Hokowhitu is an eastern Palmerston North suburb around 3 km from the central city. It sits between The Square (west) and the Manawatū River (east), with the Hokowhitu Lagoon running through the suburb.

Was Massey University in Hokowhitu?

Yes. The former Massey University Hokowhitu campus on Centennial Drive was the original teachers' college site until the move to the Turitea campus. The campus is now being redeveloped as a residential and mixed-use precinct.

What is Hokowhitu School?

Hokowhitu School is the local state co-educational primary school for years 1 to 6, handling the suburb's primary catchment. Older students typically attend Palmerston North Boys' High School or Palmerston North Girls' High School.

How do I get from central Palmerston North to Hokowhitu?

By car, around 5 to 10 minutes via Fitzherbert Avenue or Ruahine Street. Bus services run regularly from the central Palmerston North interchange to Hokowhitu via Albert Street.

Which schools are in zone for Hokowhitu?

Children living in Hokowhitu are in zone for Cornerstone Christian School, Freyberg High School, Palmerston North Boys' High School, Palmerston North Girls' High School, College Street Normal School, Hokowhitu School, Palmerston North Intermediate, Winchester School (P North). Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Hokowhitu?

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.

Hokowhitu, Manawatu-Whanganui | Schools, Lifestyle & Local Guide

Living in Hokowhitu

Hokowhitu is an eastern Palmerston North suburb around 3 km from the central city, between The Square and the Manawatū River. It's one of Palmy's more established residential suburbs, with around 9,000 residents and a strong mix of heritage homes, mid-century housing and the inevitable student rentals that come with proximity to Massey University.

The Hokowhitu Lagoon is the suburb's centrepiece: a long freshwater lagoon (formerly an oxbow loop of the Manawatū River) used for rowing, kayaking, walking and the kind of long-standing community life that bodies of water tend to organise. The Hokowhitu Lagoon Walkway runs the full length, around 90 minutes return.

The former Massey University Hokowhitu campus on Centennial Drive was the original teachers' college site until the move to Turitea. The campus is now being redeveloped as a residential and mixed-use precinct.

The Hokowhitu shops on Albert Street have the local mix: the Four Square Hokowhitu, the Hokowhitu Pharmacy, the Hokowhitu Medical Centre, takeaways and a row of small businesses. Hokowhitu School handles the local primary. Older students typically attend Palmerston North Boys' High or Palmerston North Girls' High School. The kind of suburb where the lagoon defines the daily rhythm.

Is Hokowhitu a good place to live?

Hokowhitu is home to roughly 7,944 people across 11.9 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Hokowhitu scores 64 out of 100, with a safety score of 62/100 and 10% green space.

Schools: Hokowhitu has 37 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 $737K, and weekly rent typically sits around $465.

Lifestyle: Hokowhitu has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 10.6°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Hokowhitu 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

Safety62
Amenities100
Schools75
Housing Affordability51
Green space33
Community78
Transport20

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $737K
Median Weekly Rent: $465/wk
Median HH Income: $96K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): -0.6%
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 Palmerston North City →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Hokowhitu?: Hokowhitu is an eastern Palmerston North suburb around 3 km from the central city. It sits between The Square (west) and the Manawatū River (east), with the Hokowhitu Lagoon running through the suburb.
What is Hokowhitu Lagoon?: Hokowhitu Lagoon is a long freshwater lagoon running through Hokowhitu, formerly an oxbow loop of the Manawatū River. Used for rowing, kayaking and walking, with the Hokowhitu Lagoon Walkway running the full length.
Was Massey University in Hokowhitu?: Yes. The former Massey University Hokowhitu campus on Centennial Drive was the original teachers' college site until the move to the Turitea campus. The campus is now being redeveloped as a residential and mixed-use precinct.
What is Hokowhitu School?: Hokowhitu School is the local state co-educational primary school for years 1 to 6, handling the suburb's primary catchment. Older students typically attend Palmerston North Boys' High School or Palmerston North Girls' High School.
How do I get from central Palmerston North to Hokowhitu?: By car, around 5 to 10 minutes via Fitzherbert Avenue or Ruahine Street. Bus services run regularly from the central Palmerston North interchange to Hokowhitu via Albert Street.

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Hokowhitu

Schools in zone for Hokowhitu

Children living in Hokowhitu have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.

Cornerstone Christian School
Composite · roll 597 · decile 7
Freyberg High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 976 · decile 4
Palmerston North Boys' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1846 · decile 6
Palmerston North Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1339 · decile 6
College Street Normal School
Contributing · roll 572 · decile 8
Hokowhitu School
Contributing · roll 359 · decile 7
Palmerston North Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 745 · decile 6
Winchester School (P North)
Contributing · roll 325 · decile 8

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Enter your address to check your school zone in Hokowhitu. 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 Hokowhitu that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).

