Onewhero is a village and rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.

Pukekohe and Tuakau are located north of Onewhero, across the Waikato River;

The name Onewhero translates from Maori as "Red Earth", which describes the soil colour typical in the Franklin region.^[6]

The Onewhero village consists of an Anglican church, school, fire station, garage, lawn bowls club and tennis club. The Onewhero Society of Performing Arts runs a local performing arts theatre, and the local rugby club hosts community events and community board meetings.^[7] The Onewhero Golf Club is located in nearby Pukekawa.

The local Te Awamaarahi marae is a meeting ground for the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Āmaru, Ngāti Pou and Ngāti Tiipa.^[8] It includes the wharenui (meeting house) of Whare Wōnanga.^[9]

North of Onewhero, Harker Reserve^[10] has 12 m (39 ft) (or 20m)^[11] high Te Wai Heke O Maoa, or Vivian Falls, and a 3 km (1.9 mi) bush walkway.^[12] It is near the end of Miller Rd.^[13] The waterfall goes over the edge of South Auckland volcanic field's Onewhero maar crater, falling onto Miocene aged Carter Siltstone.^[14]

Onewhero is in three SA1 statistical areas which cover 21.85 km² (8.44 sq mi).^[4] The SA1 areas are part of the larger Onewhero statistical area.

The SA1 areas had a population of 627 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 75 people (13.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 90 people (16.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 315 males, 309 females and 3 people of other genders in 213 dwellings.^[16] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 132 people (21.1%) aged under 15 years, 96 (15.3%) aged 15 to 29, 294 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 108 (17.2%) aged 65 or older.^[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.3% European (Pākehā); 17.2% Māori; 7.2% Pasifika; 3.8% Asian; and 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA). English was spoken by 97.6%, Māori language by 3.3%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 5.3%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[5]

Religious affiliations were 27.8% Christian, 0.5% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% New Age, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 62.2%, and 8.6% of people did not answer the census question.^[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 87 (17.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 288 (58.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 111 (22.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 66 people (13.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 291 (58.8%) people were employed full-time, 60 (12.1%) were part-time, and 9 (1.8%) were unemployed.^[5]

Onewhero statistical area covers 385.08 km² (148.68 sq mi)^[17] and had an estimated population of 2,210 as of June 2024,^[18] with a population density of 5.7 people per km².

Onewhero statistical area had a population of 2,097 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 144 people (7.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 228 people (12.2%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,080 males, 1,011 females and 3 people of other genders in 714 dwellings.^[21] 1.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 41.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 444 people (21.2%) aged under 15 years, 327 (15.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,002 (47.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 324 (15.5%) aged 65 or older.^[20]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 83.8% European (Pākehā); 24.6% Māori; 5.3% Pasifika; 3.9% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.4%, Māori language by 6.4%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 6.0%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 15.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[20]

Religious affiliations were 28.2% Christian, 0.3% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 1.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.8%, and 10.9% of people did not answer the census question.^[20]

Of those at least 15 years old, 279 (16.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 939 (56.8%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 432 (26.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $42,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 189 people (11.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 933 (56.4%) people were employed full-time, 225 (13.6%) were part-time, and 33 (2.0%) were unemployed.^[20]

The main school is Onewhero Area School, which serves from Years 1 to 13^[22] with a roll of 416 as of November 2024.^[23] The school first opened in 1891, and became a District High School in 1955.^[24]

There is also a preschool for children under 5 years.

• Onewhero local directory