- Est. Median Value
- $550K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $278/wk
- Safety Score
- 82/100
- Green Space
- 25%
- Current Weather
- 6.8°C
- Median Age
- 53 yrs
~43 crimes/1k/yr
overcast clouds
Living in Flag Swamp
Flag Swamp is a locality on the coastal hills between Palmerston and Dunedin, in the rolling hill country that the main South Island highway crosses before descending to the Waikouaiti coast. The name is a fragment of the wetland history that the European settlers found across most of coastal Otago's hill ground before the drainage and reclamation that converted swamp to farmland, with the flax and sedge communities that the settlers called swamp giving localities their descriptive names before the swamps themselves disappeared.
The hill country around Flag Swamp runs sheep and cattle on the rounded Otago coastal hills, with the kind of pastoral landscape that the North Otago and coastal Otago districts present between the significant geographical features: productive, unspectacular and entirely dependent on the farming families who maintain it. The highway's inland route through this country carries the Dunedin to Oamaru traffic at pace, and the localities along it are the background to other people's journeys.
The permanent population is the farming families, with Palmerston to the north and Waikouaiti to the south providing the services. The coastal landscapes below the hills at Waikouaiti and Karitane are within 20 minutes' drive.
Children from the Flag Swamp area attend Palmerston or Waikouaiti schools.
Is Flag Swamp a good place to live?
Flag Swamp is home to roughly 1,260 people across 25.2 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Flag Swamp scores 56 out of 100, with a safety score of 82/100 and 25% green space.
Housing: The estimated median value is around $550K, and weekly rent typically sits around $278.
Lifestyle: The current temperature is 6.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Flag Swamp 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.
Livability Breakdown
- Safety82
- Amenities22
- Schools0
- Housing Affordability68
- Green space82
- Community67
- Transport19
Some dimensions are still pending data: schoolQuality.
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $550K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $278/wk
- Median HH Income
- $57K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +5.5%
- 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 Flag Swamp?
- Flag Swamp is in the coastal hill country of Otago, on State Highway 1 between Palmerston and the Waikouaiti coast, north of Dunedin.
- Why is it called Flag Swamp?
- The name comes from the flax and sedge wetlands that early European settlers found in the hill country, before drainage converted them to farmland. The 'flag' refers to the native flax or similar swamp plants.
- What is near Flag Swamp?
- Palmerston is the nearest town to the north, Waikouaiti is around 15 km south, and the coastal settlements of Karitane and Waikouaiti are within 20 minutes.
- What schools serve Flag Swamp?
- Children from the Flag Swamp area attend Palmerston or Waikouaiti schools, depending on their location on the hill.
- How do I get from Dunedin to Flag Swamp?
- By car, around 45 minutes north via State Highway 1 through Waikouaiti and Palmerston.
- What is the postcode for Flag Swamp?
- The postcode for Flag Swamp is 9481.
- What is the population of Flag Swamp?
- Flag Swamp has 1,260 residents, based on the 2023 Census.
Flag Swamp Weather
Current conditions: 6.8°C, overcast clouds
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 19.95 | 12.09 | 1.95 | 10.04 |
| ☀️ Feb | 20.02 | 11.7 | 2.27 | 10.15 |
| 🍂 Mar | 17.68 | 9.89 | 3.42 | 9.08 |
| 🍂 Apr | 16.03 | 8.48 | 2.15 | 7.29 |
| 🍂 May | 13.32 | 6.01 | 1.5 | 6.06 |
| ❄️ Jun | 11.2 | 4.98 | 2.1 | 5.16 |
| ❄️ Jul | 10.62 | 4.69 | 2.84 | 6.05 |
| ❄️ Aug | 12 | 3.53 | 1.12 | 7.73 |
| 🌸 Sep | 14.39 | 5.79 | 2.88 | 8.41 |
| 🌸 Oct | 15.29 | 6.65 | 4.62 | 9.42 |
| 🌸 Nov | 15.89 | 8.1 | 3.13 | 10.25 |
| ☀️ Dec | 18.43 | 11 | 4.09 | 9.23 |
Flag Swamp Community
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