Tamatea, Napier

Tamatea is a suburb in the west of the city of Napier, in the Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's eastern North Island.

Tamatea covers 1.93 km² (0.75 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 5,730 as of June 2025,^[2] with a population density of 2,969 people per km².

Tamatea had a population of 5,562 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 150 people (2.8%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 522 people (10.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,697 males, 2,853 females, and 12 people of other genders in 2,019 dwellings.^[5] 2.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 35.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,179 people (21.2%) aged under 15 years, 1,098 (19.7%) aged 15 to 29, 2,322 (41.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 957 (17.2%) aged 65 or older.^[3]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 74.5% European (Pākehā); 30.4% Māori; 4.5% Pasifika; 7.4% Asian; 0.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.7%, Māori by 6.1%, Samoan by 1.2%, and other languages by 8.3%. No language could be spoken by 2.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.^[3]

Religious affiliations were 28.4% Christian, 0.5% Hindu, 0.5% Islam, 3.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.6%, and 7.0% of people did not answer the census question.^[3]

Of those at least 15 years old, 648 (14.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 2,568 (58.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,173 (26.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $39,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 228 people (5.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 2,271 (51.8%) full-time, 510 (11.6%) part-time, and 129 (2.9%) unemployed.^[3]

Porritt School is a Year 1–6 state primary school,^[9][10] with a roll of 327.^[11] It opened in 1975.^[12]

Tamatea School is a Year 1–6 state primary school,^[13] with a roll of 142.^[14] The school was open by 1976.^[15]

Tamatea Intermediate is a Year 7–8 state intermediate school,^[16] with a roll of 437.^[17] It was open by 1975.^[15]

Tamatea High School is a state secondary school,^[18][19] with a roll of 388.^[20] It opened in 1975.^[21]

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of July 2025.^[22]