- Est. Median Value
- $478K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $300/wk
- Safety Score
- 90/100
- Green Space
- 3%
- Current Weather
- 7.8°C
- Median Age
- 43 yrs
~35 crimes/1k/yr
overcast clouds
Living in Kakapuaka
Kakapuaka is a South Otago locality in the farming hill country above the Clutha Valley, where the rolling pastoral landscape transitions from the river flats to the inland hills that separate the Clutha and Catlins catchments. The Māori name belongs to the waterway or feature associated with the locality, one of the South Otago place names that survived the European settlement era's extensive renaming.
The hill farming around Kakapuaka runs sheep and cattle on the rolling Otago coastal hill country, the improved pasture and the native remnants in the gullies alternating with the paddocks on the accessible faces. South Otago's pastoral character in this country has the quiet productivity of land that has been farmed at a human scale for five or six generations, with the farming families accumulating the knowledge and the debt in roughly equal measure.
The permanent population is the farming families on the surrounding properties, with Balclutha providing the nearest full services and the school connection for the children from the locality. The Catlins' native bush and coastal landscapes are within driving distance to the southeast, and the Clutha Valley's services run north.
Kakapuaka is South Otago farming country at its most characteristic: the rolling hills, the hedge-lined roads and the farming community infrastructure of a district that has been doing this reliably for long enough to have got very good at it.
Is Kakapuaka a good place to live?
Kakapuaka is home to roughly 2,610 people across 7.2 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Kakapuaka scores 53 out of 100, with a safety score of 90/100 and 3% green space.
Schools: Kakapuaka has 5 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 $478K, and weekly rent typically sits around $300.
Lifestyle: The current temperature is 7.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Kakapuaka 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
- Safety90
- Amenities10
- Schools67
- Housing Affordability79
- Green space10
- Community67
- Transport19
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $478K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $300/wk
- Median HH Income
- $68K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +3.4%
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Kakapuaka?
- Kakapuaka is in South Otago, in the hill farming country above the lower Clutha Valley, between Balclutha and the Catlins district.
- What is Kakapuaka like?
- Kakapuaka is a small pastoral farming locality in the rolling South Otago hill country, with sheep and cattle farming and Balclutha providing the nearest full services.
- What is the landscape like at Kakapuaka?
- Rolling pastoral hills with improved pasture, native bush remnants in the gullies and the characteristic South Otago coastal hill farming landscape, between the Clutha Valley and the Catlins.
- What schools serve Kakapuaka?
- Children from Kakapuaka attend Balclutha's schools, with South Otago High School for secondary students.
- How do I get from Balclutha to Kakapuaka?
- By car via the inland farming roads from Balclutha into the South Otago hill country.
- Which schools are in zone for Kakapuaka?
- Children living in Kakapuaka are in zone for Rosebank School (Balclutha), Warepa School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
- How do I check my school zone in Kakapuaka?
- 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 Kakapuaka
Schools in zone for Kakapuaka
Children living in Kakapuaka have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Rosebank School (Balclutha)
Full Primary · roll 203 · decile 6
Warepa School
Full Primary · roll 64 · decile 7
Check your school zone
School Zone Checker
Enter your address to check your school zone in Kakapuaka. 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 Kakapuaka that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).
South Otago High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 498 · decile 6 · 3.3 km away
St Joseph's School (Balclutha)
Full Primary · roll 64 · decile 5 · 4.1 km away
Balclutha School
Full Primary · roll 216 · decile 5 · 4.5 km away
Tradies & Services in Kakapuaka
Tradies & services(1)
JE Systems
Beauty & Fitness in Kakapuaka
Beauty & fitness(1)
Mane Hairdressing
Kakapuaka Weather
Current conditions: 7.8°C, overcast clouds
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 20.65 | 10.7 | 2.07 | 11.01 |
| ☀️ Feb | 19.8 | 10.12 | 2.12 | 9.89 |
| 🍂 Mar | 16.83 | 8.31 | 2.89 | 8.41 |
| 🍂 Apr | 14.92 | 7.24 | 2.12 | 6.5 |
| 🍂 May | 11.69 | 4.99 | 2.16 | 5.26 |
| ❄️ Jun | 9.33 | 2.4 | 2.1 | 5.62 |
| ❄️ Jul | 9.19 | 2.85 | 2.6 | 5.58 |
| ❄️ Aug | 10.55 | 1.86 | 1.3 | 7.09 |
| 🌸 Sep | 12.71 | 4.36 | 3.04 | 7.61 |
| 🌸 Oct | 14.12 | 5.12 | 4.63 | 8.43 |
| 🌸 Nov | 15.87 | 6.36 | 2.41 | 10 |
| ☀️ Dec | 18.43 | 9.43 | 3.01 | 9.69 |
Kakapuaka Community
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