Fordlands is a western suburb of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island.

Suburb of Rotorua Lakes in New Zealand

Fordlands
Suburb of Rotorua Lakes
Country	New Zealand
City	Rotorua Lakes
Electoral ward	South
Population  (2018)[1]
• Total	2,460

Pukehangi	Mangakakahi
Sunnybrook	Fordlands	Utuhina
Pomare	Matipo Heights	Hillcrest

The area is named for Harry Ford, whose model dairy farm became the suburb.[2][3]

It was described in 2017 as the most deprived suburb in New Zealand.[4] The suburb was an inspiration for the novel Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff.[5]

Demographics

Fordlands had a population of 2,460 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 342 people (16.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 153 people (6.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 723 households. There were 1,164 males and 1,296 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.9 males per female. The median age was 28.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 711 people (28.9%) aged under 15 years, 570 (23.2%) aged 15 to 29, 969 (39.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 210 (8.5%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 34.4% European/Pākehā, 67.8% Māori, 14.1% Pacific peoples, 6.2% Asian, and 1.1% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 10.6%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 49.8% had no religion, 35.7% were Christian, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 8.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 162 (9.3%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 417 (23.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $19,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 726 (41.5%) people were employed full-time, 234 (13.4%) were part-time, and 243 (13.9%) were unemployed.[1]

References