Newtown, New Zealand
The suburb of Newtown lies in the southern part of Wellington in New Zealand. It lies east of Vogeltown, between Mount Cook and Berhampore. The main thoroughfares of Newtown are Riddiford St, leading from Mount Cook to Berhampore and Melrose, and Constable St, leading from Newtown to Kilbirnie.
History
In 1879 the tram services were established in Newtown, this resulted in the growth of the population and significant residential development in the 1890s, with the population being largely working-class.Newtown was originally a working-class suburb, but has followed gentrification trends in recent years, attracting large numbers of immigrants, students and young professionals and resulting in an ethnically diverse population. The Wellington City Council District Plan identifies Newtown as a suburb with an "identifiable or distinct character".
On 16 May 2023, a fire broke out at the 92-bed Loafers Lodge in Newtown. Five people died, 20 were injured, and many of the 99 people known to be living at the hostel were made homeless.
Demographics
Newtown, comprising the statistical areas of Newtown North, Newtown West and Newtown South, covers. It had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.Newtown had a population of 9,180 at the 2018 [New Zealand census], an increase of 780 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,299 people since the 2006 census. There were 3,351 households, comprising 4,314 males and 4,866 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.89 males per female, with 1,056 people aged under 15 years, 3,420 aged 15 to 29, 3,825 aged 30 to 64, and 882 aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 65.5% European/Pākehā, 10.1% Māori, 8.2% Pasifika, 18.8% Asian, and 8.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 35.4, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.2% had no religion, 29.1% were Christian, 0.5% had Māori people|Māori religious beliefs], 3.7% were Hindu, 4.7% were Muslim, 1.4% were Buddhist and 4.2% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 3,504 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 780 people had no formal qualifications. 1,425 people earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,530 people were employed full-time, 1,194 were part-time, and 477 were unemployed.
| Name | Area | Population | Density | Households | Median age | Median income |
| Newtown North | 0.70 | 2,124 | 3,034 | 678 | 30.6 years | $33,000 |
| Newtown West | 0.66 | 3,414 | 5,172 | 1,269 | 29.0 years | $34,300 |
| Newtown South | 1.19 | 3,642 | 3,061 | 1,404 | 32.2 years | $30,500 |
| New Zealand | 37.4 years | $31,800 |
Features
on Rugby Street, Wellington Hospital located on Riddiford Street and Wellington Zoo all lie within the boundaries of Newtown. Newtown Park is located next to the Zoo, off Roy Street and provides a venue for athletics and football. The Park consists of a 400m all-weather running track, grandstand, changing rooms, community rooms and play area. Wellington City Council has spent $3.6 million on modernising facilities at Newtown Park to meet current and future needs for the athletics and soccer sports codes, and the wider community.Newtown Festival
The annual Newtown Festival takes place over one day, culminating in the Newtown Festival Street Fair which is usually held on International Children's Day. The event grew from small beginnings in 1995 with the opening of a neighbourhood park. It is now New Zealand's biggest free musical festival and street fair, with 16 outdoor stages, more than 1000 performers and crowds of 80,000 a year. Up until 2017 the festival was run by the Newtown Residents’ Association, and in 2017 a charitable trust, the Newtown Festival Trust, was established to support the organising team. Eleven blocks of Newtown's central Riddiford Street and eleven adjoining side streets are all closed to vehicles for the festival.Education
Newtown School
Newtown School is a co-educational contributing state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students, with a roll of as of.The school has a Māori language immersion class, Ngāti Kotahitanga, providing an 80 per cent immersion environment. It also has an indoor heated swimming pool, computer suite, and separate junior and senior playgrounds.