Pokuru, New Zealand

The statistical area of Pokuru, which at 109 square kilometres is much larger than the community, had a population of 1,425 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 162 people (12.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 258 people (22.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 489 households. There were 714 males and 708 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.01 males per female. The median age was 37.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 336 people (23.6%) aged under 15 years, 240 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 648 (45.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 195 (13.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.7% European/Pākehā, 12.8% Māori, 0.8% Pacific peoples, 1.9% Asian, and 4.0% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 11.8%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 50.9% had no religion, 37.1% were Christian, 0.2% were Hindu, 0.0% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 183 (16.8%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 204 (18.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $41,200, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 612 (56.2%) people were employed full-time, 183 (16.8%) were part-time, and 30 (2.8%) were unemployed.[3]

Pokuru locality is in meshblocks 0983500 and 0983600, which had a population of 150 people in the 2018 census.[4]

Pokuru School is a co-educational state primary school,[5] with a roll of 156 as of March 2020.[6] The school opened as Kakepuku School in 1907, and became Pokuru School in 1926.[7][8]