Dannevirke is in the Tararua district on State Highway 2, around 45 minutes northeast of Palmerston North and 50 minutes southwest of Hastings, between the Ruahine Range and the Puketoi hills.

Why does Dannevirke have a Viking?

Dannevirke was founded in 1872 by Danish and Norwegian settlers clearing the Seventy Mile Bush, and the town celebrates its Scandinavian origins with Viking imagery, street names and annual events.

What is there to do in Dannevirke?

The Dannevirke Domain with its aviary and gardens, the Gallery of History's settler collections, the mural and heritage trail, and the rural rhythm of saleyard days and the A&P show.

What schools are in Dannevirke?

Dannevirke High School is the main secondary school, with Dannevirke South School, Huia Range School and St Joseph's covering the primary years.

How do I get from Palmerston North to Dannevirke?

By car, around 45 minutes northeast via State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge replacement route and State Highway 2, or via the Saddle Road. InterCity buses stop at Dannevirke.

What is the postcode for Dannevirke?

The postcode for Dannevirke is 4930.

What is the population of Dannevirke?

Dannevirke has 6,981 residents, based on the 2023 Census.

Dannevirke, Manawatu-Whanganui | Postcode, Population & Property Values

Living in Dannevirke

Dannevirke is a Tararua town of around 5,500 people on State Highway 2 between the Manawatū and Hawke's Bay, and the name is the history: it was founded in 1872 by Danish and Norwegian settlers sent to carve farms out of the vast Seventy Mile Bush, and the town has worn its Scandinavian origins proudly ever since. The giant Viking on the welcome sign sets expectations precisely.

The forest the settlers felled is long gone, replaced by some of the lower North Island's most reliable sheep, beef and dairy country, and Dannevirke runs the full rural service-town kit for it: the saleyards, the A&P show, the main street where the bakery does volumes the cities would envy and the utes park nose-in like a western.

The Scandinavian thread survives in the street names, the annual celebrations and the Dannevirke Gallery of History's settler collections, while the town's domain delivers one of provincial New Zealand's better surprises: a genuinely loved park with an aviary and the famous fairy-light-era charm of a domain maintained by people who use it.

Dannevirke High School anchors the schools, Palmerston North sits 45 minutes southwest over the Saddle, and the Ruahine Range walls the western sky. Vikings, sheep and a very good bakery. The settlers would recognise the work ethic immediately.

Is Dannevirke a good place to live?

Dannevirke is home to roughly 6,981 people across 368.9 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Dannevirke scores 71 out of 100, with a safety score of 61/100 and 5% green space.

Housing: The estimated median value is around $391K, and weekly rent typically sits around $280.

Lifestyle: Dannevirke has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 0.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Dannevirke 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

Safety61
Amenities100
Schools0
Housing Affordability96
Green space16
Community67
Transport10

Some dimensions are still pending data: schoolQuality.

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $391K
Median Weekly Rent: $280/wk
Median HH Income: $53K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): 0.0%
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 Tararua District →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Dannevirke?: Dannevirke is in the Tararua district on State Highway 2, around 45 minutes northeast of Palmerston North and 50 minutes southwest of Hastings, between the Ruahine Range and the Puketoi hills.
Why does Dannevirke have a Viking?: Dannevirke was founded in 1872 by Danish and Norwegian settlers clearing the Seventy Mile Bush, and the town celebrates its Scandinavian origins with Viking imagery, street names and annual events.
What is there to do in Dannevirke?: The Dannevirke Domain with its aviary and gardens, the Gallery of History's settler collections, the mural and heritage trail, and the rural rhythm of saleyard days and the A&P show.
What schools are in Dannevirke?: Dannevirke High School is the main secondary school, with Dannevirke South School, Huia Range School and St Joseph's covering the primary years.
How do I get from Palmerston North to Dannevirke?: By car, around 45 minutes northeast via State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge replacement route and State Highway 2, or via the Saddle Road. InterCity buses stop at Dannevirke.
What is the postcode for Dannevirke?: The postcode for Dannevirke is 4930.
What is the population of Dannevirke?: Dannevirke has 6,981 residents, based on the 2023 Census.

Explore Dannevirke

Things to do(18)

Rifle range

International Police Museum

Activate Gym

Melissa Martin Academy of Dance

Dannevirke Domain

Coronation Park

Anderson Park

Dub Dance Hip Hop Centre

Dannevirke Showgrounds

Dannevirke Sports Club

Dannevirke Squash Racquets Club

HERO Academy

Rugby Park

Dannevirke Bowling Club

Dannevirke Tennis Club

Dannevirke Sports Centre

TKH Whakapakari Tinana

The Grind

Parks & green spaces(4)

Dannevirke Domain

Coronation Park

Anderson Park

Rugby Park

Healthcare(1)

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	21.42	13.3	110.8	10.44
☀️ Feb	21.28	13.44	157.43	9.36
🍂 Mar	18.9	10.96	86.83	8.95
🍂 Apr	17.59	9.53	62.37	8.2
🍂 May	14.83	7.58	100.13	7.31
❄️ Jun	12.74	7.18	83.4	6.29
❄️ Jul	11.8	5.87	103.6	5.59
❄️ Aug	12.48	4.71	79.9	7.03
🌸 Sep	14.32	6.63	110.27	8.32
🌸 Oct	16.02	7.81	82.5	9.3
🌸 Nov	17.84	10.27	99.47	9.92
☀️ Dec	20.37	12.6	121.97	9.67

Living in Dannevirke

Is Dannevirke a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Explore Dannevirke

🎯Things to do(18)

Rifle range

International Police Museum

Activate Gym

Melissa Martin Academy of Dance

Dannevirke Domain

Coronation Park

Anderson Park

Dub Dance Hip Hop Centre

Dannevirke Showgrounds

Dannevirke Sports Club

Dannevirke Squash Racquets Club

HERO Academy

Rugby Park

Dannevirke Bowling Club

Dannevirke Tennis Club

Dannevirke Sports Centre

TKH Whakapakari Tinana

The Grind

🌳Parks & green spaces(4)

Dannevirke Domain

Coronation Park

Anderson Park

Rugby Park

🏥Healthcare(1)

Dannevirke Community Hospital

Eat & Drink in Dannevirke

🍽️Places to eat & drink(31)

The Vault Cafe

Black Stump Cafe

Valhallaz Tavern

The Forge Restaurant

Sugar & Salt Dannevirke

Masala Junction

The Regent Cafe

KFC Dannevirke

Im-Aim Thai Cuisine

McDonald's

WILD BEAN CAFE

Dannevirke Bakery And Cafe

Munch Time

Turkey INN

The Pizza Castle

Catching Pen Café

Pizza Plaza - Dannevirke

Cemetery Restaurant

Mangatera Hotel and Restaurant

Country Chef Fast Food

The Twilight Coffee Zone

The Black Stump Cafe

Mum's Sushi

Bake and Take

High St Bistro

Hungry belly bakery

Tikka Talks

Subway

Sugar & Salt

K F C

The Barrelhouse

Tradies & Services in Dannevirke

🔧Tradies & services(29)

A & A Auto Works

Anderson Auto Electrical

Barber, Climate and Electrical

Black Edition Auto Detailing

Bridgestone Tyre Centre

Busy Bees Educational Childcare Centre

Crafted Steel Engineering and Servicing

Dannevirke Tyres 2021 LTD - Bridgestone Tyre Centre

DART Panel and Paint

Davidsons Engineering

Things to do(18)

Parks & green spaces(4)

Healthcare(1)

Places to eat & drink(31)

Tradies & services(29)

Shops(19)

Beauty & fitness(23)

Professional services(8)