Templeton, New Zealand facts for kids

Templeton is a small town located just outside Christchurch in New Zealand. It sits along State Highway 1, making it easy to reach. For a long time, Templeton has been a key place for harness racing in the Canterbury region.

The town's history with European settlers goes back over 140 years. It was once an important stop where horses could get water when traveling between Christchurch and the Selwyn River / Waikirikiri.

Templeton Hospital had a big impact on the area, providing many jobs for people over the years. More recently, Ruapuna Park has been a place for motor-sports events. Sometimes, these events lead to discussions about noise levels for people living nearby. To the north of Templeton, in an area called Paparua, are Christchurch's men's and women's prisons.

Who Lives in Templeton?

Templeton covers an area of about 0.90 square kilometers. As of June 2023, , an estimated 1,790 people live here. This means there are about 1989 people living in each square kilometer.

In 2018, the 2018 New Zealand census counted 1,797 people in Templeton. This was a small increase of 9 people since the 2013 census. It was a bigger increase of 228 people since the 2006 census. There were 687 homes in the town.

There were 864 males and 933 females, meaning there were slightly more females. The average age of people in Templeton was 40.5 years. About 18% of the people were under 15 years old. Around 17.9% were aged 15 to 29. Most people, 50.3%, were between 30 and 64 years old. About 13.9% were 65 or older.

Most people in Templeton, 88.6%, were of European or Pākehā background. About 13.5% identified as Māori. Smaller groups included 2.2% Pasifika and 5.5% Asian. Some people identified with more than one ethnic group.

About 15.4% of Templeton's residents were born outside New Zealand. This is less than the national average of 27.1%.

When it came to religion, 54.4% of people said they had no religion. About 35.1% were Christian. A small number followed Māori religious beliefs (0.3%), Hindu (1.0%), Muslim (0.5%), or Buddhist (0.5%). About 2.0% had other religious beliefs.

For those aged 15 and older, 11.8% had a university degree or higher. About 24.6% did not have any formal qualifications. The average income in Templeton was $38,200. This was higher than the national average of $31,800. About 17.9% of people earned over $70,000 a year.

Most people aged 15 and over were employed. About 56.2% worked full-time. Another 14.5% worked part-time. About 3.1% were unemployed.

Learning in Templeton

Templeton School is the main school in the area. It teaches students from Year 1 to Year 8. As of February 2024. , the school had 286 students. The current school opened in 1962. However, schools in Templeton have been around since 1861.

Templeton's Weather

Templeton has a mild climate. Here's a look at the average temperatures:

Famous People from Templeton

Some well-known individuals have connections to Templeton:

• Roger Drayton (1925–1986) – He was born in Templeton. Roger later became a Labour Member of Parliament (MP) from 1969 to 1978.
• David Jones (1874–1941) – Also born in Templeton. David served as the Minister of Agriculture for New Zealand from 1931 to 1932.