Waikowhai

Waikowhai
Suburb of Auckland
Coordinates: 36.931°S 174.737°E / -36.931; 174.737
Country	New Zealand
City	Auckland
Local authority	Auckland Council
Electoral ward	Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa ward
Local board	Puketāpapa Local Board
Area
• Land	206 ha (509 acres)
Population  (June 2022)
• Total	5,550

New Windsor (3.6 km)	Mount Roskill (1,259 m)	Three Kings (2.9 km)
Lynfield (1.7 km)	Waikowhai	Hillsborough (1327 m)
	(Manukau Harbour)	Māngere Bridge (3.9 km)

Waikowhai is an Auckland suburb.

Waikowhai is under the local governance of the Auckland Council.

The name is Māori: Wai means "Water" and the kōwhai is a native tree with a bright yellow flower. Waikōwhai means kōwhai by the water in Māori.

Waikowhai has the largest block of native forest left in Auckland City. The block was considered too infertile for farming and subsequently not cleared but given to the Wesley Mission. Today the forest block hosts a valuable sample of Auckland's original fauna and flora. Waikōwhai Walkway extends for 10 km (6.2 mi) linking Onehunga to Lynfield Cove.

Demographics

Waikowhai covers 2.06 km² (0.80 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 5,550 as of June 2022, with a population density of 2,694 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	4,833	—
2013	4,956	+0.36%
2018	5,439	+1.88%
Source:

View of the Manukau Harbour from Waikowhai

Waikowhai had a population of 5,439 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 483 people (9.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 606 people (12.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,518 households, comprising 2,715 males and 2,721 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female, with 1,089 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 1,449 (26.6%) aged 15 to 29, 2,409 (44.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 492 (9.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 28.7% European/Pākehā, 6.7% Māori, 22.0% Pacific peoples, 47.3% Asian, and 4.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 52.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 27.5% had no religion, 41.0% were Christian, 0.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 14.5% were Hindu, 6.8% were Muslim, 3.0% were Buddhist and 1.8% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,407 (32.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 582 (13.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 705 people (16.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,211 (50.8%) people were employed full-time, 597 (13.7%) were part-time, and 189 (4.3%) were unemployed.

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Households	Median age	Median income
Waikowhai North	0.70	3,402	4,860	900	29.9 years	$23,800
Waikowhai South	1.36	2,037	1,498	618	35.4 years	$41,400
New Zealand					37.4 years	$31,800

Local Schools

Waikowhai Intermediate School is an intermediate school (years 7-8) with a roll of 386.

Waikowhai School is a contributing primary school (years 1-6) with a roll of 201.

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of July 2022.

Secondary schools in the area are Lynfield College and Mount Roskill Grammar School. Catholic secondary schools serving the area are Marcellin College and St Peter's College.

External links

• Photographs of Waikowhai held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.