- Est. Median Value
- $808K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $600/wk
- Safety Score
- 37/100
- Green Space
- 23%
- Current Weather
- 8.8°C
- Median Age
- 37 yrs
~88 crimes/1k/yr
clear sky
Living in Welcome Bay
Welcome Bay is on the southern side of the Tauranga Harbour, around 7 km southeast of central Tauranga across the Maungatapu Bridge. It's a mixed residential suburb that has grown substantially since the 1990s, partly as a more affordable alternative to the Mount and Papamoa side of the harbour.
The standout feature is Welcome Bay Hot Pools: a geothermal pool complex on Welcome Bay Road that has been operating in some form since the early 20th century. Heated natural mineral water, family pool, private pools, a slide. The kind of suburban thermal complex that doesn't exist in most cities. Visitors come from across the wider Bay of Plenty for a soak.
The Welcome Bay shops on Welcome Bay Road are the local hub: the Welcome Bay Takeaways, Welcome Bay Pharmacy, the Palmers Welcome Bay garden centre and a small mix of suburban retail. Orchard Thieves Cidery is at the eastern end, a local craft cider producer with a tasting room.
Welcome Bay School (state co-ed primary) handles the local primary. Older students attend Tauranga Boys' College or Tauranga Girls' College. The Maungatapu Bridge connects the suburb directly to central Tauranga, with the airport 15 minutes north.
Is Welcome Bay a good place to live?
Welcome Bay is home to roughly 11,055 people. On Suburb's overall livability scale, Welcome Bay scores 58 out of 100, with a safety score of 37/100 and 23% green space.
Schools: Welcome Bay has 14 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 $808K, and weekly rent typically sits around $600.
Lifestyle: Welcome Bay has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. The current temperature is 8.8°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.
Whether Welcome Bay 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
- Safety37
- Amenities100
- Schools61
- Housing Affordability46
- Green space77
- Community44
- Transport30
Property & Economics
- Est. Median Value
- $808K
- Median Weekly Rent
- $600/wk
- Median HH Income
- $119K/yr
- Pop. Growth (5yr)
- +15.3%
- 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 Welcome Bay?
- Welcome Bay is on the southern side of the Tauranga Harbour, around 7 km southeast of central Tauranga across the Maungatapu Bridge. It borders Maungatapu, Greerton and the harbour.
- What are Welcome Bay Hot Pools?
- Welcome Bay Hot Pools on Welcome Bay Road is a geothermal pool complex with heated natural mineral water, a family pool, private pools, a hydroslide and changing facilities. Operating since the early 20th century.
- What is Orchard Thieves Cidery?
- Orchard Thieves Cidery on Welcome Bay Road is a local craft cider producer with a tasting room and small bar. The cidery uses local Bay of Plenty apples and runs regular tastings and food events.
- How do I get from central Tauranga to Welcome Bay?
- By car, around 10 to 15 minutes via the Maungatapu Bridge and Welcome Bay Road. Bus services run regularly from the central Tauranga interchange to Welcome Bay via Maungatapu.
- What schools are in Welcome Bay?
- Welcome Bay School (state co-ed primary, years 1 to 6) is the main local school. Older students typically attend Tauranga Boys' College, Tauranga Girls' College or Mount Maunganui College.
Schools & Enrolment Zones in Welcome Bay
Schools in zone for Welcome Bay
Children living in Welcome Bay have a guaranteed right to enrol at these schools, based on Ministry of Education home zones.
Tauranga Boys' College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 2327 · decile 6
Tauranga Girls' College
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1474 · decile 6
Tauranga Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 1229 · decile 5
Welcome Bay School
Contributing · roll 280 · decile 4
Check your school zone
School Zone Checker
Enter your address to check your school zone in Welcome Bay. 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 Welcome Bay that you may be able to enrol at under open enrolment or by application (outside your home zone).
