Waihāhā

Waihāhā is a village and rural community in the Taupō District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.^[6]

Waihāhā
Rural locality
Coordinates: 38.724°S 175.746°E / -38.724; 175.746
Country	New Zealand
Region	Waikato region
District	Taupō District
Ward	Mangakino-Pouakani General Ward
Electorates	Taupō Te Tai Hauāuru (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Taupō District Council
• Regional council	Waikato Regional Council
• Mayor of Taupō	David Trewavas[1]
• Taupō MP	Louise Upston[2]
• Hauraki-Waikato MP	Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke[3]
Area [4]
• Total	252.61 km2 (97.53 sq mi)
Population  (2023)[5]
• Total	84
• Density	0.33/km2 (0.86/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	3381

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "noisy water" for Waihāhā.^[7]

Demographics

Waihāhā locality covers 252.61 km² (97.53 sq mi).^[4] It is part of the Lake Taupo Bays statistical area.^[8]

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	96	—
2013	60	−6.49%
2018	63	+0.98%
2023	84	+5.92%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 264.07 km2. Source: [5][9]

Waihāhā locality had a population of 84 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 21 people (33.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 24 people (40.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 48 males and 39 females in 30 dwellings.^[10] The median age was 34.6 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 21 people (25.0%) aged under 15 years, 12 (14.3%) aged 15 to 29, 42 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 9 (10.7%) aged 65 or older.^[5]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 78.6% European (Pākehā); 39.3% Māori; 3.6% Pasifika; and 3.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA). English was spoken by 96.4%, Māori by 17.9%, and other languages by 3.6%. No language could be spoken by 3.6% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 3.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[5]

Religious affiliations were 21.4% Christian, and 3.6% Māori religious beliefs. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.7%, and 14.3% of people did not answer the census question.^[5]

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (14.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 42 (66.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 12 (19.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $52,200, compared with $41,500 nationally. 9 people (14.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 33 (52.4%) full-time and 15 (23.8%) part-time.^[5]

Marae

The suburb has two marae:

• Waihāhā Marae and Haukapuanui meeting house is a meeting place of the Ngāti Tūwharetoa hapū of Ngāti Hā, Ngāti Tarakaiahi and Ngāti Wheoro, and the Ngāti Raukawa hapū of Ngāti Hā.^[11][12]
• Waimiha Marae and Te Ihingarangi meeting house is a meeting place of the Rereahu hapū of Ngāti Hinewhatihua, Ngāti Kahuiao, Ngāti Turakiwai and Te Ihingarangi.^[11][12]