- Est. Median Value
- $334K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $270/wk
- Safety Score
- 43/100
- Green Space
- 19%
- Current Weather
- 3.3°C
- Median Age
- 35 yrs
~82 crimes/1k/yr
clear sky
Living in Wairoa
Wairoa sits on the broad river of the same name in northern Hawke's Bay, around 4,500 people in the main town of one of New Zealand's most Māori districts, where around two-thirds of the population whakapapa to the river and the marae that line it. Te reo lives on Wairoa's main street as an everyday language, not a revival project, and the town carries that distinction with quiet matter-of-factness.
The river runs the geography and the history both, with the old lighthouse relocated from Portland Island standing on the riverbank as the town's white wooden landmark, and the Wairoa River's long bridge framing the daily comings and goings.
The town's modern story includes the hard chapters honestly: Cyclone Gabrielle's floods hit Wairoa brutally in 2023, and the recovery has been a community effort of the kind this district has always specialised in, marae-led, practical and ongoing. The Gaiety, the restored art deco theatre, holds the main street's culture together meanwhile, and the annual Wairoa Māori Film Festival gives the town a national cultural footprint far beyond its size.
Wairoa College anchors the schools, Lake Waikaremoana's Great Walk waits an hour inland, and Napier and Gisborne sit 90 minutes either side. The river keeps its own counsel. So does the town.
Is Wairoa a good place to live?
Wairoa is home to roughly 4,707 people across 221.1 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Wairoa scores 62 out of 100, with a safety score of 43/100 and 19% green space.
Schools: Wairoa has 6 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 $334K, and weekly rent typically sits around $270.
Lifestyle: Wairoa has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 3.3°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Wairoa 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
- Safety43
- Amenities100
- Schools32
- Housing Affordability100
- Green space63
- Community33
- Transport10
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $334K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $270/wk
- Median HH Income
- $64K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +4.0%
- 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
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where is Wairoa?
- Wairoa is in northern Hawke's Bay on the Wairoa River, around 90 minutes north of Napier and 90 minutes south of Gisborne on State Highway 2, the gateway to Lake Waikaremoana.
- What is the Wairoa lighthouse?
- The Wairoa lighthouse is the town's riverside landmark, a white wooden lighthouse relocated from Portland Island in the 1960s and restored on the main street's river bank.
- What is the Wairoa Maori Film Festival?
- The Wairoa Māori Film Festival, held annually, showcases Māori and indigenous filmmaking, giving the town a national cultural profile and drawing filmmakers from across the motu.
- Is Wairoa near Lake Waikaremoana?
- Yes. Lake Waikaremoana and its Great Walk in Te Urewera are around an hour inland from Wairoa, which serves as the main supply town for visits.
- How do I get from Napier to Wairoa?
- By car, around 90 minutes north via State Highway 2 through the Mohaka River country. InterCity buses stop at Wairoa on the Napier to Gisborne route.
- Which schools are in zone for Wairoa?
- Children living in Wairoa are in zone for Frasertown School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
- How do I check my school zone in Wairoa?
- 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 Wairoa
Schools in zone for Wairoa
Children living in Wairoa have a guaranteed right to enrol at these school, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Frasertown School
Full Primary · roll 110 · decile 2
Check your school zone
School Zone Checker
Enter your address to check your school zone in Wairoa. 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 Wairoa that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).
