Whangarei is the northernmost city in New Zealand, around 160 km north of Auckland on State Highway 1. It's the main service centre for the Northland region, with the Hātea River running through the central city.

What is the Hundertwasser Art Centre?

The Hundertwasser Art Centre on the Whangarei Town Basin opened in 2022 after a 20-year campaign. It features a golden onion-dome roof, organic tiled walls and a working art gallery.

What is the Whangarei Town Basin?

The Whangarei Town Basin is a working marina at the heart of the city, with cafés, restaurants, art galleries, the Hundertwasser Art Centre and the Hihiaua Cultural Centre. The Hātea Loop walking path runs around it.

How do I get from Auckland to Whangarei?

By car, around 2.5 to 3 hours via SH1 north through the Brynderwyn hills. InterCity buses run multiple daily services. Air New Zealand flights from Auckland to Whangarei Airport take around 40 minutes.

What is the Hihiaua Cultural Centre?

The Hihiaua Cultural Centre on the Hātea River foreshore is a Māori cultural centre showcasing local Ngāpuhi and Ngātiwai histories, with exhibitions, performances and a carving school. Open most days; entry fees vary by event.

Which schools are in zone for Whangārei?

Children living in Whangārei are in zone for Whangarei School, Whangārei Boys' High School, Whangārei Girls' High School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.

How do I check my school zone in Whangārei?

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.

Whangārei, Northland | Postcode, Population & Property Values

Living in Whangārei

Whangarei is the northernmost city in New Zealand, around 160 km north of Auckland, and the main service centre for the whole Northland region. Population around 55,000 in the city proper, double that across the wider district. The CBD wraps around the Hātea River, with the Town Basin marina at the heart of it.

The Town Basin is the city's centrepiece: a working marina with cafés, restaurants, art galleries, the Whangarei Quarry Gardens nearby, and the kind of waterfront setting that punches well above what you'd expect from a Northland city. The Hundertwasser Art Centre on the Town Basin, opened in 2022 after a 20-year campaign, is one of the country's more distinctive newer buildings: golden onion-dome roof, organic tiled walls, a working art gallery and viewing terrace.

The Hihiaua Cultural Centre on the riverbank tells local Ngāpuhi and Ngātiwai histories. The Whangarei Art Museum, the Claphams National Clock Museum and the Whangarei i-SITE round out the cultural anchors.

Cameron Street is the main shopping spine. Whangarei District Council, the Northland Regional Council and most government services are based in the city. Auckland is a 2.5-hour drive south.

Is Whangārei a good place to live?

Whangārei is home to roughly 858 people across 1.6 km². On Suburb's overall livability scale, Whangārei scores 55 out of 100, with a safety score of 43/100 and 15% green space.

Schools: Whangārei 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 $629K, and weekly rent typically sits around $350.

Lifestyle: Whangārei has cafés, shops and things to do nearby. Public transport stops are within easy reach. The current temperature is 8.9°C. See the Weather tab for monthly averages.

Whether Whangārei 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.

What locals know about Whangārei

Read tips from people who live here, or share what you know.

Map

Livability Breakdown

Safety43
Amenities100
Schools50
Housing Affordability60
Green space50
Community11
Transport10

Property & Economics

Est. Median Value: $629K
Median Weekly Rent: $350/wk
Median HH Income: $56K/yr
Pop. Growth (5yr): -10.1%
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 Whangarei District →

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Whangarei?: Whangarei is the northernmost city in New Zealand, around 160 km north of Auckland on State Highway 1. It's the main service centre for the Northland region, with the Hātea River running through the central city.
What is the Hundertwasser Art Centre?: The Hundertwasser Art Centre on the Whangarei Town Basin opened in 2022 after a 20-year campaign. It features a golden onion-dome roof, organic tiled walls and a working art gallery.
What is the Whangarei Town Basin?: The Whangarei Town Basin is a working marina at the heart of the city, with cafés, restaurants, art galleries, the Hundertwasser Art Centre and the Hihiaua Cultural Centre. The Hātea Loop walking path runs around it.
How do I get from Auckland to Whangarei?: By car, around 2.5 to 3 hours via SH1 north through the Brynderwyn hills. InterCity buses run multiple daily services. Air New Zealand flights from Auckland to Whangarei Airport take around 40 minutes.
What is the Hihiaua Cultural Centre?: The Hihiaua Cultural Centre on the Hātea River foreshore is a Māori cultural centre showcasing local Ngāpuhi and Ngātiwai histories, with exhibitions, performances and a carving school. Open most days; entry fees vary by event.
Which schools are in zone for Whangārei?: Children living in Whangārei are in zone for Whangarei School, Whangārei Boys' High School, Whangārei Girls' High School. Living in a school's home zone gives a guaranteed right to enrol.
How do I check my school zone in Whangārei?: 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 Whangārei

Schools in zone for Whangārei

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

Whangarei School
Contributing · roll 461 · decile 4
Whangārei Boys' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1464 · decile 4
Whangārei Girls' High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 1540 · decile 4

