Ngapuke

Ngapuke or Ngāpuke is a village and rural community in the Ruapehu district and Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the south side of the valley of Pungapunga River, a tributary of the upper Whanganui River, east of Taumarunui and west of Tongariro and Kuratau on State Highway 41.
In 1920, the settlement was a logging town for local forests. Since the 1950s it has been a farming community and outlying satellite town of Taumarunui.
The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "the hills" for Ngāpuke.

Marae

The Kauriki Marae and Te Ōhākī meeting house is a tribal meeting place for the Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū of Ngāti Hinemihi and Ngāti Turumakina.
In October 2020, the Government committed $1,560,379 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 7 other nearby marae, creating 156 jobs.
Maniaiti Marae is also located nearby.

Demographics

Ngapuke locality covers It is part of the larger Ngapuke statistical area.
Ngapuke locality had a population of 168 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 3 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 9 people since the 2013 census. There were 84 males and 84 females in 63 dwellings. The median age was 42.3 years. There were 33 people aged under 15 years, 30 aged 15 to 29, 78 aged 30 to 64, and 30 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 85.7% European, 35.7% Māori, 3.6% Pasifika, and 1.8% Asian. English was spoken by 98.2%, Māori by 5.4%, and other languages by 1.8%. No language could be spoken by 3.6%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 5.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 30.4% Christian, and 1.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.3%, and 5.4% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 9 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 84 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 33 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $46,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 9 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 78 full-time and 18 part-time.

Ngapuke statistical area

Ngapuke statistical area, which surrounds but does not include Taumarunui, covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km².
Ngapuke had a population of 1,353 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 90 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 57 people since the 2013 census. There were 696 males, 654 females, and 3 people of other genders in 540 dwellings. 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 45.3 years. There were 258 people aged under 15 years, 198 aged 15 to 29, 609 aged 30 to 64, and 288 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.6% European ; 43.5% Māori; 2.7% Pasifika; 3.1% Asian; 0.4% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.9%, Māori by 8.2%, and other languages by 2.4%. No language could be spoken by 2.2%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 6.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 31.0% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 2.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.2% Jewish, and 1.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.4%, and 8.9% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 114 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 633 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 354 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $37,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 78 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 555 full-time, 162 part-time, and 33 unemployed.

Education

Te Kura o Ngapuke is a co-educational Māori language immersion state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of as of.
The school was established in 1916 and celebrated its centenary in 2016 with an inter-generational game of Kī-o-rahi.
In recent years, the school has transitioned from English language mainstream schooling, to a Kuri a Iwi schooling model, in which children are taught in te reo Māori and connected to their ancestor.