text-align:right;"|1,608 || 37.3 years || $31,700<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.w_02002.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Te Kuiti Ward}}</ref>
|-
! New Zealand !! !! !! !! !! 38.1 years !! style="text-align:left;"| $41,500
|}

== District council ==
The seat of the Waitomo District Council is at [[Te Kūiti]], which had a population of {{NZ population data 2018|Te Kuiti|y}} in {{NZ population data 2018|||y}}. No other village in the district has a population of over 500. The district has a land area of {{convert|3534.84|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|0}}, 94.87% of which lies in the Waikato Region and only 5.13% in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. The Waitomo district was declared in 1976. The current district mayor is John Robertson, who defeated incumbent Brian Hanna in the [[2019 New Zealand local elections]].

== Economy ==
[[Image:Waitomo Cave Entrance n.jpg|thumb|A cave entrance in the Waitomo District which is known for its limestone caves.]]

The district is a rural, predominantly [[dairy]] farming, region. The area's main industries include [[sheep]] farming, [[forestry]], and [[limestone]] quarrying. The area is known for the popular [[Waitomo|Waitomo Caves]], a [[karst]]ic system with stalactites, stalagmites and glowworms 12 kilometres northwest of Te Kūiti. Waitomo also has an [[Waitomo Caves Hotel|Edwardian hotel]], built in 1908 and added onto in the 1930s. The hotel overlooks the Waitomo Caves village.

== Attractions ==
[[File:Piripiri_cave_entrance.jpg|thumb|Piripiri cave entrance]]
Te Anga Road, a winding road from [[New Zealand State Highway 3|State Highway 3]] in the [[Marokopa River]] area, leads past the Waitomo Caves, [[Mangapohue Natural Bridge]], Piripiri Caves, and Marokopa Falls. Numerous other limestone caves are found throughout the Waitomo district.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.waitomo.govt.nz/ Waitomo District Council]
* [http://www.destinationwaitomo.co.nz/ Destination Waitomo]
* [http://www.hamiltonwaikato.com/ Hamilton & Waikato Regional Tourism]

{{Adjacent communities
 | title = Adjacent cities and districts
 | Centre = Waitomo
 | N  = [[Ōtorohanga District|Ōtorohanga]]
 | E  = [[Taupo District|Taupo]]
 | S  = [[Ruapehu District|Ruapehu]]
 | SW = [[New Plymouth District|New Plymouth]]
 | W  = ''[[Tasman Sea]]''
}}
{{Waitomo District}}
{{Cities and districts of New Zealand}}

[[Category:Waitomo District| ]]