What is Auckland Central?

Auckland Central is Auckland's central business district (CBD), bounded by the Waitematā Harbour to the north and the SH1 / SH16 motorways on the other sides. It covers around 433 hectares and is the densest part of New Zealand.

How tall is the Sky Tower?

The Sky Tower is 328 metres tall, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. It includes observation decks, a SkyWalk loop on the outside, the SkyJump cable-controlled bungy, and a rotating restaurant.

What is the Britomart precinct?

Britomart is the heritage-restored block at the bottom of Queen Street, on the waterfront. It includes the main rail station, the ferry terminal, fashion stores, restaurants and bars, set within carefully restored 1880s warehouses.

How do I get to Waiheke from Auckland Central?

Fullers and SeaLink ferries run regularly from the downtown ferry terminal next to Britomart. The Fullers fast ferry to Matiatia takes 40 minutes and runs frequently from early morning to late evening.

Where is the Auckland Art Gallery?

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is on Kitchener Street, between Albert Park and Aotea Square. Entry is free for the permanent collection, with paid entry for some special exhibitions.

Which schools are in zone for Auckland Central?

Children living in Auckland Central are in zone for Freemans Bay School, Ponsonby Intermediate, Western Springs College-Ngā Puna o Waiōrea, Auckland Girls' Grammar School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Auckland Central?

Use the School Zone Checker on this page — enter your address to check your school zone and see which schools you have a guaranteed right to enrol at.

Auckland Central, Auckland | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Est. Median Value: $942K
Median Weekly Rent: $400/wk
Safety Score: 68/100
Green Space: 10%
Current Weather: 10.8°C
Median Age: 30 yrs

Living in Auckland Central

Auckland Central is the CBD, the city's working heart, packed into about 433 hectares between the Waitematā Harbour and the motorways. About 38,000 people live here now (up roughly 12% in five years), and the median age is 31, the youngest of any Auckland area code. Workers, students and short-stay tourists swell that number well past 200,000 on weekdays.

Queen Street is the main spine, running from Britomart at the harbour up to Karangahape Road (K Road) at the top. Britomart was once a cluster of crumbling warehouses; it's now the city's best-restored heritage precinct, full of restaurants, designer fashion and the main train station underneath. Commercial Bay opened in 2020 with another 18,000 square metres of retail at the bottom of Queen Street.

The Sky Tower (328m) is impossible to miss, with the SkyWalk and SkyJump if you're brave. The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Albert Park, Aotea Square and Wynyard Quarter give the city its breathing space.

It's loud, it's busy, the traffic is famously slow, and the ferries leave regularly for Devonport, Waiheke and the gulf islands. The CBD is where Auckland still happens.

Is Auckland Central a good place to live?

Auckland Central is home to roughly 30,414 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Auckland Central scores 61 out of 100, with a safety score of 68/100 and 10% green space.

Schools: Auckland Central has 64 schools in or near the suburb, spanning early-childhood through to secondary education. See the Schools tab below for the full list.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $942K, and weekly rent typically sits around $400.

Lifestyle: Auckland Central has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 10.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Auckland Central is right for you depends on what you’re looking for. Use the data and community tips below to decide if it suits your lifestyle, family and budget.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety68
Amenities100
Schools70
Housing Affordability40
Green space33
Community22
Transport70

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $942K
Median Weekly Rent: $400/wk
Median HH Income: $63K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): -30.4%
Data Year: 2023

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

† Est. Median Value is suburb.co.nz's own estimate, modelled from available public data. We aim for accuracy, but where data is limited, estimates may be imprecise.

Nearby Suburbs

Browse all suburbs in Auckland →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Auckland Central?: Auckland Central is Auckland's central business district (CBD), bounded by the Waitematā Harbour to the north and the SH1 / SH16 motorways on the other sides. It covers around 433 hectares and is the densest part of New Zealand.
How tall is the Sky Tower?: The Sky Tower is 328 metres tall, making it the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere. It includes observation decks, a SkyWalk loop on the outside, the SkyJump cable-controlled bungy, and a rotating restaurant.
What is the Britomart precinct?: Britomart is the heritage-restored block at the bottom of Queen Street, on the waterfront. It includes the main rail station, the ferry terminal, fashion stores, restaurants and bars, set within carefully restored 1880s warehouses.
How do I get to Waiheke from Auckland Central?: Fullers and SeaLink ferries run regularly from the downtown ferry terminal next to Britomart. The Fullers fast ferry to Matiatia takes 40 minutes and runs frequently from early morning to late evening.
Where is the Auckland Art Gallery?: Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is on Kitchener Street, between Albert Park and Aotea Square. Entry is free for the permanent collection, with paid entry for some special exhibitions.

Auckland Central Weather

Current conditions: 10.8°C, few clouds

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.61	17.76	6.32	10.08
☀️ Feb	22.57	16.84	6.05	10.35
🍂 Mar	20.69	14.66	2.78	10.13
🍂 Apr	19.55	14.69	3.62	8.63
🍂 May	16.88	12.06	4.11	7.62
❄️ Jun	15.49	10.81	3.47	7.25
❄️ Jul	14.39	9.24	3.5	7.33
❄️ Aug	14.41	8.03	2.32	8.13
🌸 Sep	16.01	10.88	3.1	9.39
🌸 Oct	17.2	11.9	3.51	10.26
🌸 Nov	19.2	13.08	3.57	10.99
☀️ Dec	21.95	16.04	3.73	11.41

Living in Auckland Central

Is Auckland Central a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Auckland Central

Schools in zone for Auckland Central

Freemans Bay School

Ponsonby Intermediate

Western Springs College-Ngā Puna o Waiōrea

Auckland Girls' Grammar School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

UP International College New Zealand

City 0-10

The BUSY School NZ

Te Kapehu Whetu - Tamaki

Aotearoa Infinite Academy

St Mary's College (Ponsonby)

Northern Health School

Newton Central School

Richmond Road School

St Peter's College (Epsom)

Crimson Global Academy

ACG Parnell College

St Paul's College (Ponsonby)

Auckland Grammar School

Marist Catholic School (Herne Bay)

Ponsonby Primary School

Newmarket School

Parnell School

Ficino School

Kōwhai Intermediate

St Joseph's School (Grey Lynn)

Bayfield School

Grey Lynn School

Auckland Secondary Schools' Centre

Mt Eden Normal School

Epsom Girls Grammar School

St Michael's Catholic School (Remuera)

Ecole Francaise Internationale Auckland

Westmere School (Auckland)

Eden Campus

Diocesan School For Girls

Stanley Bay School

Dilworth School

Victoria Avenue School

Baradene College

Auckland Normal Intermediate

Balmoral School (Auckland)

Mt Albert School

Saint Kentigern Boys' School

Kohia Terrace School

Saint Kentigern Girls' School

Pasadena Intermediate

Totara Point School

Devonport Primary School

King's School (Remuera)

St Cuthbert's College (Epsom)

St Leo's Catholic School (Devonport)

Balmoral S D A School

Remuera School

Edendale School (Auckland)

Epsom Normal School

Maungawhau School

Marist College

Marist School (Mt Albert)

Good Shepherd School (Balmoral)

Sisters United Academy

Mt Albert Grammar School

Northcote School (Auckland)

Orakei School

Kadimah School

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