Whangarei District


Whangarei District is a territorial authority district in the Northland Region of New Zealand that is governed by the Whangarei District Council. The land is largely rural and makes up a fifth of the Northland Region. To the north is the Far North District, to the west and south is the Kaipara District, and to the east is the Pacific Ocean. Whangarei District extends southwards to the southern end of Bream Bay, northwards to Whangaruru, and westwards up the Mangakahia River valley past Pakotai towards the west coast. It includes the Hen and Chicken Islands and the Poor Knights Islands, both nature reserves.
The council seat and principal urban area is the city of Whangārei, population The biggest towns are One Tree Point, Ruakākā, Hikurangi, Waipu and Ngunguru. Smaller towns include Hūkerenui, Portland and Titoki. The district population was
The largest coastal features are Bream Bay and Whangārei Harbour, which has its entrance at the northen end of the bay. There are numerous beaches along the ocean coast and the harbour. Tutukaka is a port for game fishing, and diving and sightseeing excursions. Motu Matakohe or Limestone Island in the harbour is being ecologically restored. The main airport is Whangarei Airport.

Government

Whangarei District Council was formed by an amalgamation of Whangarei City Council, Whangarei County Council and Hikurangi Town Council as part of New Zealand's 1989 local government reforms.
There is a district-wide Māori ward and five general wards: Whangārei Urban in the city, Hikurangi-Coastal in the north, Mangakahia-Maungatapere inland to the west, Bream Bay in the south, and Whangārei Heads to the east of the city.
Ken Couper has been the mayor since 2025.

Demographics

Whangarei District covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.
Whangarei District had a population of 96,678 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 5,718 people since the 2018 census, and an increase of 19,683 people since the 2013 census. There were 47,211 males, 49,218 females and 252 people of other genders in 35,535 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.6 years. There were 19,140 people aged under 15 years, 15,465 aged 15 to 29, 41,829 aged 30 to 64, and 20,244 aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 76.3% European ; 31.4% Māori; 4.5% Pasifika; 6.4% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders ; and 2.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.0%, Māori language by 7.5%, Samoan by 0.3% and other languages by 8.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.0%. New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 30.4% Christian, 1.0% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 2.6% [Religion of Māori people|Māori people|Māori religious beliefs], 0.5% Buddhist, 0.6% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.8%, and 7.6% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 11,343 people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 43,365 had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 19,200 people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $36,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 6,681 people earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 35,892 people were employed full-time, 10,545 were part-time, and 2,256 were unemployed.
NameArea
PopulationDensity
DwellingsMedian ageMedian
income
Mangakahia-Maungatapere General Ward582.457,593132,59543.2 years$41,800
Hikurangi-Coastal General Ward987.4613,704144,83943.2 years$38,200
Whangārei Heads General Ward271.777,743282,92548.7 years$39,300
Whangārei Urban General Ward56.5052,08992219,21538.0 years$35,100
Bream Bay General Ward813.2715,552195,96748.4 years$36,500
New Zealand38.1 years$41,500