Wairoa College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 368 · decile 1 · 3.6 km away
St Joseph's School (Wairoa)
Full Primary · roll 96 · decile 2 · 4.0 km away
TKKM o Ngati Kahungunu o Te Wairoa
Composite · roll 195 · decile 1 · 4.3 km away
Wairoa Primary School
Full Primary · roll 268 · decile 1 · 4.5 km away
Tiaho Primary School
Full Primary · roll 76 · decile 1 · 4.6 km away
Explore Wairoa
Things to do(11)
Adventure Wairoa Club Rooms
Wairoa Community Centre
Alexandra Park
Tapuae Sports Club
Tiara's Dance Studio
Whānaufit Wairoa
Wairoa Bowling Club
WCC Fitness Centre
Wairoa Athletic Rugby Football Club
Wairoa Bridge Club
Clyde Domain
Parks & green spaces(2)
Alexandra Park
Clyde Domain
Healthcare(2)
Wairoa Pharmacy
Wairoa Health
Eat & Drink in Wairoa
Places to eat & drink(16)
2ate7 Cafe and Motel
Oslers Bakery and Cafe
Cafe 287
2ate7 Motel
Arigato mum's sushi 3
Wander Mobile cafe
Eastend Cafe & Bar
Wairoa Pizzas Kebabs and Indian Food
Tui Takeways
Ponderosa Fish and Chips
Riverside Takeaways
Mahia Ave Store Wairoa
Oslers Bakery
Gemmell's Cafe Restaurant & Bar
Robbie's Dairy and Takeaways
Hungry Mates
Tradies & Services in Wairoa
Tradies & services(11)
Brian Ave Kindergarten
Bridgestone Tyre Centre
Crossroads Service Centre
Hind Furnishers
Lux Cleaning Services
Pickering Cabinet Makers
Quality Roading and Services
The Tyre General Wairoa
Vegetable Gardens Wairoa
Wairoa Garage
Wairoa Glass
Shops in Wairoa
Shops(16)
CARTERS - Wairoa
Eastlands Building and Farm Supplies
𝙵𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚣 𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢
First Choice Supermarket Wairoa
Hammer Hardware Wairoa's Garden Centre
Hedgegrove Avocados
MustafaMuslim LTD
New clyde dairy wairoa
New World Supermarket
New World Wairoa
Richie's Self Service Laundry
The Bottle-O
The Limery
Wairoa Community Ngahere Nursery Inc
Wairoa Hammer Hardware
Wairoa Wines and Spirits
Beauty & Fitness in Wairoa
Beauty & fitness(15)
Adventure Wairoa Club Rooms
CutShack Barbershop
Hair Here
MOJO Hair Design
Richies Hair and Beauty
Sapphire's Salon
Tapuae Sports Club
Tiara's Dance Studio
Total Look Beauty Clinic
Wairoa Athletic Rugby Football Club
Wairoa Bowling Club
Wairoa Bridge Club
Wairoa Community Centre
WCC Fitness Centre
Whānaufit Wairoa
Professional Services in Wairoa
Professional services(2)
Curphey Media
Tania Heighway - Mortgage & Insurance Adviser at CM Financial Advisers
Stay in Wairoa
Places to stay(8)
Wairoa Motel
Vista Motor Lodge
Adventure Lodge & Motel
The Clyde Hotel
Ferry Hotel
Three Oaks Motel
287 Cafe Motel
Wairoa Bed and Breakfast
Wairoa Weather
Current conditions: 3.3°C, clear sky
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 22.78 | 14.93 | 5.49 | 9.53 |
| ☀️ Feb | 23.03 | 14.23 | 6.04 | 9.81 |
| 🍂 Mar | 20.77 | 11.41 | 3.02 | 9.97 |
| 🍂 Apr | 19.12 | 10.65 | 2.05 | 7.84 |
| 🍂 May | 16.27 | 8.16 | 2.9 | 7.32 |
| ❄️ Jun | 14.31 | 7.18 | 5.16 | 6.04 |
| ❄️ Jul | 13.62 | 4.57 | 3.5 | 6.55 |
| ❄️ Aug | 13.83 | 4.72 | 1.93 | 7.98 |
| 🌸 Sep | 17.43 | 6.98 | 3.8 | 9.35 |
| 🌸 Oct | 18.76 | 8.9 | 2.39 | 10.34 |
| 🌸 Nov | 19.99 | 11.25 | 4.19 | 9.87 |
| ☀️ Dec | 23.5 | 14.39 | 4.59 | 9.97 |
Wairoa Community
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