In 1920, the settlement was a logging town for local forests. Since the 1950s it has been a farming community and outlying satellite town of Taumarunui.[1][2]
In October 2020, the Government committed $1,560,379 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 7 other nearby marae, creating 156 jobs.[6]
Ngapuke statistical area, which surrounds but does not include Taumarunui, covers 621.83 km2 (240.09 sq mi)[7] and had an estimated population of 1,370 as of June 2024,[8] with a population density of 2.2 people per km2.
The statistical area had a population of 1,263 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 33 people (−2.5%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 93 people (−6.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 474 households, comprising 639 males and 624 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female. The median age was 42.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 255 people (20.2%) aged under 15 years, 225 (17.8%) aged 15 to 29, 561 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 216 (17.1%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 73.9% European/Pākehā, 40.6% Māori, 2.1% Pacific peoples, 2.1% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 5.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.5% had no religion, 34.4% were Christian, 2.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 0.5% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 66 (6.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 285 (28.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 108 people (10.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 510 (50.6%) people were employed full-time, 180 (17.9%) were part-time, and 33 (3.3%) were unemployed.[9]
Education
Te Kura o Ngapuke is a co-educational Māori language immersion state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students,[10] with a roll of 36 as of August 2024.[11]
The school was established in 1916 and celebrated its centenary in 2016 with an inter-generational game of Kī-o-rahi.[2]
In recent years, the school has transitioned from English language mainstream schooling, to a Kuri a Iwi schooling model, in which children are taught in te reo Māori and connected to their ancestor.[2]
