Kaitemako
{{Short description|Rural community in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2020}}
{{For|the suburb of Tauranga|Welcome Bay}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Kaitemako
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| settlement_type = Rural community
| image_skyline = Upper Kaiate Falls.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Upper Kaiate Falls
| etymology =
| nickname =
| image_map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-37.8|176.2}}|zoom=9}}
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|-37.8|176.2|region:NZ_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = New Zealand
| subdivision_type1 = Region
| subdivision_name1 = Bay of Plenty
| subdivision_type2 = Territorial authority
| subdivision_name2 = Western Bay of Plenty District
| subdivision_type3 = Ward
| subdivision_name3 = Kaimai Ward
| leader_title = Territorial authority
| leader_name = Western Bay of Plenty District Council
| leader_title1 = Regional council
| leader_name1 = Bay of Plenty Regional Council
| leader_title2 = Mayor of Western Bay of Plenty
| leader_name2 = {{NZ officeholder data|Western Bay of Plenty District Mayor|y}}
| leader_title3 = Rotorua MP
| leader_name3 = {{NZ officeholder data|Rotorua MP|y}}
| leader_title4 = Waiariki MP
| leader_name4 = {{NZ officeholder data|Waiariki MP|y}}
| seat_type = Electorates
| seat = {{ubl|Rotorua|Waiariki (Māori)}}
| area_total_km2 = 75.76
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}
| population_total = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waitao|y}}
| population_as_of = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}
| population_density_km2 = auto
| postal_code_type = Postcode(s)
| postal_code = 3173
| website =
}}
Kaitemako is a rural area in the Western Bay of Plenty District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. The area includes the Kaitemako Stream catchment.{{cite web|url=https://www.boprc.govt.nz/media/424219/kaitemakosubcatchmentactionplan.pdf|title=Kaitemako Sub-Catchment Action Plan 2012|publisher=Bay of Plenty Regional Council|year=2012}} The highest point is Pukunui at 364 metres.{{Cite map|url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz1756/Pukunui/|title=Pukunui, Bay of Plenty|publisher=Land Information New Zealand|accessdate=4 December 2020}} The Kaiate Falls (Te Rerekawau Falls) are a pair of waterfalls, with the lower fall being about 15 metres high.{{cite web|url=https://exploretauranga.co.nz/kaiate-falls/|title=Kaiate Falls|publisher=Explore Tauranga|accessdate=4 December 2020}}
Demographics
Waitao statistical area, which was called Kaitemako before the 2023 census, covers {{Convert|75.76|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=30 May 2025}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waitao|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Waitao|y}}|R}}/75.76|0}} people per km2.
{{Historical populations|2006|1,341|2013|1,473|2018|1,752|2023|1,824|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{NZ census 2018|Kaitemako (Western Bay of Plenty District) (191600)|kaitemako-western-bay-of-plenty-district|Kaitemako (Western Bay of Plenty District)}}}}
Waitao had a population of 1,824 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 72 people (4.1%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 351 people (23.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 894 males, 924 females, and 6 people of other genders in 639 dwellings.{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.191601.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}} 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 45.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 339 people (18.6%) aged under 15 years, 264 (14.5%) aged 15 to 29, 921 (50.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 300 (16.4%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 82.9% European (Pākehā); 20.7% Māori; 1.3% Pasifika; 3.3% Asian; 1.3% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.9% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.5%, Māori by 6.7%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 9.7%. No language could be spoken by 1.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 19.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 28.0% Christian, 0.2% Islam, 3.5% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.5% New Age, and 1.2% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 56.7%, and 9.2% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 372 (25.1%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 834 (56.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 282 (19.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $38,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 177 people (11.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 759 (51.1%) full-time, 294 (19.8%) part-time, and 27 (1.8%) unemployed.{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.191601.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Waitao (191601)}}