- Est. Median Value
- $553K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $320/wk
- Safety Score
- 81/100
- Green Space
- 1%
- Current Weather
- 6.7°C
- Median Age
- 40 yrs
~44 crimes/1k/yr
light rain
Living in Avenal
Avenal is an Invercargill suburb in the eastern residential area, a solid mid-century neighbourhood of around 3,000 people that sits between the city centre and the eastern farming fringe where Kennington's lifestyle blocks begin. The suburb's name comes from the Scots word for oat field, which is a farming reference that Southland's eastern agricultural plain makes geographically appropriate even if the suburb itself is entirely residential.
The housing is the established Invercargill model: brick and weatherboard on flat sections, built in the decades when Invercargill was expanding its residential base eastward across the plain, with the generational garden development and property improvements that 50 years of continuous occupation produces. The suburb has the stable, working-family character that makes Invercargill's residential suburbs reliably functional without being particularly remarkable.
The Eastern Southland farming connections run through Avenal's eastern edge, and the suburb has the practical accessibility to both the CBD and the eastern highway that the Southland farming community values in a city address. Queens Park is within range for the green space that the flat sections don't themselves provide at parkland scale.
Local Invercargill primary schools serve Avenal. The oat field connection is historical. The suburb is resolutely suburban.
Is Avenal a good place to live?
Avenal is home to roughly 1,191 people across 1.4 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Avenal scores 52 out of 100, with a safety score of 81/100 and 1% green space.
Schools: Avenal has 25 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 $553K, and weekly rent typically sits around $320.
Lifestyle: Avenal has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 6.7°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Avenal 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
- Safety81
- Amenities48
- Schools75
- Housing Affordability68
- Green space10
- Community10
- Transport14
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $553K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $320/wk
- Median HH Income
- $69K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- -5.7%
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Avenal?
- Avenal is in eastern Invercargill, a residential suburb around 3 to 4 km from the CBD between the city centre and the eastern farming fringe.
- What is Avenal like?
- An established eastern Invercargill suburb with mid-20th century housing on flat sections, solid residential character and straightforward access to both the CBD and the eastern highway.
- What schools serve Avenal?
- Local Invercargill primary schools, with the city's secondary colleges for older students.
- What is near Avenal?
- Invercargill's CBD is a short drive west, Queens Park is accessible, and the eastern highway toward the Southland farming district begins at the suburb's edge.
- How do I get from Invercargill CBD to Avenal?
- By car, around 5 to 8 minutes east via Tay Street or the eastern arterials.
- Which schools are in zone for Avenal?
- Children living in Avenal are in zone for Waihopai School, Verdon College, Southland Adventist Christian School, St John's Girls' School (Invercargill), James Hargest College. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
- How do I check my school zone in Avenal?
- 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.
Schools & Enrolment Zones in Avenal
Schools in zone for Avenal
Children living in Avenal have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Waihopai School
Contributing · roll 335 · decile 8
Verdon College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 716 · decile 6
Southland Adventist Christian School
Full Primary · roll 123 · decile 4
St John's Girls' School (Invercargill)
Full Primary · roll 124 · decile 9
James Hargest College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1893
Check your school zone
School Zone Checker
Enter your address to check your school zone in Avenal. School enrolment zones (home zones) decide which schools your child has a guaranteed right to enrol at.
Address matching is approximate and based on OpenStreetMap geocoding — confirm an exact result near a zone boundary directly with the school.
Other nearby schools
Schools close to Avenal that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).
Invercargill Activity Centre
Activity Centre · 0.7 km away
Southland Boys' High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1101 · decile 7 · 1.6 km away
Invercargill Middle School
Contributing · roll 157 · decile 3 · 2.0 km away
Windsor North School
Contributing · roll 308 · decile 8 · 2.2 km away
St Joseph's School (Invercargill)
Full Primary · roll 154 · decile 5 · 2.2 km away
Donovan Primary School
Contributing · roll 353 · decile 6 · 2.3 km away
Ruru Special School
Specialist School · roll 126 · decile 4 · 2.5 km away
St Theresa's School (Invercargill)
Contributing · roll 264 · decile 7 · 2.5 km away
Southland Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1109 · decile 7 · 2.8 km away
Salford School
Contributing · roll 236 · decile 8 · 3.0 km away
Murihiku Young Parents' Learning Centre
Teen Parent Unit · 3.1 km away
Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)
Contributing · roll 82 · decile 9 · 3.3 km away
Waverley Park School
Contributing · roll 252 · decile 4 · 3.5 km away
Ascot Community School
Full Primary · roll 215 · decile 3 · 3.6 km away
Newfield Park School
Contributing · roll 206 · decile 3 · 3.9 km away
New River Primary
Contributing · roll 214 · decile 1 · 4.2 km away
St Patrick's School (Invercargill)
Contributing · roll 272 · decile 3 · 4.2 km away
Fernworth Primary School
Contributing · roll 251 · decile 2 · 4.3 km away
Te Wharekura o Arowhenua
Composite · roll 189 · decile 2 · 4.7 km away
Aurora College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 631 · decile 2 · 4.9 km away
Explore Avenal
Things to do(1)
CityFitness
Parks & green spaces
Parks and reserves for this area haven’t been catalogued yet.
Healthcare
Pharmacies and clinics for this area haven’t been catalogued yet.
Eat & Drink in Avenal
Places to eat & drink(13)
Cobb & Co Invercargill
Buster Crabb
The Brewers
Ocean Seafood
Da Vinci
Industry
The Ave Sports Bar
Homestead
Whitty's Bar
Cobb Invercargil
The Homestead Restaurant
Cobb & Co.
Da Vinci's Pizzeria
Tradies & Services in Avenal
Tradies & services(3)
Avenal Service Centre
Caltex-Avenal
Just Four Kids ltd
Shops in Avenal
Shops(3)
Fibrenew Southland & Central Otago
Silberhorn
Versatile Buildings
Beauty & Fitness in Avenal
Beauty & fitness(2)
CityFitness
The Lads Lounge
Professional Services in Avenal
Professional services(2)
Janice Hughes Limited Bookkeeping and Business Support
PORSE In Home Childcare - Invercargill
Stay in Avenal
Places to stay(3)
Villas Motel Invercargill
Kelvin House Guest House
Homestead Villa Motel
Avenal Weather
Current conditions: 6.7°C, light rain
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 19.64 | 10.85 | 4.07 | 10.7 |
| ☀️ Feb | 18.4 | 10.37 | 4.26 | 10.31 |
| 🍂 Mar | 16.18 | 8.77 | 5.11 | 8.36 |
| 🍂 Apr | 15.1 | 8.34 | 3.33 | 6.89 |
| 🍂 May | 12.07 | 6.1 | 3.83 | 4.87 |
| ❄️ Jun | 10.11 | 3 | 3.19 | 5.56 |
| ❄️ Jul | 9.64 | 3.29 | 3.74 | 5.69 |
| ❄️ Aug | 10.61 | 3.63 | 2.96 | 6.8 |
| 🌸 Sep | 12.56 | 5.35 | 4.94 | 7.78 |
| 🌸 Oct | 13.55 | 5.92 | 4.2 | 8.38 |
| 🌸 Nov | 14.91 | 6.97 | 2.89 | 10.35 |
| ☀️ Dec | 17.64 | 9.9 | 5.1 | 9.73 |
Avenal Community
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