Hokowhitu

Hokowhitu is a riverside suburb of the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, with some of the highest property values in the city.

Hokowhitu
Suburb
Corner Te Awe Awe Street and Albert Street, Hokowhitu
Coordinates: 40°21′45″S 175°38′00″E
Country	New Zealand
City	Palmerston North
Local authority	Palmerston North City Council
Electoral ward	Te Hirawanui General Ward Te Pūao Māori Ward
Area [1]
• Land	528 ha (1,305 acres)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	11,730
Postcode(s)	4410

Palmerston North Central	Terrace End
West End	Hokowhitu

The Palmerston North Teachers' College was built in Hokowhitu in the 1960s. Massey University took over the college in 2009. The New Zealand Defence Force began using some of the buildings in 2011.^[3]

Massey relocated the college to Turitea campus in 2013 and sold the land in 2016. When the site was sold, the land consisted of 20 buildings; including halls, offices, a library, a marae and sporting facilities.^[4] The site began to be redeveloped into housing in 2018.^[5]

The Hokowhitu Lagoon, Caccia Birch House, Jickell Street Reserve and Manawatu Golf Course are located next to the former education campus. Wallace Park, the home of the Ruahine Association Football Club and local cricket teams, is located nearby. Other local features include the Hokowhitu Domain, Crewe Crescent Reserve, Franklin Reserve, Fitzroy Bend Park, Milverton Park and playground, Awatea Reserve and stream, Hardie St Park and Centennial Drive Reserve.^[6]

Hokowhitu is part of the Palmerston North and Te Tai Hauāuru electorates.

Until 2013, it had its own ward councilors on the Palmerston North City Council.

Demographics

Hokowhitu covers 5.28 km² (2.04 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 11,730 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 2,260 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	10,551	—
2013	10,635	+0.11%
2018	10,950	+0.59%
Source: [7]

Hokowhitu Lagoon

Hokowhitu had a population of 10,950 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 315 people (3.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 399 people (3.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 4,113 households, comprising 5,232 males and 5,712 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female, with 1,830 people (16.7%) aged under 15 years, 2,838 (25.9%) aged 15 to 29, 4,557 (41.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,725 (15.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 77.5% European/Pākehā, 11.8% Māori, 3.0% Pacific peoples, 15.3% Asian, and 3.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 26.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.8% had no religion, 38.5% were Christian, 0.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.9% were Hindu, 1.4% were Muslim, 1.7% were Buddhist and 1.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 3,138 (34.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 942 (10.3%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,920 people (21.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 4,197 (46.0%) people were employed full-time, 1,521 (16.7%) were part-time, and 399 (4.4%) were unemployed.^[7]

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Households	Median age	Median income
Milverton	0.56	1,950	3,842	666	25.0 years	$20,100[8]
Hokowhitu Central	0.91	2,343	2,575	921	44.6 years	$37,300[9]
Hokowhitu East	1.24	3,111	2,509	1,173	37.1 years	$36,400[10]
Ruahine	1.58	1,566	991	642	48.6 years	$42,400[11]
Hokowhitu South	0.90	1,980	2,200	711	33.2 years	$30,700[12]
New Zealand					37.4 years	$31,800

Education

College Street Normal School

Hokowhitu has three co-educational state primary schools: Hokowhitu School in the north,^[13][14] with a roll of 357,^[15] College Street Normal School in the west,^[16][17] with a roll of 582,^[18] and Winchester School in the east,^[19][20] with a roll of 310.^[21]

St James School, a co-educational state-integrated Catholic primary school located just south of Hokowhitu School,^[22][23] has a roll of 158.^[24]

Manukura School is a co-educational designated character school for Year 9 to 13 students. It was originally based on the old Massey University campus.^[25][26][27]

Transport

Palmerston North bus routes 103 and 107 (to/from the Main Street Bus Hub) and 121 (to/from Massey University) serve Hokowhitu.^[28]