Waikuku Beach is a small settlement on the coast of the Canterbury region of New Zealand, about 3 km (1.9 mi) east of the settlement of Waikuku.

The sandy beach is popular with surfers and swimmers, and the large estuary of the Ashley River hosts many species of birds.^[3] The Waikuku beach has been rated as one of the ten best to learn to surf at.^[4]

Waikuku Beach is described by Statistics New Zealand as a small urban area and covers 1.52 km² (0.59 sq mi).^[1] It had an estimated population of 1,070 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 704 people per km². Waikuku Beach is part of the larger Waikuku statistical area.^[5]

Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 1.30 km² (0.50 sq mi).^[1] Using that boundary, Waikuku Beach had a population of 912 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 12 people (1.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 54 people (6.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 342 households, comprising 468 males and 444 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.05 males per female, with 168 people (18.4%) aged under 15 years, 141 (15.5%) aged 15 to 29, 477 (52.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 126 (13.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 95.4% European/Pākehā, 13.2% Māori, 1.3% Pasifika, 1.0% Asian, and 1.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 62.2% had no religion, 28.3% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Muslim and 1.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 147 (19.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 144 (19.4%) people had no formal qualifications. 141 people (19.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 402 (54.0%) people were employed full-time, 132 (17.7%) were part-time, and 18 (2.4%) were unemployed.^[6]