Ōwhata

Suburb in Rotorua, New Zealand

Ōwhata
Suburb
Interactive map of Ōwhata
Coordinates: 38°08′02″S 176°17′46″E / 38.134°S 176.296°E / -38.134; 176.296
Country	New Zealand
City	Rotorua
Local authority	Rotorua Lakes Council
Electoral ward	Te Ipu Wai Auraki General Ward
Area [1]
• Land	584 ha (1,440 acres)
Population  (June 2025)[2]
• Total	6,930
• Density	1,190/km2 (3,070/sq mi)

(Lake Rotorua)		Holdens Bay
(Ōwhatiura Bay)	Ōwhata
Ngāpuna	Lynmore

Ōwhata is a semi-rural suburb of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand's North Island.

In 2015, it had the highest house sales of any suburb in Rotorua.^[3]

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of the elevated stage" for Ōwhata.^[4]

Marae

The local Ōwhata or Hinemoa Marae and is a meeting place for the Ngāti Whakaue hapū of Ngāti Korouateka and Ngāti te Roro o te Rangi.^[5] It includes the Tūtanekai meeting house.^[6]

In October 2020, the Government committed $4,525,104 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and nine others, creating an estimated 34 jobs.^[7]

Demographics

Ōwhata covers 5.84 km² (2.25 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 6,930 as of June 2025,^[2] with a population density of 1,187 people per km².

Ōwhata had a population of 6,468 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 252 people (4.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 975 people (17.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 3,180 males, 3,261 females, and 27 people of other genders in 2,145 dwellings.^[10] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,605 people (24.8%) aged under 15 years, 1,248 (19.3%) aged 15 to 29, 2,547 (39.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,068 (16.5%) aged 65 or older.^[8]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 60.5% European (Pākehā); 48.0% Māori; 5.9% Pasifika; 9.3% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.1%, Māori by 16.1%, Samoan by 0.3%, and other languages by 9.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[8]

Religious affiliations were 29.1% Christian, 1.9% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 4.6% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.8%, and 7.1% of people did not answer the census question.^[8]

Of those at least 15 years old, 870 (17.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,724 (56.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,272 (26.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,400, compared with $41,500 nationally. 360 people (7.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 2,400 (49.4%) full-time, 654 (13.4%) part-time, and 198 (4.1%) unemployed.^[8]

Education

Ōwhata School, or Ōwata te Kura, is a primary school for year 1–6 students^[13][14] with a roll of 257.^[15] It opened in 1966.^[16]

Mokoia Intermediate is a state intermediate school,^[17][18] with a roll of 315. It offers education in complete or partial Māori language immersion, as well as in English.^[19]

Rotorua Lakes High School is a state secondary school,^[20][21] with a roll of 674.^[22] It opened in 1971.^[23]

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of October 2025.^[24]

References