Pukete

Pukete covers {{Convert|1.93|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 3 2023 (generalised)|access-date=7 April 2025}} and had an estimated population of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Pukete West|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Pukete East|y}}|R}}|0}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|({{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Pukete West|y}}|R}}+{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Pukete East|y}}|R}})/1.93|0}} people per km².

{{Historical populations|2006|4,497|2013|4,296|2018|4,605|2023|4,716|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{NZ census 2018|Pukete West (175700) and Pukete East (176000)}}}}

Pukete had a population of 4,716 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 111 people (2.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 420 people (9.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 2,295 males, 2,409 females and 12 people of other genders in 1,581 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%2Bdo1.52640%2B175700%2B176000.2023&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}} 3.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 34.9 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,065 people (22.6%) aged under 15 years, 918 (19.5%) aged 15 to 29, 2,184 (46.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 552 (11.7%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 73.4% European (Pākehā); 23.1% Māori; 5.5% Pasifika; 13.9% Asian; 1.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.6% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 95.5%, Māori language by 4.5%, Samoan by 0.7%, and other languages by 13.4%. No language could be spoken by 2.5% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.4%. The percentage of people born overseas was 23.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 29.8% Christian, 2.7% Hindu, 0.9% Islam, 1.1% Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, 0.1% Jewish, and 2.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.6%, and 7.4% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 852 (23.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,983 (54.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 810 (22.2%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $48,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 390 people (10.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,079 (56.9%) people were employed full-time, 453 (12.4%) were part-time, and 102 (2.8%) were 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.52640.2013%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=Pukete (52640)}}

Pukete includes two census areas, East{{Cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/2018-census-place-summaries/pukete-east|title=Pukete East|last=|first=|date=|website=www.stats.govt.nz|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-03}} and West.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stats.govt.nz/tools/2018-census-place-summaries/pukete-west#population-and-dwellings|title=Pukete West|last=|first=|date=|website=www.stats.govt.nz|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-03}} The population is stable and they are wealthier and younger than the 38.1 years of the national average, as shown below -

In 2023 the main ethnic groups were -

File:Sewer_bridge_at_Pukete,_Hamilton.jpg

Pukete Pa is located in the north of the suburb on a cliff on the Waikato River bank, at the northern end of the riverside Braithwate Park. It is thought to have been built by Nga Iwi and later conquered by Ngati Koura{{Cite web|url=https://www.hamilton.govt.nz/our-city/parks/parksandgardens/Documents/Maori%20Landmarks%20on%20Riverside%20Reserves%20-%20Nga%20Tapuwae%20O%20Hotumauea%20-%20Reserves%20Act%20Management%20Plan%20-%20Operative%20-%20April%202003.pdf|title=MAORI LANDMARKS ON RIVERSIDE RESERVES Management Plan|last=|first=|date=April 2003|website=Hamilton City Council|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} The name Pukete comes from a locally made bag used to soak hinau berries in streams to ferment and preserve them. The area was confiscated in 1864, after the invasion of the Waikato.{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18650621.2.23|title=Proclamation of Native Lands under the New Zealand Settlements Act. (Daily Southern Cross, 1865-06-21)|access-date=10 June 2017|language=en|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand}} A double ditch remains to the north of the Pa. Carved wooden items, found close to the pā, are in Waikato Museum. Habitation was sparse, as one early European traveller noted no other settlement for {{Convert|15|mi||abbr=on}} along the Waikato.

Pukete parish existed from at least 1867,{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DSC18670802.2.14|title=The Daily Southern Cross. (1867-08-02)|access-date=13 June 2017|language=en|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand}} but, until the 1900s, Horotiu was often referred to as Pukete. Horotiu railway station changed its name from Pukete on 23 June 1907,{{Cite web|url=http://www.railheritage.org.nz/assets/dates_and_names.pdf|title=Names & Opening & Closing Dates of Railway Stations in New Zealand 1863 to 2010|last=Scoble|first=Juliet|date=2010|website=Rail Heritage Trust of New Zealand}} when the proposed post office was referred to as Horotiu (Pukete),{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIGUS19070521.2.4|title=The Waikato Argus. TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1907|access-date=13 June 2017|language=en|website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz National Library of New Zealand}} and the name of Horotiu school changed from Pukete in 1911.

Pukete and neighbouring Te Rapa were important sites for the kauri gum trade of the late 19th/early 20th centuries, being some of the southern-most locations where gum could be found.{{cite book |last1=Hayward |first1=Bruce W. |author-link1=Bruce Hayward |title=Kauri Gum and the Gumdiggers |publisher=The Bush Press |date=1989 |isbn=0-908608-39-X |page=4}}

In 2011 Hamilton Libraries compiled a list of street names, showing that most development occurred over about a decade from 1969, that many roads were named after trees and several developers were involved{{Cite web|url=http://ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info/en/site/search/topics/for/pukete?search_terms=pukete&sort_direction=|title=Results in topics for your search 'Pukete'|last=|first=|date=|website=ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-04}} Before long, Pukete School was opened in 1972 and a swimming pool in 1975. Rather slower to open were a library in 1999 and Te Manawa Hall in 2002.{{Cite web|url=https://www.puketeschool.com/our-history|title=Our History|website=Pukete School|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-03}}

Braithwaite Park was owned by Waikato Hospital Board, who sold it to developers in 1990, the park being transferred to Hamilton City Council on 12 June 1990. It has a jetty,{{Cite web|date=Mar 2018|title=Waikato River|url=https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.7380153,175.2473481,3a,37.5y,225.74h,94.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqFhAq0e66Fa5waSO2x59nw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656|url-status=|access-date=2021-07-31|website=Google Maps|language=en}} which is the terminus of a ferry to Hamilton.{{Cite web|date=14 July 2021|title=Shuttle timetable|url=https://www.waikatoexplorer.co.nz/PicsHotel/WaikatoRiverExplorer/Brochure/2021/Shuttle%20timetable%20-%20v2.pdf|url-status=|website=Waikato River Explorer}}

Pukete School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|1908|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}}{{TKI|1908|Pukete School}} The first Pukete School was established in 1879, and burned down in 1909.{{cite web|url=https://www.puketeschool.com/18401970|title=1842 to 1970 Timeline|publisher=Pukete School|accessdate=15 October 2020}} The current school opened in 1973.{{cite web|url=https://www.puketeschool.com/19702020|title=1970 to 2020 Timeline|publisher=Pukete School|accessdate=15 October 2020}}

Te Rapa School also serves the area.

• List of streets in Hamilton
• Suburbs of Hamilton, New Zealand
• The Base (shopping centre)
• Pukete sewage works
• Te Rapa railway station

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Category:Suburbs of Hamilton, New Zealand

Category:Populated places on the Waikato River