Wharepapa South

Wharepapa South is a rural community in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is split between Waipā District and Ōtorohanga District. It is located west of Tokoroa and east of Ōtorohanga.

Marae

The local Aotearoa Marae and Hoturoa or Rangikawa meeting house is a meeting place for the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Takihiku, and the Waikato Tainui hapū of Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Raukawa ki Panehākua.

Demographics

Wharepapa South locality covers . The northern is part of the Rotongata statistical area and the southern is part of the Puniu statistical area.

Wharepapa South had a population of 465 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−0.6%) since the 2018 census, and a decrease of 30 people (−6.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 252 males and 213 females in 171 dwellings. 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 111 people (23.9%) aged under 15 years, 90 (19.4%) aged 15 to 29, 225 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (7.1%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 80.6% European (Pākehā); 16.1% Māori; 1.3% Pasifika; 13.5% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 94.8%, Māori by 2.6%, and other languages by 7.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 21.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 27.7% Christian, 1.3% Hindu, 0.6% New Age, and 2.6% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 58.7%, and 9.0% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 66 (18.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 204 (57.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (23.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 39 people (11.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 222 (62.7%) full-time, 54 (15.3%) part-time, and 6 (1.7%) unemployed.

Education

Wharepapa South School is a co-educational state primary school, with a roll of as of . The school opened in 1936, and moved to its current location in 1939.

Arohena School is a Year 1–8 co-educational state primary school, with a roll of as of The school opened in 1929.

References