Tokanui, Waikato

Te Mawhai railway station operated from 1887 to 1962, originally as Te Puhi railway station.[1]

Tokanui is the site of the former Tokanui Psychiatric Hospital, which operated from 1912 to 1997.[2] The closure of the hospital resulted in the loss of 600 jobs, and there was little alternative employment available in the area.[3]

The statistical area of Tokanui, which at 23 square kilometres is larger than the locality, had a population of 435 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (-1.4%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 9 people (2.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 144 households. There were 231 males and 207 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.12 males per female. The median age was 31.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 105 people (24.1%) aged under 15 years, 102 (23.4%) aged 15 to 29, 195 (44.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (7.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 66.2% European/Pākehā, 54.5% Māori, 2.8% Pacific peoples, 3.4% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 11.0%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.7% had no religion, 28.3% were Christian, 0.7% were Hindu and 9.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 33 (10.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 81 (24.5%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,700, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 165 (50.0%) people were employed full-time, 54 (16.4%) were part-time, and 21 (6.4%) were unemployed.[4]