Tikipunga

Tikipunga is one of the biggest suburbs in Whangārei, New Zealand. It is in the north-east part of the city and has the landmark Whangārei Falls nearby.

Tikipunga
Suburb
Whangārei Falls
Coordinates: 35°41′06″S 174°19′43″E
Country	New Zealand
City	Whangārei
Electoral ward	Whangārei Urban Ward
Area [1]
• Land	575 ha (1,421 acres)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	8,440

Kauri	Totara Parklands	Glenbervie
Kamo	Tikipunga
Whau Valley	Otangarei

Demographics

Tikipunga covers 5.75 km² (2.22 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 8,440 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 1,468 people per km².

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	5,763	—
2013	5,484	−0.71%
2018	6,903	+4.71%
2023	7,725	+2.28%
The 2006 population is for a smaller area of 5.48 km2 Source: [3][4]

Tikipunga had a population of 7,725 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 822 people (11.9%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,241 people (40.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 3,645 males, 4,065 females and 18 people of other genders in 2,841 dwellings.^[5] 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 37.2 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,659 people (21.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,395 (18.1%) aged 15 to 29, 2,925 (37.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,749 (22.6%) aged 65 or older.^[4]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 67.7% European (Pākehā); 41.0% Māori; 6.1% Pasifika; 8.1% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.4% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.7%, Māori language by 10.6%, Samoan by 0.4%, and other languages by 8.7%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 17.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 35.9% Christian, 1.3% Hindu, 0.2% Islam, 3.4% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 49.7%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 747 (12.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 3,363 (55.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,737 (28.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $33,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 342 people (5.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,619 (43.2%) people were employed full-time, 699 (11.5%) were part-time, and 192 (3.2%) were unemployed.^[4]

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Dwellings	Median age	Median income
Tikipunga North	3.01	3,939	1,309	1,437	36.6 years	$32,400[6]
Tikipunga South	2.74	3,789	1,383	1,404	38.0 years	$34,700[7]
New Zealand					38.1 years	$41,500

Attractions

The nearby Whangārei Falls have since the 1940s been in public ownership.^[8]

Education

Tikipunga High School is a state coeducational year 7–13 secondary school on Corks Road, with a roll of 341 students as of July 2025.^[9][10] The school opened in 1971.

Tikipunga Primary School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 348 students as of July 2025.^[9][11]

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Te Rawhiti Roa is a composite (years 1–15) school with a roll of 184 students as of July 2025.^[9][12]

All these schools are coeducational.

• 
  Whangārei Falls as seen from a walkway over the river.
• 
  Falls from below.

Amenities

The Paramount Plaza shopping centre on Paramount Parade serves the suburb and is anchored by a large Woolworths Supermarket. It contains a service station, several food outlets, a liquor store, a pharmacy, a video store and a medical centre. Nearby is the Tikipunga branch of the Whangārei Libraries. There is also a smaller suburban shopping strip on the corner of Kiripaka Road and Spedding Road.