Poraiti

Poraiti is a suburb on the western outskirts of the city of Napier, in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's eastern North Island.^[3] For a long time it was a semi-rural locality on low hills, but has now been extended to include a new residential subdivision developed on the plain in the 2000s.

Te Poraiti, also known as Pa Poto, was a Māori pā belonging to Ngāti Hinepare on a small headland near the shore of Ahuriri Lagoon. In the 19th century, chiefs Rawiri Tareahi and his son Porokoru Mapu lived there.^[4]

For a long period of modern history Poraiti was a semi-rural locality on low hills west of Napier. It was part of Hawke's Bay County until the 1989 New Zealand local government reforms, when it became part of Napier City.^[5][6]

When a new residential subdivision was developed on the former Lagoon Farm, west of Tamatea, in the 2000s, there was a debate over whether it should be named Parklands or Orotu. Napier City Council settled the debate in 2008 by including the subdivision in Poraiti.^[7] That area is now known as Poraiti Flat, while the old Poraiti has become known as Poraiti Hills.

Poraiti covers 17.66 km² (6.82 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 2,450 as of June 2025,^[2] with a population density of 139 people per km².

Poraiti had a population of 2,349 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 336 people (16.7%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 888 people (60.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,152 males, 1,188 females, and 3 people of other genders in 906 dwellings.^[10] 1.9% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 51.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 327 people (13.9%) aged under 15 years, 297 (12.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,065 (45.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 660 (28.1%) aged 65 or older.^[8]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 88.9% European (Pākehā); 9.3% Māori; 1.1% Pasifika; 7.0% Asian; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.3%, Māori by 1.3%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 8.6%. No language could be spoken by 1.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.9%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.6, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[8]

Religious affiliations were 36.5% Christian, 0.3% Hindu, 0.1% Islam, 0.4% Māori religious beliefs, 1.9% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 1.1% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 51.7%, and 7.5% of people did not answer the census question.^[8]

Of those at least 15 years old, 486 (24.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,113 (55.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 426 (21.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $45,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 342 people (16.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 948 (46.9%) full-time, 270 (13.4%) part-time, and 27 (1.3%) unemployed.^[8]

Hōhepa School is a private special needs composite school,^[13] with a roll of 30 as of July 2025.^[14][15] It opened in 1957.^[16]