Paengaroa is located on State Highway 33 approximately 2 km from the junction with State Highway 2, and at the eastern end of the Tauranga Eastern Motorway (TEL), which was opened in 2015.[4]
Paengaroa is a largely rural settlement with many farms and a few shops.[3] Some residents also commute to Tauranga.[3] It has 2.27 hectares of commercial land.[5]
Demographics
Paengaroa is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement, which covers 1.52 km2 (0.59 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 970 as of June 2024,[2] with a population density of 638 people per km2. It is part of the larger Pongakawa statistical area.[6]
Paengaroa had a population of 795 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 144 people (22.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 171 people (27.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 285 households, comprising 411 males and 381 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female, with 210 people (26.4%) aged under 15 years, 120 (15.1%) aged 15 to 29, 375 (47.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 90 (11.3%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 77.4% European/Pākehā, 29.4% Māori, 3.0% Pacific peoples, 4.5% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 58.5% had no religion, 24.2% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.4% were Hindu, 0.8% were Buddhist and 3.8% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 69 (11.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 141 (24.1%) people had no formal qualifications. 72 people (12.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 336 (57.4%) people were employed full-time, 84 (14.4%) were part-time, and 18 (3.1%) were unemployed.[7]
Paengaroa School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students.[9] It was founded in 1906,[10] and has a roll of 220 as of November 2024.[11]
