Ōmokoroa

Ōmokoroa is a small urban area in the Western Bay of Plenty District of New Zealand. The suburb is considered part of Greater Tauranga (contributing towards its population of 184,800), and is within the Coromandel electorate.^[6] Ōmokoroa began as a small rural holiday village, but is expanding to be a commuter town, with a 25-minute drive to Tauranga City.

Ōmokoroa
The sun setting at the Ōmokoroa wharf
Coordinates: 37°40′00″S 176°01′58″E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Western Bay of Plenty District
Ward	Kaimai Ward
Community	Omokoroa Community
Electorates	Coromandel Waiariki (Māori)
Government
• Territorial authority	Western Bay of Plenty District Council
• Regional council	Bay of Plenty Regional Council
• Mayor of Western Bay of Plenty	James Denyer[1]
• Coromandel MP	Scott Simpson[2]
• Waiariki MP	Rawiri Waititi[3]
Area [4]
• Total	5.24 km2 (2.02 sq mi)
Population  (June 2024)[5]
• Total	5,990
• Density	1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)

Ōmokoroa urban area had an estimated population of 5,990 as of June 2024.^[5] It is situated within the Kaimai Ward, Western Bay of Plenty. Ōmokoroa includes the urban area on the harbour side of State Highway 2, along with Youngson Road to Plummers Point Road, and parts of Old Highway Road. Part of Ōmokoroa was designated a Special Housing Area in 2016 to encourage the building of affordable homes.^[7]

The 2020 Ōmokoroa Town Centre Masterplan envisaged a population of 12,500 by 2026, although it said this might be optimistic.^[8] A 2025 estimate gives a population of 13,000 by 2050.^[9]

Demographics

Stats NZ describes Ōmokoroa as a small urban area which covers 5.24 km² (2.02 sq mi).^[4] It had an estimated population of 5,990 as of June 2024,^[5] with a population density of 1,143 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,968	—
2013	2,403	+2.89%
2018	3,288	+6.47%
2023	5,451	+10.64%
The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 3.77 km2. Source: [10][11]

Ōmokoroa had a population of 5,451 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 2,163 people (65.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 3,048 people (126.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,583 males, 2,856 females, and 12 people of other genders in 2,154 dwellings.^[12] 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 49.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,011 people (18.5%) aged under 15 years, 618 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 2,073 (38.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,749 (32.1%) aged 65 or older.^[10]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 91.4% European (Pākehā); 11.6% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 4.9% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.4%, Māori by 2.0%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 10.3%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 28.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[10]

Religious affiliations were 34.2% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 0.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.9% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 55.1%, and 7.3% of people did not answer the census question.^[10]

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,056 (23.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,457 (55.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 924 (20.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $37,800, compared with $41,500 nationally. 564 people (12.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,761 (39.7%) full-time, 585 (13.2%) part-time, and 87 (2.0%) unemployed.^[10]

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Dwellings	Median age	Median income
Ōmokoroa North	3.83	4,371	1,141	1,788	54.7 years	$35,500[13]
Ōmokoroa South	1.42	1,080	1,080	363	31.7 years	$53,400[14]
New Zealand					38.1 years	$41,500

Communication

The sun setting over Ōmokoroa

The postcodes for the area are:

• 3114 – Railway line to harbour edge
• 3172 – Railway line towards SH2 ^[15]

The dialing prefix(es) for the town are

• (+64) 7 548

Education

Omokoroa No.1 School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[16][17] with a roll of 327 as of March 2025.^[18] It opened in 1900.^[19]

Ōmokoroa Point School is another co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,^[20] with a roll of 339.^[21] It opened in the Omokoroa Settlers Hall in 1929 as Omokoroa No 2 School and moved to its own building as Omokoroa Point School in 1959.^[22]

The nearest zoned secondary schools in the area are Otumoetai College, Tauranga Boys' College and Tauranga Girls' College. Katikati College and the private Bethlehem College are also nearby.^[23]

37°40′S 176°02′E