Timaru Central
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2021}}
{{stack begin}}
{{Infobox New Zealand suburb
| name = Timaru Central
| image = Timaru-Stafford.St.jpg
| caption1 = Stafford Street
| city1 = Timaru
| council = Timaru District Council
| ward = Timaru
| established =
| location_map =
| coordinates = {{coord|-44.398|171.252|display=inline,title|region:NZ_type:city}}
| area = 81
| population = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Timaru Central|y}}
| popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}
| popref = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}
| airports =
| hospitals =
| map = {{infobox mapframe|coord={{coord|-44.398|171.252}}|zoom=13}}
| caption2 =
}}
{{Adjacent place
| centre = Timaru Central
| north =
| northeast = Port Timaru
| east =
| southeast =
| south = Parkside
| southwest =
| west = Seaview
| northwest = Waimataitai
}}
{{stack end}}
Timaru Central is the central business district of Timaru, in the South Canterbury area and Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island.
Demographics
Timaru Central covers {{Convert|0.81|km2||abbr=on}}{{Cite web|title=ArcGIS Web Application|url=https://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787| access-date=8 February 2024|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Timaru Central|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Timaru Central|y}}|R}}/0.81|0}} people per km2.
{{Historical populations|2006|420|2013|426|2018|405|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=}}
Before the 2023 census, Timaru Central had a larger boundary, covering {{Convert|0.82|km2||abbr=on}}. Using that boundary, Timaru Central had a population of 405 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 21 people (−4.9%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 15 people (−3.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 171 households, comprising 210 males and 195 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.08 males per female. The median age was 37.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 45 people (11.1%) aged under 15 years, 114 (28.1%) aged 15 to 29, 198 (48.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 48 (11.9%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 77.0% European/Pākehā, 13.3% Māori, 8.1% Pasifika, 10.4% Asian, and 2.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 20.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.9% had no religion, 37.8% were Christian, 0.7% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.7% were Muslim, 2.2% were Buddhist and 4.4% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 30 (8.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 93 (25.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 24 people (6.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 198 (55.0%) people were employed full-time, 39 (10.8%) were part-time, and 18 (5.0%) were unemployed.{{NZ census 2018|Timaru Central (341100)|timaru-central|Timaru Central}}
Education
Sacred Heart School is a Catholic state-integrated primary school for years 1 to 10{{TKI|3498|Sacred Heart School}} with a roll of {{NZ school roll data|3498|y}} as of {{NZ school roll data|||y|y||.}} It opened in 1882 as Marist Brothers School, and became Sacred Heart School in the 1980s after a merger with Sacred Heart Girls' School (established 1879).{{Cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/95584326/scs-marist-brothers-prepare-for-200th-anniversary|title=SC's Marist Brothers prepare for 200th anniversary|newspaper=Timaru Herald|date=24 August 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.timaru.gen.nz/resources/Schools-book.pdf|title=South Canterbury Schools|publisher=South Canterbury branch, New Zealand Society of Genealogists|accessdate=19 November 2021}}