Living in Ōtara, Auckland: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 4,490 live property titles in Ōtara, Auckland are almost all freehold (90%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 159 (3.5%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
Ōtara, Auckland cross-lease titles
- Cross-lease titles
- 159
- Share of live titles
- 3.5%
- Live titles in total
- 4,490
- Auckland share
- 14.4%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Auckland
- 146 of 160
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 560 of 644
Ōtara at a glance
Where Ōtara differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: median age (lower than 98% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Ōtara is listed under Auckland.
- 4,490 live titles are recorded here, including 159 cross-lease titles (3.5%).
- The page includes 2023 Census context for the statistical area that represents this suburb.
- The page includes MBIE new-tenancy rent figures for April–June 2026.
Contextual observations
- Cross-lease titles make up 3.5% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 5.4% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- Public-transport figures describe how recorded titles sit near mapped stops. They do not describe a service from a particular property.
- Coast distance is a suburb-level map measure, not a flood or hazard assessment.
Questions worth investigating
- For any cross-lease property you consider, do the current title, flats plan and lease match what is built today?
- What do the LIM, council property file and a suitable inspection add for the specific address?
No data held for this suburb
- The core title, Census, rent, transport and coast measures used by this page are available.
Title mix in Ōtara
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 4,048 | 90.2% |
| Cross lease | 159 | 3.5% |
| Unit title | 243 | 5.4% |
| Leasehold | 10 | 0.2% |
| Other record types | 30 | 0.7% |
| Total | 4,490 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Ōtara compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Ōtara is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across Auckland as a whole, the share is 14.4%; Ōtara is well below the overall Auckland share (14.4%).
Its cross-lease share is in the lowest quarter of 160 in Auckland (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Ōtara are set up
Carports appear in more leases (48% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Fewer schemes refer to more than one flats plan (15%, against 36% nationally), usually because a plan was redrawn.
More schemes have four or more flats on one section (15%, against 11% nationally), up to 16.
| Scheme structure | Ōtara | Auckland | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 65 | 39,589 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 70.8% | 73.7% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 13.8% | 14.0% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 15.4% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 857 m² | 961 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 414 m² | 418 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 21.5% | 23.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 47.7% | 19.2% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 0.0% | 5.5% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 15.4% | 42.1% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1988 | 1989 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 44 | 26,275 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Ōtara
Unit titles are 5% of Ōtara's titles, well below Auckland (15%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 23 developments, each run by a body corporate; 1 has 50 or more units.
10 titles (0.2%) are leasehold, well below the national share (1.2%).
6 of them have a stated term that has ended or has under 10 years to run, which is worth reading closely in the lease.
Stated lease terms, as at 30 September 2026:
| Stated lease term | Titles |
|---|---|
| Stated term has ended | 6 |
| Under 10 years left | 0 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 0 |
| More than 50 years left | 1 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 3 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 0 |
New titles in Ōtara since 2020
474 of Ōtara's current titles (11%) were first issued since 2020, below Auckland's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (16%) and slightly below New Zealand (12%).
30% are unit titles, in 8 developments; most of the rest are freehold.
Most came recently: 348 since 2023.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 321 | 248 |
| Unit title | 143 | 95 |
| Cross-lease | 0 | 0 |
| Leasehold | 2 | 1 |
| Other | 8 | 4 |
New titles include cross-leases converted to freehold and titles re-issued; they are not a count of new homes. Sources and limits
The lie of the land in Ōtara
The typical building in Ōtara stands on ground sloping 1.6° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), in the flattest quarter of 160 in Auckland.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Ōtara
13% of Ōtara's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 27% within 500 m and 49% within 1 km. The typical title is 1.1 km away.
Measured in a straight line from the centre of each title's land to the coastline on LINZ's 1:50k topographic map, which follows harbours and estuaries as well as the open coast; lakes and rivers are not included. Distance says nothing about beach access, views or exposure to coastal hazards; council hazard maps and the LIM describe those.
Who lives around Ōtara: 2023 Census
Ōtara's titles fall in 10 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 4 shown below hold 56% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer adults hold a degree in Ōtara East than across Auckland: 7.4% against 32.9%.