Tauranga Waldorf School
Full Primary · roll 196 · decile 7 · 0.8 km away
Selwyn Ridge School
Contributing · roll 459 · decile 3 · 1.4 km away
Maungatapu School
Contributing · roll 571 · decile 5 · 2.2 km away
Te Kura o Matapihi
Full Primary · roll 177 · decile 3 · 3.5 km away
St Mary's Catholic School (Tauranga)
Contributing · roll 456 · decile 8 · 3.7 km away
Tauranga Special School
Specialist School · roll 128 · decile 5 · 4.1 km away
TKKM o Otepou
Full Primary · roll 70 · decile 3 · 4.1 km away
Te Whakatipuranga (Otumoetai TPU)
Teen Parent Unit · 4.1 km away
Merivale School
Contributing · roll 156 · decile 1 · 4.7 km away
Gate Pa School
Contributing · roll 374 · decile 2 · 4.9 km away
Explore Welcome Bay
Things to do(14)
Waipuna Football Club
Tauranga City Tridents American Football Club
Waipuna Park, Welcome Bay
Selwyn Park
Perlorus Park
Tye park
Utopia Park
Waitaha Reserve
Budo South Martial Arts Club
Pelorus Street Reserve
Ballintoy Park Drive
Johnson Reserve
Qi Health and Fitness
Te Auhi Reserve
Parks & green spaces(10)
Waipuna Park, Welcome Bay
Selwyn Park
Perlorus Park
Tye park
Utopia Park
Waitaha Reserve
Pelorus Street Reserve
Ballintoy Park Drive
Johnson Reserve
Te Auhi Reserve
Healthcare(2)
Waughs Pharmacy
Welcome Bay Health
Eat & Drink in Welcome Bay
Places to eat & drink(14)
Flying Saucer restaurant and Cafe
Welcome Bay Sports Bar
Pippi's Pantry
Salvatore's wood fire pizza
Welcome Bay Bakery
Lighthouse Cafe
Bay Masala
Bayview Cafe & Restaurant
AAA Currie House
Charmful Delights
Allergy & Wheat Free Delights
Welcome Bay Tavern
Welcome Bay Sushi
The Orchard Thieves Pizza
Tradies & Services in Welcome Bay
Tradies & services(13)
Bay of Painting
Childcare Tauranga - The Childrens Garden
Distinction Tiling
Groundworks Landscaping
Grout and Silicone
Kawiti Roofing
Little Pipi Welcome Bay
Moss Onsite
NVN Upholstery Tauranga
Pool Surgeon Ltd
Seedlings Preschool
Versatile Waterproofing Solutions
Victory Automotive
Shops in Welcome Bay
Shops(11)
Alison Blain Designer
Bay Ultra Dry Cleaning Protection
Best Function Furniture
Eco Plumber Gas
Flax, Wax, Wood & Lace
Four Square Welcome Bay
Maahi creation
Online Garage Sale NZ only
Super Liquor Welcome Bay
The Bottle-O Welcome Bay
Welcome Bay Foodmarket
Beauty & Fitness in Welcome Bay
Beauty & fitness(15)
Angies Natural Skin Therapy
Bex’s Nail Studio
Brooke's Brows
Budo South Martial Arts Club
Healthy Hair
Moana Lash Welcome bay
NZ Nail Academy
Qi Health and Fitness
Queen Nails Tauranga
Simply Collagen
Stasy Nail Tech
Tauranga City Tridents American Football Club
The Beauty Box
Waipuna Football Club
Wild Thistle Beauty
Professional Services in Welcome Bay
Professional services(14)
A moment in time - Photography
Ambience Architecture Ltd
Avante Accounting Services
Be Visible
BOP Landscaping
BOP Paint & Wash Limited
Direct Financial Services Limited
Fluro Grey
Happy Books
JV Financial Services Ltd
Oxygen8 Consulting
Stuart Harris - The Finance Collective
Tauranga Mortgage Brokers
Welcome Bay Christmas Trees
Stay in Welcome Bay
Places to stay(1)
Welcome Bay Hot Pools & Campground
Welcome Bay Weather
Current conditions: 8.8°C, clear sky
| Month | High (°C) | Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm/day) | Sunshine (hrs/day) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ Jan | 22.21 | 16.12 | 10.03 | 9.79 |
| ☀️ Feb | 22.45 | 15.24 | 7.53 | 10.14 |
| 🍂 Mar | 20.5 | 12.2 | 2.66 | 10.32 |
| 🍂 Apr | 18.89 | 12.15 | 4.32 | 8.34 |
| 🍂 May | 16.2 | 9.52 | 6.05 | 7.73 |
| ❄️ Jun | 14.7 | 8.63 | 7.27 | 7.12 |
| ❄️ Jul | 13.82 | 6.58 | 3.5 | 7.45 |
| ❄️ Aug | 13.92 | 5.1 | 2.72 | 8.54 |
| 🌸 Sep | 16.04 | 8.55 | 3.85 | 9.56 |
| 🌸 Oct | 17.32 | 9.72 | 3.91 | 10.43 |
| 🌸 Nov | 19.09 | 11.46 | 3.8 | 10.97 |
| ☀️ Dec | 21.97 | 14.45 | 5.57 | 11.04 |
Welcome Bay Community
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