Pembroke is a settlement in inland Taranaki, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located about 5 km northwest of Stratford.[5][6]

Pembroke
Map
Interactive map of Pembroke
Coordinates: 39°19′24″S 174°13′44″E / 39.32333°S 174.22889°E / -39.32333; 174.22889
CountryNew Zealand
RegionTaranaki Region
Territorial authorityStratford District
Ward
  • Stratford Rural General Ward
  • Stratford Māori Ward
Electorates
Government
  Territorial AuthorityStratford District Council
  Regional councilTaranaki Regional Council
  Mayor of StratfordNeil Volzke[1]
  Taranaki-King Country MP and Whanganui MPBarbara Kuriger[2] and Carl Bates[3]
  Te Tai Hauāuru MPDebbie Ngarewa-Packer[4]

Demographics

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Pembroke locality covers 20.55 km2 (7.93 sq mi).[7] The locality is part of the Pembroke statistical area.[8]

Historical population for the locality
YearPop.±% p.a.
2006294    
2013354+2.69%
2018366+0.67%
2023459+4.63%
Source: [9][10]

Pembroke had a population of 459 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 93 people (25.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 105 people (29.7%) since the 2013 census. There were 228 males, 231 females, and 6 people of other genders in 177 dwellings.[11] 2.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 72 people (15.7%) aged under 15 years, 81 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 240 (52.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 69 (15.0%) aged 65 or older.[9]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 96.7% European (Pākehā); 11.8% Māori; 0.7% Pasifika; 2.6% Asian; 0.7% 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 98.0%, Māori by 2.0%, and other languages by 3.9%. No language could be spoken by 2.6% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 1.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 11.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[9]

Religious affiliations were 32.7% Christian, and 0.7% Hindu. People who answered that they had no religion were 54.2%, and 11.8% of people did not answer the census question.[9]

Of those at least 15 years old, 60 (15.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 240 (62.0%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 84 (21.7%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 45 people (11.6%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 222 (57.4%) full-time, 66 (17.1%) part-time, and 3 (0.8%) unemployed.[9]

Pembroke statistical area

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Pembroke statistical area, which also includes Midhirst and Cardiff, covers 226.41 km2 (87.42 sq mi)[12] and had an estimated population of 1,810 as of June 2025,[13] with a population density of 8.0 people per km2.

Historical population for the statistical area
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,425    
20131,461+0.36%
20181,542+1.09%
20231,701+1.98%
Source: [14][15]

Pembroke had a population of 1,701 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 159 people (10.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 240 people (16.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 855 males, 837 females, and 9 people of other genders in 639 dwellings.[16] 2.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 39.8 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 360 people (21.2%) aged under 15 years, 276 (16.2%) aged 15 to 29, 846 (49.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 219 (12.9%) aged 65 or older.[14]

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 93.7% European (Pākehā); 12.3% Māori; 1.1% Pasifika; 1.9% Asian; 0.5% 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 97.2%, Māori by 2.6%, and other languages by 4.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.8% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.1, compared with 28.8% nationally.[14]

Religious affiliations were 30.3% Christian, 0.7% Hindu, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.2% Buddhist, 0.7% New Age, and 0.5% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 57.1%, and 10.2% of people did not answer the census question.[14]

Of those at least 15 years old, 159 (11.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 840 (62.6%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 339 (25.3%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $43,900, compared with $41,500 nationally. 123 people (9.2%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 762 (56.8%) full-time, 213 (15.9%) part-time, and 24 (1.8%) unemployed.[14]

Education

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Pembroke School is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school with a roll of 76 students as of March 2026.[17][18] The school opened in 1893.[19]

Notes

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  1. "Election Results". Stratford District Council. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
  2. "Taranaki-King Country - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 March 2025.
  3. "Whanganui - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  4. "Te Tai Hauāuru - Official Result". Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  5. Peter Dowling, ed. (2004). Reed New Zealand Atlas. Reed Books. pp. map 34. ISBN 0-7900-0952-8.
  6. Roger Smith, GeographX (2005). The Geographic Atlas of New Zealand. Robbie Burton. pp. map 85. ISBN 1-877333-20-4.
  7. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 1 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  8. "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Statistical Area 1 – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. 7017306, 7017309 and 7017310. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7017306, 7017309 and 7017310.
  11. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  12. "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 5 October 2025.
  13. "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Pembroke (219800). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  15. "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Pembroke (219800). 2018 Census place summary: Pembroke
  16. "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  17. "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 March 2026.
  18. "Pembroke School - Education Counts". www.educationcounts.govt.nz.
  19. "Pembroke School and District 125th Jubilee". Education Gazette | Tukutuku Kōrero. 7 August 2017.
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