Levin, New Zealand Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Levin Taitoko (Māori)
Secondary urban area
Intersection of Queen and Oxford Streets
Country	New Zealand
Region	Manawatū-Whanganui
Territorial authority	Horowhenua District
Ward	Levin Ward
Named for	William Hort Levin
Area
• Urban	22.43 km² (8.66 sq mi)
Population (June 2023)
• Urban	19,800
• Urban density	882.7/km² (2,286/sq mi)
Postcode	5510
Area code(s)	06

Queen Street

Levin ( Māori: Taitoko) is the largest town and seat of the Horowhenua District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located east of Lake Horowhenua, around 95 km north of Wellington and 50 km southwest of Palmerston North.

The town has a population of 19,800 (June 2023), making it the 30th largest urban area in New Zealand, and third largest in Manawatū-Whanganui behind Palmerston North and Whanganui.

Levin is a service centre for the surrounding rural area, and a centre for light manufacturing.

To the west of the main town lies Lake Horowhenua, which covers some 3.9 sq/km. It is currently undergoing regeneration.

Population
Origin of name
Transport
Lake Horowhenua
Economy
- Retail
Demographics
Notable people
See also

Population

According to the June 2018, the estimated resident population was 21,200. Over 20% of inhabitants were listed as over the age of 65, a considerably higher percentage than the national average. The town celebrated its centenary in 2006 and the bowls club celebrated theirs in 2007.

Origin of name

The town was named after William Hort Levin, a director of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company. The name is a variation of the Jewish clan Levi. It is a shibboleth – unlike the usual pronunciation of the surname, stress is placed on the second syllable of the word. The name thus rhymes with the word 'begin' (the same pronunciation is used by the US conservative author and talk-show host Mark Levin). However his great grandson, Peter Levin, says that Levin would have pronounced his name as in Levene and this pronunciation was in common use for many years and always used by the family. The town's Maori name is Taitoko.

Transport

Levin lies on State Highway 1, which forms the town's main street, Oxford Street. State Highway 57 forms the eastern boundary of the town, and meets State Highway 1 between Levin and the Ohau River, Wellington.

Levin is on the North Island Main Trunk with a station used by the Capital Connection long distance commuter train between Wellington and Palmerston North. It is also served by 8 InterCity buses a day each way.

Buses run for shoppers to Waikanae on Tuesdays and Thursdays and on Fridays to Shannon, Foxton Beach, Foxton and Waitarere Beach. A commuter bus runs via Foxton to Palmerston North.

Lake Horowhenua

To the west of the main town lies lake Horowhenua. A large lake, covering some 3.9 sq/km. It is currently undergoing cleaning and regeneration.

Economy

Retail

Levin Mall

Levin Mall is a mall covering 791 m², with 14 retailers including a Farmers department store.

Demographics

Levin is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a medium urban area and covers 22.43 km² (8.66 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 19,800 as of June 2022, with a population density of 882.75 people per km².

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	15,972	—
2013	16,257	+0.25%
2018	17,679	+1.69%

Levin had a population of 17,679 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,422 people (8.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,707 people (10.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 7,062 households. There were 8,346 males and 9,324 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female, with 3,336 people (18.9%) aged under 15 years, 2,988 (16.9%) aged 15 to 29, 6,651 (37.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 4,698 (26.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 77.0% European/Pākehā, 25.4% Māori, 8.4% Pacific peoples, 5.2% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 16.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 47.6% had no religion, 39.4% were Christian, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 2.8% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,293 (9.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 4,332 (30.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 5,277 (36.8%) people were employed full-time, 1,719 (12.0%) were part-time, and 768 (5.4%) were unemployed.

Individual statistical areas
Name	Population	Households	Median age	Median income
Donnelly Park	1,191	453	47.5 years	$22,300
Kawiu South	2,409	960	44.5 years	$24,700
Makomako	1,413	567	42.7 years	$20,600
Kawiu North	1,770	681	47.5 years	$27,900
Levin Central	1,047	537	53.5 years	$21,500
Tararua	1,152	447	47.3 years	$24,200
Queenwood (Horowhenua District)	2,076	921	47.9 years	$21,300
Playford Park	1,815	762	44.8 years	$21,800
Fairfield (Horowhenua District)	1,473	561	50.3 years	$23,800
Taitoko	1,911	651	35.3 years	$20,500
Waiopehu	1,422	522	41.5 years	$22,700
New Zealand			37.4 years	$31,800

Notable people

Jack Afamasaga - rugby league player
Sir Paul Beresford - British politician
Suzy Clarkson - newsreader
Kay Cohen - fashion designer
Joy Cowley - novelist
Cathryn Finlayson - hockey player
Rebecca Gibney - actress
Nathan Guy - politician
Nicky Hager - author
Darren Hughes - politician
Dean Kent - Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer
Doug Kidd - politician
David Lomax - rugby league player
Johnny Lomax - rugby league player
Matthew Saunoa - New Zealand Idol winner 2006
George Silk - photographer, LIFE magazine
Carlos Spencer - rugby union player
Richard Sylvan - philosopher and logician
James Tamou - rugby league player
Codie Taylor - rugby union player
Roger Twose - cricketer
Sonny Whakarau - rugby league player

Levin, New Zealand facts for kids

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