Fewer workers work from home in Ōtara East than across Auckland: 6.7% against 18.2%.
Fewer workers commute by bus, train or ferry in Ōtara East than across Auckland: 3.5% against 7.8%.
| Measure | Ōtara East 16% of titles | Ōtara Central 16% of titles | Ōtara West 13% of titles | Ferguson 12% of titles | Auckland whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,756 | 2,565 | 3,120 | 3,063 | 1,656,486 |
| Change since 2018 | −4.4% | −6.0% | −7.4% | −4.5% | +5.4% |
| Change since 2013 | +6.4% | +0.2% | +3.5% | +3.2% | +17.0% |
| Median age | 26.9 | 29.3 | 26.5 | 26.4 | 35.9 |
| Households | 786 | 621 | 660 | 615 | 539,490 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 28.6% | 26.1% | 23.2% | 26.3% | 59.5% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 71.4% | 73.9% | 76.4% | 73.7% | 40.5% |
| Median household income | $89,900 | $79,200 | $90,300 | $90,300 | $116,800 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $238 | $182 | $178 | $218 | $540 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.1% | 7.1% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 8.8% |
| Ages | |||||
| Under 15 | 29.1% | 24.3% | 27.8% | 28.0% | 19.2% |
| 15 to 29 | 26.0% | 27.0% | 28.3% | 27.7% | 20.9% |
| 30 to 64 | 37.6% | 39.2% | 37.5% | 36.9% | 46.5% |
| 65 and over | 7.3% | 9.7% | 6.5% | 7.3% | 13.3% |
| Where people came from | |||||
| Born overseas | 35.5% | 36.4% | 32.2% | 35.5% | 42.9% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 16.7% | 12.2% | 11.1% | 18.2% | 19.6% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 33.4% | 34.1% | 28.4% | 31.1% | 45.0% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 5.2% | 4.9% | 4.1% | 5.6% | 5.6% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 14.4% | 14.7% | 13.7% | 13.1% | 21.1% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 7.4% | 5.5% | 6.9% | 6.1% | 32.9% |
| Employed full-time | 45.0% | 43.4% | 44.0% | 39.9% | 53.2% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 7.2% | 5.4% | 7.7% | 7.1% | 3.3% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 24.0% | 23.6% | 21.4% | 20.7% | 47.5% |
| Median personal income | $30,700 | $27,100 | $29,000 | $28,000 | $44,700 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||||
| Work from home | 6.7% | 10.3% | 8.8% | 6.1% | 18.2% |
| Car, truck or van | 86.4% | 83.4% | 85.8% | 85.9% | 68.6% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 3.5% | 4.8% | 2.3% | 3.6% | 7.8% |
| Walk or cycle | 1.9% | 1.2% | 1.3% | 2.2% | 4.2% |
| Households and families | |||||
| One-person households | 8.6% | 20.6% | 9.2% | 5.9% | 18.5% |
| Average people per household | 4.5 | 4 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 3 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 10.1% | 18.1% | 14.7% | 11.7% | 6.8% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 38.2% | 30.2% | 39.7% | 41.1% | 8.8% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 42.6% | 44.4% | 45.2% | 44.3% | 47.2% |
| Couples without children | 16.6% | 17.0% | 13.3% | 12.8% | 35.5% |
| One-parent families | 40.8% | 38.0% | 41.4% | 42.9% | 17.3% |
| Homes | |||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 81.7% | 69.4% | 74.5% | 78.5% | 71.5% |
| Average bedrooms | 3.2 | 3 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 60.9% | 58.5% | 66.7% | 64.2% | 66.3% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 50.5% | 41.4% | 51.3% | 51.7% | 20.1% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 50.2% | 40.6% | 45.9% | 50.0% | 17.4% |
Rents around Ōtara
New tenancies in Otara East in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $650 a week (down 1.5% on a year earlier). That is close to the typical suburb in Auckland ($675), and slightly above the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Otara East 16% of titles | Ferguson 12% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $650 | $693 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $596–$694 | $600–$750 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | −1.5% | +10.0% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 12 | 18 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Ōtara
LINZ maps 15 school sites inside Ōtara, among them Bairds Mainfreight Primary School (Contributing) and Dawson School (Contributing).
