Ratapiko

Ratapiko
Rural community
Interactive map of Ratapiko
Coordinates: 39°11′59″S 174°19′18″E / 39.19972°S 174.32167°E / -39.19972; 174.32167
CountryNew Zealand
RegionTaranaki
Territorial authorityNew Plymouth District
Ward
  • Kōhanga Moa General Ward
  • Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward
CommunityInglewood Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityNew Plymouth District Council
 • Regional councilTaranaki Regional Council
 • Mayor of New PlymouthMax Brough[3]
 • Taranaki-King Country MPBarbara Kuriger[4]
 • Te Tai Hauāuru MPDebbie Ngarewa-Packer[5]
Area
 • Total
166.82 km2 (64.41 sq mi)
Population
 (2023 Census)[2]
 • Total
390
 • Density2.3/km2 (6.1/sq mi)

Ratapiko is a locality in Taranaki, New Zealand. Kaimata is about six kilometres to the north-west.

Lake Ratapiko is just to the south-east of the locality.[6][7]

Demographics

Ratapiko locality covers 166.82 km2 (64.41 sq mi).[1] The locality is part of the Tarata statistical area.[8]

Historical population for Ratapiko
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006399—    
2013339−2.30%
2018354+0.87%
2023390+1.96%
Source: [2][9]

Ratapiko had a population of 390 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 36 people (10.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 51 people (15.0%) since the 2013 census. There were 207 males and 183 females in 138 dwellings.[10] 2.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 90 people (23.1%) aged under 15 years, 51 (13.1%) aged 15 to 29, 198 (50.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 51 (13.1%) aged 65 or older.[2]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 96.2% European (Pākehā); 12.3% Māori; 2.3% Pasifika; 2.3% Asian; 1.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.2%, Samoan by 0.8%, and other languages by 3.8%. No language could be spoken by 3.1% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 9.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.[2]

Religious affiliations were 28.5% Christian, 1.5% Hindu, and 0.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.0%, and 8.5% of people did not answer the census question.[2]

Of those at least 15 years old, 48 (16.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 171 (57.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 87 (29.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 33 people (11.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 183 (61.0%) full-time, 48 (16.0%) part-time, and 12 (4.0%) unemployed.[2]

Tarata statistical area

Tarata statistical area, which also includes Purangi, covers 258.96 km2 (99.99 sq mi)[11] and had an estimated population of 640 as of June 2025,[12] with a population density of 2.5 people per km2.

Historical population for Tarata statistical area
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006606—    
2013582−0.58%
2018570−0.42%
2023600+1.03%
Source: [13][14]

Tarata had a population of 600 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 30 people (5.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 18 people (3.1%) since the 2013 census. There were 318 males and 282 females in 222 dwellings.[15] 1.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 40.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 138 people (23.0%) aged under 15 years, 78 (13.0%) aged 15 to 29, 309 (51.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 75 (12.5%) aged 65 or older.[13]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 95.5% European (Pākehā); 13.5% Māori; 1.5% Pasifika; 1.0% Asian; 1.0% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, Māori by 1.0%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 3.0%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). The percentage of people born overseas was 10.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.[13]

Religious affiliations were 29.5% Christian, 1.0% Hindu, and 1.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 59.0%, and 10.0% of people did not answer the census question.[13]

Of those at least 15 years old, 60 (13.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 288 (62.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 108 (23.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $43,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 54 people (11.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 279 (60.4%) full-time, 75 (16.2%) part-time, and 18 (3.9%) unemployed.[13]

Marae

Te Upoko o te Whenua Marae and Ngārongo meeting house are a meeting place for Ngāti Maru.[16][17]

In October 2020, the Government committed $500,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae, creating 15 jobs.[18]

Education

Ratapiko School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 26 students as of October 2025.[19][20] It opened in 1888.[21] The school was accepted as an Enviroschool in 2017.[22]

Notes

  1. ^ a b "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 4 October 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7017180 and 7017191. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Declaration of Results of Election and Poll" (PDF). New Plymouth District Council. 17 October 2025.
  4. ^ "Taranaki-King Country - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  6. ^ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004), Reed New Zealand Atlas, Reed Books, pp. map 34, ISBN 0-7900-0952-8
  7. ^ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005), The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand, Robbie Burton, pp. map 85, ISBN 1-877333-20-4
  8. ^ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  9. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017180 and 7017191.
  10. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Tarata (219700). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  14. ^ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Tarata (219700). 2018 Census place summary: Tarata
  15. ^ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
  17. ^ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
  18. ^ "Marae Announcements" (Excel). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.
  19. ^ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
  20. ^ "Ratapiko - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  21. ^ Venter, Erika (28 February 2013). "School set to celebrate past and present". Stratford Press.
  22. ^ "Ratapiko School - Enviro School history". Archived from the original on 3 December 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2025.

Further reading

General historical works

  • Beeche, Henry John (1950), Electrical development in New Zealand the story of the generation and distribution, use of, and dependence on, electrical energy in New Zealand, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Neville Graham Dunning for The Electric-Power Boards and Supply Authorities' Association of New Zealand
  • Plant, Elizabeth; Taylor, Lois (1988), Ratapiko School and District centennial, 1888-1988, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Ratapiko Centennial Jubilee Committee
  • Troon, Dawn (2007), The former Brixton Memorial Hall, 1953-2006, Waitara, [N.Z.]: Dawn Troon

School

  • Plant, Elizabeth; Taylor, Lois (1988), Ratapiko School and District centennial, 1888-1988, Inglewood, [N.Z.]: Ratapiko Centennial Jubilee Committee