Timaru Central

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 0.81 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Before the 2023 census, Timaru Central had a larger boundary, covering 0.82 km2. 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.

Education
Sacred Heart School is a Catholic state-integrated primary school for years 1 to 10 with a roll of as of  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).