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

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

Whangarei Intermediate
Intermediate · roll 528 · decile 4 · 0.4 km away
Renew School
Composite · roll 198 · 0.6 km away
Blomfield Special School and Resource Ctre
Specialist School · roll 177 · 0.7 km away
Morningside School
Contributing · roll 312 · decile 3 · 1.0 km away
Te Kāpehu Whetū
Composite · roll 172 · 1.0 km away
Hora Hora School (Te Mai)
Contributing · roll 310 · decile 2 · 1.5 km away
He Mataariki School for Teen Parents
Teen Parent Unit · 2.3 km away
St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei)
Contributing · roll 457 · decile 6 · 2.6 km away
Manaia View School
Full Primary · roll 185 · decile 1 · 2.6 km away
Whau Valley School
Contributing · roll 315 · decile 2 · 2.8 km away
Te Kura O Otangarei
Full Primary · roll 87 · decile 1 · 3.4 km away
Whangarei Adventist Christian School
Full Primary · roll 30 · decile 3 · 3.4 km away
Pompallier Catholic College
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 654 · decile 7 · 4.4 km away
Te Kamo Intermediate School
Intermediate · roll 622 · decile 5 · 4.4 km away
Tikipunga Primary School
Contributing · roll 326 · decile 1 · 4.4 km away
Maunu School
Contributing · roll 311 · decile 8 · 4.7 km away
Te Kamo High School
Secondary (Year 9-15) · roll 818 · decile 4 · 4.8 km away
Tikipunga High School
Secondary (Year 7-15) · roll 372 · decile 1 · 4.8 km away

Rubbish & Recycling

Rubbish collection: Friday (weekly)
Recycling: Friday (weekly)

Check your exact collection days on the Whangarei District Council website →

Rubbish bin

Non-recyclable general waste. Put out every Friday.

Recycling bin

Paper, cardboard, metal cans, rigid plastic containers. Put out every Friday, the same day as rubbish.

Collection data sourced from Whangarei District Council.

Explore Whangārei

Things to do(45)

Anytime Fitness

The Studio Fitness

Northland Rugby Union

Just Thrive

Boulder House

CrossFit Whangarei

Maddy May Fit

Latin Beatz Dance

Studio 51 (Private Personal Training Studio)

Fit Finatics

Yvy Dance

WADPA - Whangarei Academy of Dance & Performing Arts

Metamorph Fitness

Seaside Swing

Pickleball Whangarei

Just dance Whangarei

F45

Full Circle Training

Positive defence

Coach Geno - Run and Strength

Okara Park

Gritzone Exercise Specialists

HEADS BJJ

Hihiaua Park

Bush Jitsu BJJ 4 Years and Up

Woolly Soles NZ

Altitude Pole & Fitness

Active Attitude

City Cricket Club Inc - Whangarei

Sport Northland Events

Common Grounds Fitness

Claphams Clock Museum

MD Gallery

Gallery (For Lease)

Curves

Old Library Arts Centre

Whangārei Art Museum

Wairau Māori Art Gallery

Northland Olympic Weightlifting Club

Health Strength and Performance

Pocket Park

Flip Out Trampoline Arena Whangarei

Healthy You NZ

Whangarei Action Zone

The Energy Hub

Parks & green spaces(3)

Okara Park

Hihiaua Park

Pocket Park

Healthcare(7)

Life Pharmacy

Rathbone Clinic

Te Aroha Noa Medical Centre

White Cross Physiotherapy

Turner Osteopathy

White cross doctors

Month	High (°C)	Low (°C)	Rainfall (mm/day)	Sunshine (hrs/day)
☀️ Jan	22.83	16.42	6.42	10.3
☀️ Feb	23.22	15.34	5.79	10.5
🍂 Mar	21.64	12.84	0.96	10.22
🍂 Apr	19.87	13.43	3.94	8.24
🍂 May	17.06	10.96	3.62	8.09
❄️ Jun	15.54	9.43	3.89	7.01
❄️ Jul	14.7	8.25	4.02	7.55
❄️ Aug	14.77	7.18	2.78	8.21
🌸 Sep	16.8	9.51	3.02	9.33
🌸 Oct	17.71	10.57	4.47	10.29
🌸 Nov	19.78	11.36	2.95	11.19
☀️ Dec	22.91	14.71	3.7	11.15

Living in Whangārei

Is Whangārei a good place to live?

What locals know about Whangārei

Map

Livability Breakdown

Property & Economics

Key Financial Indicators (NZD)

Nearby Suburbs

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools & Enrolment Zones in Whangārei

Schools in zone for Whangārei

Whangarei School

Whangārei Boys' High School

Whangārei Girls' High School

Check your school zone

School Zone Checker

Other nearby schools

Whangarei Intermediate

Renew School

Blomfield Special School and Resource Ctre

Morningside School

Te Kāpehu Whetū

Hora Hora School (Te Mai)

He Mataariki School for Teen Parents

St Francis Xavier Catholic School (Whangarei)

Manaia View School

Whau Valley School

Te Kura O Otangarei

Whangarei Adventist Christian School

Pompallier Catholic College

Te Kamo Intermediate School

Tikipunga Primary School

Maunu School

Te Kamo High School

Tikipunga High School

Rubbish & Recycling

Rubbish bin

Recycling bin

Explore Whangārei

🎯Things to do(45)

Anytime Fitness

The Studio Fitness

Northland Rugby Union

Just Thrive

Boulder House

CrossFit Whangarei

Maddy May Fit

Latin Beatz Dance

Studio 51 (Private Personal Training Studio)

Fit Finatics

Yvy Dance

WADPA - Whangarei Academy of Dance & Performing Arts

Metamorph Fitness

Seaside Swing

Pickleball Whangarei

Just dance Whangarei

F45

Full Circle Training

Positive defence

Coach Geno - Run and Strength

Okara Park

Gritzone Exercise Specialists

HEADS BJJ

Hihiaua Park

Bush Jitsu BJJ 4 Years and Up

Woolly Soles NZ

Altitude Pole & Fitness

Active Attitude

City Cricket Club Inc - Whangarei

Sport Northland Events

Common Grounds Fitness

Claphams Clock Museum

MD Gallery

Gallery (For Lease)

Curves

Old Library Arts Centre

Whangārei Art Museum

Wairau Māori Art Gallery

Northland Olympic Weightlifting Club

Health Strength and Performance

Things to do(45)

Parks & green spaces(3)

Healthcare(7)

Places to eat & drink(140)