St James' Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato Heemi
Contributing · roll 140 · decile 2 · 0.8 km away
Parkland School (P North)
Contributing · roll 298 · decile 7 · 1.9 km away
Carncot Independent School
Full Primary · roll 128 · decile 10 · 2.3 km away
Aokautere School
Contributing · roll 147 · decile 10 · 2.4 km away
Terrace End School
Contributing · roll 209 · decile 3 · 2.5 km away
Manawatu Community High School - Manawatu Kura a Iwi
Activity Centre · 2.5 km away
Mana Tamariki
Composite · roll 68 · decile 5 · 2.6 km away
Palmerston North Adventist Christian School
Contributing · roll 97 · decile 3 · 2.6 km away
Awatapu College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 897 · 3.1 km away
West End School (P North)
Contributing · roll 322 · 3.1 km away
Manukura
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 192 · 3.2 km away
Central Normal School
Contributing · roll 450 · decile 4 · 3.3 km away
Ross Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 440 · decile 6 · 3.3 km away
Whakatipuria Teen Parent Unit
Teen Parent Unit · decile 6 · 3.3 km away
St Mary's School (P North)
Contributing · roll 213 · decile 6 · 3.4 km away
Our Lady of Lourdes School (P North)
Contributing · roll 146 · decile 6 · 3.4 km away
Queen Elizabeth College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 434 · decile 3 · 3.5 km away
Russell Street School
Contributing · roll 323 · decile 8 · 3.6 km away
Riverdale School (P North)
Contributing · roll 358 · decile 8 · 3.7 km away
Monrad - Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga
Intermediate · roll 330 · decile 3 · 3.7 km away
Takaro School
Full Primary · roll 194 · decile 1 · 4.0 km away
Turitea School
Contributing · roll 125 · decile 10 · 4.0 km away
Awapuni School (P North)
Contributing · roll 99 · decile 2 · 4.1 km away
Roslyn School
Full Primary · roll 392 · decile 3 · 4.1 km away
Milson School
Contributing · roll 327 · decile 4 · 4.4 km away
TKKM o Manawatu
Full Primary · roll 112 · decile 5 · 4.4 km away
St Peter's College (Palmerston North)
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 785 · decile 9 · 4.5 km away
Te Kura o Wairau
Contributing · roll 151 · decile 2 · 4.6 km away
Cloverlea School
Contributing · roll 227 · decile 3 · 5.0 km away

Explore Hokowhitu

Things to do(10)

Personal Pilates

Albert Street Forts

Red Kiwi Orienteering Page

Waterloo Park

JSK5.0 Manawatū-Whanganui Martial Arts

Manawatu Riverside Park

Hokowhitu Bowling Club

Wallace Park

Ruahine AFC

Centennial Lagoon

Parks & green spaces(4)

Waterloo Park

Manawatu Riverside Park

Wallace Park

Centennial Lagoon

Healthcare

Pharmacies and clinics for this area haven’t been catalogued yet.

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.66	13.93	98.2	11.56
☀️ Feb	21.86	13.82	148.47	10.04
🍂 Mar	19.85	11.65	98.4	9.6
🍂 Apr	18.41	10.26	76.53	8.28
🍂 May	15.74	8.13	156.7	7.24
❄️ Jun	13.72	7.4	96.73	6.67
❄️ Jul	12.87	6.25	159.13	6.1
❄️ Aug	13.2	5.72	156.73	7.05
🌸 Sep	14.87	7.39	136.83	8.46
🌸 Oct	16.19	8.32	127.83	9.37
🌸 Nov	18.41	10.78	137.83	10.17
☀️ Dec	20.98	13.18	128	10.8

Living in Hokowhitu

Is Hokowhitu a good place to live?

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Hokowhitu

Schools in zone for Hokowhitu

Cornerstone Christian School

Freyberg High School

Palmerston North Boys' High School

Palmerston North Girls' High School

College Street Normal School

Hokowhitu School

Palmerston North Intermediate

Winchester School (P North)

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

St James' Catholic School Te Kura Katorika o Hato Heemi

Parkland School (P North)

Carncot Independent School

Aokautere School

Terrace End School

Manawatu Community High School - Manawatu Kura a Iwi

Mana Tamariki

Palmerston North Adventist Christian School

Awatapu College

West End School (P North)

Manukura

Central Normal School

Ross Intermediate

Whakatipuria Teen Parent Unit

St Mary's School (P North)

Our Lady of Lourdes School (P North)

Queen Elizabeth College

Russell Street School

Riverdale School (P North)

Monrad - Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga

Takaro School

Turitea School

Awapuni School (P North)

Roslyn School

Milson School

TKKM o Manawatu

St Peter's College (Palmerston North)

Te Kura o Wairau

Cloverlea School

Explore Hokowhitu

🎯Things to do(10)

Personal Pilates

Albert Street Forts

Red Kiwi Orienteering Page

Waterloo Park

JSK5.0 Manawatū-Whanganui Martial Arts

Manawatu Riverside Park

Hokowhitu Bowling Club

Wallace Park

Ruahine AFC

Centennial Lagoon

🌳Parks & green spaces(4)

Waterloo Park

Manawatu Riverside Park

Wallace Park

Centennial Lagoon

🏥Healthcare

Eat & Drink in Hokowhitu

🍽️Places to eat & drink(14)

Village Inn Kitchen

The Bee's Knees

Spicy India

Hoko Sushi

Indian Love Story

Deluxe Takeaway

Manawatu Street Takeaways

The Fat Farmer

Hokowhitu Fish Supply

Lemons Cafe

Things to do(10)

Parks & green spaces(4)

Healthcare

Places to eat & drink(14)

Tradies & services(9)

Shops(8)

Beauty & fitness(18)

Professional services(4)

Places to stay(1)