Taitā, New Zealand facts for kids

	Taitā, New Zealand

Taitā is a suburb located in the northern part of Lower Hutt City in New Zealand. It's found towards the top end of the city. Taitā is south of the Taita Gorge, which is a natural feature separating Lower Hutt City from Upper Hutt City. To the west, you'll find the Taitā Cemetery in the nearby suburb of Naenae.

One of the oldest buildings in the Wellington area is Christ Church. This historic church was built in 1853 and is still standing today.

Taitā started to grow as a town around the mid-1900s. This happened because the government at the time, the Labour Government, began building many state houses here. These were homes built by the government for people to live in. To help people get around, the Taita Railway Station opened in 1947.

The main road on the western side of Taitā is called Taita Drive. It starts in the suburb of Avalon, south of the Kennedy-Good Bridge.

High up on the eastern side of Taitā, above Taita College, used to be the buildings of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) Soil Bureau. This was a place where scientists studied soil. In 1992, the Soil Bureau became part of Landcare Research New Zealand Limited. Much of their work later moved to Massey University in Palmerston North.

In December 2019, the official name of the suburb was confirmed as "Taitā".

Understanding Taitā's Population

Taitā is made up of two statistical areas: Taita North and Taita South. Together, they cover about 4.55 square kilometers. As of June 2023, the estimated population is 6730 people. This means there are about 1479 people living in each square kilometer.

At the 2018 New Zealand census, Taitā had 6,153 residents. This was an increase of 615 people since the 2013 census. There were 1,950 households, which are groups of people living together.

The population was almost evenly split between males (2,997) and females (3,156). About 1,440 people (23.4%) were under 15 years old. Another 1,410 people (22.9%) were between 15 and 29 years old. Most people, 2,592 (42.1%), were aged 30 to 64. There were 714 people (11.6%) who were 65 or older.

People in Taitā come from many different backgrounds. The main ethnic groups were:

• 43.9% European/Pākehā
• 25.9% Māori
• 29.4% Pasifika
• 15.6% Asian
• 3.9% other ethnicities

Many people in Taitā were born overseas, about 27.6% of the population. This is similar to the national average for New Zealand, which is 27.1%.

When it comes to religion, 34.4% of people said they had no religion. About 47.1% were Christian. Other religions included Māori religious beliefs (2.1%), Hindu (4.1%), Muslim (2.0%), and Buddhist (1.7%).

In terms of education and jobs for people aged 15 and over:

• 642 people (13.6%) had a university degree or higher.
• 1,122 people (23.8%) did not have any formal qualifications.
• 360 people (7.6%) earned over $70,000 a year.
• 2,112 people (44.8%) worked full-time.
• 630 people (13.4%) worked part-time.
• 300 people (6.4%) were unemployed.

Schools in Taitā

Taitā has four schools for different age groups:

• Pomare School: This is a state primary school for students in Year 1 to Year 6. It has 82 students as of February 2024. .
• Saint Michael's School: This is a state-integrated Catholic school for students from Year 1 to Year 8. It has 112 students as of February 2024. .
• Taita Central School: This state primary school teaches students from Year 1 to Year 6. It has 116 students as of February 2024. . The school first opened in 1948.
• Taita College: This is a state secondary school for older students, from Year 9 to Year 13. It has 364 students as of February 2024. . This college opened in 1957.

Students in Year 7 and 8 from Taitā can also go to Avalon Intermediate School, which is in the next-door suburb of Avalon.

Taitā's Weather

Taitā, like the rest of Lower Hutt, has a mild climate. Here's a quick look at the average temperatures and rainfall: