Waipatu

Waipatu is a semi-rural suburb of Hastings, in the Hastings District and Hawke's Bay Region of New Zealand's North Island.

Demographics
Tomoana statistical area, which includes both Tomoana and Waipatu, covers 3.26 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Tomoana statistical area had a population of 306 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 69 people (29.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 36 people (13.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 90 households, comprising 147 males and 162 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female. The median age was 36.1 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 75 people (24.5%) aged under 15 years, 48 (15.7%) aged 15 to 29, 153 (50.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 30 (9.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 51.0% European/Pākehā, 53.9% Māori, 11.8% Pacific peoples, 2.0% Asian, and 1.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 43.1% had no religion, 44.1% were Christian, 4.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.0% were Buddhist and 2.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 39 (16.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 33 (14.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $28,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 24 people (10.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 120 (51.9%) people were employed full-time, 42 (18.2%) were part-time, and 3 (1.3%) were unemployed.

Marae
The community has two marae, belonging to the Ngāti Kahungunu hapū of Ngāti Hāwea and Ngati Hōri: Ruahāpia Marae and Karaitiana Takamoana meeting house, and Waipatu Marae and Heretaunga meeting house.

In October 2020, the Government committed $6,020,910 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade a group of 18 marae, including both Ruahāpia and Waipatu. The funding was expected to create 39 jobs.