Waipa District


Waipa District is a municipality in the Waikato region of New Zealand that is administered by the Waipa District Council. Its most populous town is Cambridge. The seat of the council is at the second most populous town, Te Awamutu. The district is south and south-east of the city of Hamilton. It has five wards: Te Awamutu, Cambridge, Pirongia, Maungatautari and Kakepuku.

History

The District was formed from Waipa County Council and its town boroughs in 1989. The county boundaries had varied since five ridings were formed in Waipa county in 1876: Newcastle, Hamilton, Mangapiko North and South, Rangiaowhia, and Pukekura. In 1902 it covered and had an additional riding, Tuhikaramea.

Geography

The district has a land area of 1,473.47 km². Its population in was, of whom approximately 35% lived in each of the two main towns.
The Waikato River forms much of the eastern boundary of the district, before it flows north-westward through the district, past Cambridge. The Waipa River, the Waikato River's main tributary, flows northwards through the western part of the district; the two rivers meet outside the district. The highest mountains are Mount Pirongia in the west and Maungatautari in the east.
The region's economy is based largely on dairy farming and cereal production. The southeastern corner of the district includes the hydroelectric project at Karapiro.

Demographics

Waipa District had a population of 53,241 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 6,573 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 10,740 people since the 2006 census. There were 19,518 households. There were 26,067 males and 27,171 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female. Of the total population, 10,995 people were aged up to 15 years, 9,252 were 15 to 29, 23,535 were 30 to 64, and 9,456 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding.
Ethnicities were 87.7% European/Pākehā, 14.9% Māori, 1.8% Pacific peoples, 4.3% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 18.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.6% had no religion, 36.9% were Christian, and 3.9% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 8,175 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 8,130 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $35,500. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 21,927 people were employed full-time, 6,345 were part-time, and 1,269 were unemployed.