- Est. Median Value
- $568K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $420/wk
- Safety Score
- 96/100
- Green Space
- 1%
- Current Weather
- 11.1°C
- Median Age
- 45 yrs
~29 crimes/1k/yr
overcast clouds
Living in Waihopai
Waihopai is an Invercargill suburb taking its name from the river that drains through the area, and if the name rings a distant bell it may be because Waihopai Valley in Marlborough is where New Zealand's most controversial intelligence facility operates - the satellite dish station that the anti-surveillance movement has been objecting to since the 1980s. The Invercargill Waihopai's connection to this is zero, but the name's national recognition occasionally gives the suburb a conversation starter it didn't ask for.
Around 3,000 people live in Waihopai's southern Invercargill streets, in the established residential suburb that the city's southern expansion produced in the mid-to-late 20th century on the flat Southland land. The housing has the solid, improved quality of decades of owner-occupancy in a city where property has been affordable enough to maintain properly, and the suburb has the working family character that makes Invercargill's residential areas reliably functional.
The CBD is a manageable drive north, Queens Park is accessible for the green space, and the southern farming connections run beyond the suburb's edge. The Waihopai River's remnant stream network threads through some of the suburb's reserves.
Local Invercargill primary schools serve Waihopai. No satellite dishes are visible from the residential streets.
Is Waihopai a good place to live?
Waihopai is home to roughly 1,044 people across 7.6 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Waihopai scores 55 out of 100, with a safety score of 96/100 and 1% green space.
Schools: Waihopai has 21 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 $568K, and weekly rent typically sits around $420.
Lifestyle: Waihopai has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 11.1°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Waihopai 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
- Safety96
- Amenities10
- Schools78
- Housing Affordability66
- Green space10
- Community89
- Transport14
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $568K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $420/wk
- Median HH Income
- $138K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +1.5%
- 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 Waihopai (Invercargill)?
- Waihopai is a southern Invercargill suburb, around 5 to 6 km from the CBD, named for the river that drains through the area.
- What is Waihopai (Invercargill) like?
- An established southern Invercargill residential suburb with solid mid-to-late 20th century housing on flat sections, typical of the city's southern residential band.
- What schools serve Waihopai (Invercargill)?
- Local Invercargill primary schools, with the city's secondary colleges for older students.
- What is near Waihopai (Invercargill)?
- Queens Park is accessible to the north, the Invercargill CBD is a manageable drive, and the southern farming fringe extends beyond the suburb.
- How do I get from Invercargill CBD to Waihopai?
- By car, around 8 to 10 minutes south via the central and southern arterials.
- Which schools are in zone for Waihopai?
- Children living in Waihopai are in zone for Myross Bush 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 Waihopai?
- 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 Waihopai
Schools in zone for Waihopai
Children living in Waihopai have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Myross Bush School
Contributing · roll 163 · decile 10
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 Waihopai. 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 Waihopai that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).
Salford School
Contributing · roll 236 · decile 8 · 1.6 km away
Waverley Park School
Contributing · roll 252 · decile 4 · 1.8 km away
Windsor North School
Contributing · roll 308 · decile 8 · 2.4 km away
St Theresa's School (Invercargill)
Contributing · roll 264 · decile 7 · 2.5 km away
Ascot Community School
Full Primary · roll 215 · decile 3 · 2.9 km away
Southland Boys' High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1101 · decile 7 · 3.0 km away
Murihiku Young Parents' Learning Centre
Teen Parent Unit · 3.0 km away
Waihopai School
Contributing · roll 335 · decile 8 · 3.3 km away
Ruru Special School
Specialist School · roll 126 · decile 4 · 3.6 km away
Sacred Heart School (Waikiwi)
Contributing · roll 82 · decile 9 · 3.6 km away
Te Wharekura o Arowhenua
Composite · roll 189 · decile 2 · 3.9 km away
Donovan Primary School
Contributing · roll 353 · decile 6 · 4.0 km away
Invercargill Activity Centre
Activity Centre · 4.0 km away
Invercargill Middle School
Contributing · roll 157 · decile 3 · 4.3 km away
Southland Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 1109 · decile 7 · 4.5 km away
Newfield Park School
Contributing · roll 206 · decile 3 · 4.5 km away
Explore Waihopai
Things to do(1)
Balance Equestrian
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 Waihopai
Places to eat & drink(1)
Starbucks
Tradies & Services in Waihopai
Tradies & services(2)
Barry Stewart Builders Ltd
Tom Dixon Painting
Beauty & Fitness in Waihopai
Beauty & fitness(1)
Balance Equestrian
Waihopai Weather
Current conditions: 11.1°C, overcast clouds
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 19.3 | 10.91 | 3.59 | 10.09 |
| ☀️ Feb | 18.48 | 10.08 | 3.74 | 10.19 |
| 🍂 Mar | 17.15 | 9.2 | 3.93 | 8.42 |
| 🍂 Apr | 15.07 | 8.33 | 3.96 | 6.88 |
| 🍂 May | 12.66 | 6.44 | 3.69 | 5.27 |
| ❄️ Jun | 10.04 | 2.92 | 3.1 | 5.41 |
| ❄️ Jul | 9.39 | 3.57 | 3.85 | 4.99 |
| ❄️ Aug | 11.04 | 3.65 | 2.89 | 7.05 |
| 🌸 Sep | 12.54 | 5.15 | 4.13 | 7.8 |
| 🌸 Oct | 13.65 | 5.72 | 3.85 | 8.89 |
| 🌸 Nov | 15.48 | 7.48 | 3.42 | 10.44 |
| ☀️ Dec | 17.79 | 9.92 | 4.38 | 9.71 |
Waihopai Community
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