// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did Rapaura say to its date? You're a rap-ture.
Rapaura | |
|---|---|
 Vineyard at Rapaura | |
 Interactive map of Rapaura | |
| Coordinates: 41°28′19″S 173°54′6″E / 41.47194°S 173.90167°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Marlborough |
| Ward |
|
| Electorates | |
| Government | |
| • Territorial Authority | Marlborough District Council |
| • Marlborough District Mayor | Nadine Taylor[1] |
| • Kaikōura MP | Stuart Smith[2] |
| • Te Tai Tonga MP | Tākuta Ferris[3] |
| Area | |
• Total | 38.39 km2 (14.82 sq mi) |
| Population (2023 census)[5] | |
• Total | 456 |
| • Density | 11.9/km2 (30.8/sq mi) |
Rapaura is a locality northwest of Blenheim, New Zealand. The Wairau River flows past to the north. Spring Creek lies to the east.[6][7]
Rapaura consists of a church and a school. It also has high quality land for growing grapes.
Demographics
[edit]Rapaura locality covers 38.39 km2 (14.82 sq mi).[4] It is part of the larger Lower Wairau statistical area.[8]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 441 | — |
| 2013 | 435 | −0.20% |
| 2018 | 486 | +2.24% |
| 2023 | 456 | −1.27% |
| Source: [5][9] | ||
Rapaura had a population of 456 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 30 people (−6.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 21 people (4.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 237 males and 222 females in 183 dwellings.[10] 1.3% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 69 people (15.1%) aged under 15 years, 60 (13.2%) aged 15 to 29, 225 (49.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 102 (22.4%) aged 65 or older.[5]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 94.1% European (Pākehā); 10.5% Māori; 1.3% Pasifika; 2.0% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 98.0%, Māori by 2.0%, Samoan by 0.7%, and other languages by 6.6%. No language could be spoken by 0.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 21.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]
Religious affiliations were 29.6% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.7% New Age, 0.7% Jewish, and 1.3% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.5%, and 7.2% of people did not answer the census question.[5]
Of those at least 15 years old, 93 (24.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 210 (54.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 81 (20.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 72 people (18.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 204 (52.7%) full-time, 81 (20.9%) part-time, and 3 (0.8%) unemployed.[5]
Lower Wairau statistical area
[edit]Lower Wairau statistical area, which also includes Wairau Bar, covers 116.67 km2 (45.05 sq mi).[11] Lower Wairau had an estimated population of 1,270 as of June 2025,[12] with a population density of 10.9 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 1,176 | — |
| 2013 | 1,167 | −0.11% |
| 2018 | 1,212 | +0.76% |
| 2023 | 1,209 | −0.05% |
| Source: [13][14] | ||
Lower Wairau had a population of 1,209 in the 2023 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−0.2%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 42 people (3.6%) since the 2013 census. There were 621 males, 585 females, and 3 people of other genders in 483 dwellings.[15] 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 49.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 195 people (16.1%) aged under 15 years, 135 (11.2%) aged 15 to 29, 609 (50.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 270 (22.3%) aged 65 or older.[13]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 90.6% European (Pākehā); 11.9% Māori; 1.0% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 1.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori by 3.0%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 7.2%. No language could be spoken by 1.2% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 16.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[13]
Religious affiliations were 29.3% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, 0.2% Jewish, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.0%, and 8.2% of people did not answer the census question.[13]
Of those at least 15 years old, 204 (20.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 588 (58.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 222 (21.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $50,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 183 people (18.0%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 534 (52.7%) full-time, 213 (21.0%) part-time, and 6 (0.6%) unemployed.[13]
Education
[edit]Rapaura School is a coeducational full primary (years 1-8) school with a roll of 105 students (as of March 2026).[16][17] The school opened in 1862.[18]
Notes
[edit]- ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
- ↑ "Kaikōura - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
- ↑ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
- 1 2 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 18 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7023308, 7023317 and 7023318. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. map 60. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
- ↑ Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. map 139. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
- ↑ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
- ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023308, 7023317 and 7023318.
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 18 May 2026.
- ↑ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Lower Wairau (307200). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Lower Wairau (307200). 2018 Census place summary: Lower Wairau
- ↑ "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.
- ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
- ↑ "Rapaura School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
- ↑ "Our School - History of Rapaura School". Rapaura School. Retrieved 20 August 2021.