Our people
Whangārei District, with Northland’s only city, has an urban population of approximately 57,700 with the balance of the district’s 98,000 people living in coastal and rural communities.
The First People - Tangata Whenua
Everyone in New Zealand originally arrived after a journey seeking something better. Tangata whenua came from the Pacificas and Māori settlements were flourishing in the 1200s. By the 1900s, Europeans were settling and now, people arrive from every part of the world.
Where our people come from
Overall, 77.0% of the Whangārei population identified themselves as European, 30.1% as Māori and 3.9% as Pacific Peoples, compared with 70.2%, 16.5% and 8.1% for New Zealand respectively (ID profile, 2018).
Whangārei community identify themselves as Māori from the tribes or Iwi of; Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi, Ngati Whatua, Ngare Raumati, Ngāi Tāhuhu, Te Parawhau, Patuharakeke, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Manuhiri and Te Ākitai.
The median age of the population is 38.4 years with 14.9% aged over 65 years (compared with the 12.3% nationally) and 22.8% residents under 15 years.
To find out more about life in Whangārei, see below.