Okoia
Okoia | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Okoia | |
| Coordinates: 39°56′S 175°08′E / 39.933°S 175.133°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Manawatū-Whanganui |
| District | Whanganui District |
| Community | Whanganui Rural Community |
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Whanganui District Council |
| • Regional council | Horizons Regional Council |
| • Mayor of Whanganui | Andrew Tripe[1] |
| • Whanganui MP | Carl Bates[2] |
| • Te Tai Hauāuru MP | Debbie Ngarewa-Packer[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 97.37 km2 (37.59 sq mi) |
| Population (2023 Census)[4] | |
• Total | 414 |
| • Density | 4.25/km2 (11.0/sq mi) |
Okoia is a small rural community approximately 5 km east of Whanganui, New Zealand. It is centred on the Okoia Primary School and village. The area is predominantly subject to sheep and beef pastoral farming, but in recent years some farms have been divided into lifestyle blocks.
The local Kauangāroa Marae and Kimihia te Maramatanga meeting house, 20 km away on the Whangaehu river, are a meeting place for the local Māori iwi of Ngāti Apa.[6][7]
Demographics
Okoia locality covers 97.37 km2 (37.59 sq mi).[5] It is part of the larger Kaitoke-Fordell statistical area.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 306 | — |
| 2013 | 342 | +1.60% |
| 2018 | 357 | +0.86% |
| 2023 | 414 | +3.01% |
| Source: [4][9] | ||
Okoia had a population of 414 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 57 people (16.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 72 people (21.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 210 males and 204 females in 144 dwellings.[10] 2.2% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 84 people (20.3%) aged under 15 years, 69 (16.7%) aged 15 to 29, 198 (47.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 57 (13.8%) aged 65 or older.[4]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.0% European (Pākehā), 15.2% Māori, 0.7% Pasifika, 4.3% Asian, and 4.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.8%, Māori by 2.9%, and other languages by 3.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 2.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 9.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.[4]
Religious affiliations were 28.3% Christian, 0.7% Islam, 0.7% Māori religious beliefs, and 1.4% Buddhist. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.0%, and 10.1% of people did not answer the census question.[4]
Of those at least 15 years old, 54 (16.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 198 (60.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (25.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 30 people (9.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 174 (52.7%) full-time, 51 (15.5%) part-time, and 9 (2.7%) unemployed.[4]
Education
Okoia School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[11] with a roll of 48 as of October 2025.[12] It opened in 1876.[13]
References
- ^ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
- ^ "Whanganui - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
- ^ "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7017677, 7017678 and 7017680. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 24 November 2025.
- ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
- ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017677, 7017678 and 7017680.
- ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ "Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
- ^ "Okoia School, Wanganui : diamond jubilee, 1876-1951". Okoia School Jubilee Committee. 1951.