Western Heights, Hamilton
{{short description|Suburb of Hamilton, New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2019}}
{{stack begin}}
{{Infobox New Zealand suburbs
| name = Western Heights
| coordinates = {{coord|37|47|27.96|S|175|13|45.85|E|region:NZ|display=title}}
| map = {{infobox mapframe|zoom=13}}
| image = File:Western Heights viewed from Wallace Road, looking north.jpg
| caption1 = Western Heights
viewed from Wallace Road, looking north
| area = 107
| population = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Western Heights (Hamilton city)|y}}
| popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}}
| popref = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}}
| established = 1998
| city1 = Hamilton, New Zealand
| ward = West Ward
| council = Hamilton City Council
}}
{{Adjacent place
| centre = Western Heights
| northeast = Crawshaw
| northwest = Grandview Heights
| west = Whatawhata
| southwest = Stonebridge
| south = Temple View
| southeast = Dinsdale
| east = Nawton
| north = Rotokauri
}}
{{stack end}}
Western Heights is a suburb on the western boundary of the city of Hamilton in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand.[http://maps.aa.co.nz/browse/amenities/all/waikato/hamilton+city/western+heights Western Heights, Hamilton], [http://www.aa.co.nz/ AA], New Zealand.
Skyline landmarks include Dinsdale water reservoir, the adjacent Newcastle reservoir,{{Cite web|url=https://ourhamilton.co.nz/community-environment/scheduled-maintenance-at-dinsdale-reservoir/|title=Scheduled maintenance at Dinsdale Reservoir|date=2019-07-05|website=Our Hamilton|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-05}} one of the largest in the city holding {{Convert|21000|m3||abbr=on}},{{Cite web|url=https://www.hamilton.govt.nz/our-city/city-news/Documents/2014/2014-05b-citynews.pdf|title=Water improvements for Dinsdale|last=|first=|date=31 May 2014|website=Hamilton City Council|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} and a block of gum trees.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}} As these mature many have had to be culled.{{citation needed|date=November 2010}}
Google Earth maps highlight the area as the most clearly defined block to Hamilton's west.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
Situated as it is to the west of the ridge on the city's boundary, the suburb is a little exposed to wind but the views are good.{{Cite web|url=http://ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info/hamilton_streets/topics/show/2151-westview-place|title=Westview Place|last=|first=|date=|website=ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info|language=en|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-05}}
Hamilton Boundary Road was renamed Brymer Road by Waipa County Council in 1967, after Mr Brymer, a local property owner.{{Cite web|url=http://ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info/hamilton_streets/topics/show/764-brymer-road|title=Brymer Road|last=|first=|date=|website=ketehamilton.peoplesnetworknz.info|language=en|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-23}} In 2007 $865,000 was spent widening it{{Cite web|url=https://www.hamilton.govt.nz/our-council/10-year-plan/former-10-year-plans/Documents/Final%202004-14%20Volume%201.pdf|title=Hamilton Community Plan|last=|first=|date=2004|website=Hamilton City Council|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} to become the main road through Western Heights. In 2018 it was used by 3,600 vehicles a day,{{Cite web|url=https://www.hamilton.govt.nz/our-services/transport/maintainingimproving/Documents/2018_Traffic_Flow_Map.pdf|title=2018 Traffic Flow Map|last=|first=|date=|website=Hamilton City Council|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}} 60 of them buses on the half hourly route 3.{{Cite web|url=https://www.busit.co.nz/hamilton-routes/dinsdale/|title=3 Dinsdale|last=|first=|date=|website=www.busit.co.nz|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-23}} See also - List of streets in Hamilton.
Demographics
In the 2018 census the new area of Western Heights (Hamilton City) was created from parts of Brymer, Norton and Dinsdale North.{{Cite web|url=http://statsnz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=6f49867abe464f86ac7526552fe19787|title=Western Heights|last=|first=|date=|website=statsnz.maps.arcgis.com|url-status=|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-04-04}} It includes the area marked as Grandview Heights on the 1:50,000 map.{{Cite web|url=https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz343/Frankton/|title=Frankton, Waikato|website=NZ Topo Map|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05}}
Western Heights covers {{Convert|1.07|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=8 April 2025}} and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Western Heights (Hamilton city)|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Western Heights (Hamilton city)|y}}|R}}/1.07|0}} people per km2.
{{Historical populations|2006|2,241|2013|2,541|2018|2,913|2023|3,018|percentages=pagr|align=left|source={{NZ census 2018|Western Heights (Hamilton City) (177000)|western-heights-hamilton-city|Western Heights (Hamilton City)}}}}
Western Heights had a population of 3,018 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 105 people (3.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 477 people (18.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,458 males, 1,542 females and 18 people of other genders in 993 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%2Bdo1.177000.2023&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}} 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 585 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 579 (19.2%) aged 15 to 29, 1,368 (45.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 480 (15.9%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 66.2% European (Pākehā); 22.8% Māori; 6.2% Pasifika; 20.5% Asian; 2.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.8% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 94.8%, Māori language by 5.1%, Samoan by 0.6%, and other languages by 19.6%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.5%. The percentage of people born overseas was 25.4, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 33.2% Christian, 5.8% Hindu, 1.9% Islam, 1.1% Māori religious beliefs, 1.2% Buddhist, 0.4% New Age, and 4.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 45.7%, and 6.6% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 606 (24.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,272 (52.3%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 555 (22.8%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $49,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 342 people (14.1%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,362 (56.0%) people were employed full-time, 321 (13.2%) were part-time, and 63 (2.6%) 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.177000.2013%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=Western Heights (Hamilton City) (177000)}}