- Bairds Mainfreight Primary School (Contributing)
- Dawson School (Contributing)
- East Tamaki School (Contributing)
- Ferguson Intermediate (Otara) (Intermediate)
- Flat Bush School (Contributing)
- Mayfield School (Auckland) (Contributing)
- Rongomai School (Contributing)
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Junior School (Contributing)
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Middle School (Intermediate)
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- St John the Evangelist Catholic School (Full Primary)
- Tangaroa College (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Piripono Te Kura Whakahou ki Ōtara (Full Primary)
- Wymondley Road School (Contributing)
- Yendarra School (Contributing)
- Nearest school: Ferguson Intermediate (Otara) (0.3 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School (1.4 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Middlemore Hospital (3.4 km)
School enrolment zones in Ōtara: a guide
One secondary school has a home zone covering most of Ōtara's titles: Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School.
- Bairds Mainfreight Primary School (primary, Years 1–6): about 15% of titles
- Rongomai School (primary, Years 1–6): about 15% of titles
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Junior School (primary, Years 1–6): about 10% of titles
- Flat Bush School (primary, Years 1–6): about 10% of titles
- Dawson School (primary, Years 1–6): about 10% of titles
- Wymondley Road School (primary, Years 1–6): about 5% of titles
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Middle School (intermediate, Years 7–8): about 45% of titles
- Papatoetoe Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): about 5% of titles
- Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School (secondary): about 70% of titles
- Tangaroa College (secondary): about 50% of titles (zone takes effect 1 January 2027)
- Otahuhu College (secondary): about 5% of titles
- Sancta Maria College (secondary): about 5% of titles
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Public transport in Ōtara
95% of Ōtara's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, slightly above Auckland as a whole (82%).
78% are that close to a frequent stop (60 or more departures that day), above the council (54%).
The typical title is 175 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Auckland Transport. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Ōtara
OpenStreetMap maps 29 places of worship inside Ōtara (28 Christian, 1 other or not recorded).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Pehalo Talagi Hall, under 1 km away
- Hindu: Shree Swaminarayan Temple, 2.6 km away
- Buddhist: Fo Guang Shan North Island, 2.8 km away
- Muslim: Al-Falaah Mosque - Masjid, 1.4 km away
- Sikh: Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, 3.1 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Auckland with many cross-leases
- Papatoetoe: 3,998 cross-lease titles (25.8%)
- Remuera: 3,046 cross-lease titles (26.7%)
- Mount Roskill: 2,891 cross-lease titles (28.3%)
- Mount Wellington: 2,700 cross-lease titles (24.1%)
- Glenfield: 2,347 cross-lease titles (36.6%)
- Epsom: 2,335 cross-lease titles (29.8%)
- New Lynn: 2,016 cross-lease titles (24.4%)
- Mount Eden: 2,005 cross-lease titles (20.7%)
Suburbs like Ōtara
The closest match on the measures on this site is Henderson in Auckland, nearest on distance to the coast, elevation, near a stop. Closeness is arithmetic, not a rating. Sources and limits
| Suburb | Council | Cross-lease share of titles | Median weekly rent, new tenancies | Median age | Closest on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson | Auckland | 10.3% | No data | No data | distance to the coast, elevation, near a stop |
| Manurewa | Auckland | 15.6% | No data | No data | distance to the coast, near a stop, unit-title share |
| Pukekohe | Auckland | 7.5% | No data | No data | unit-title share, slope, land per flat |
| Flat Bush | Auckland | 0.8% | No data | No data | land per flat, slope, unit-title share |
| Māngere East | Auckland | 11.0% | $570 | 31.7 | commuting on foot or by bike, distance to the coast, elevation |
Questions
What is the rent in Ōtara, Auckland?
New tenancies in Otara East (the rent area for part of Ōtara) had a median rent of $650 a week in the April–June 2026 quarter (MBIE bond data, all dwelling types). These are rents agreed for new tenancies, not asking rents. The middle half of those rents ran from $596 to $694.
What schools are in Ōtara, Auckland?
LINZ maps 15 school sites inside Ōtara, including Bairds Mainfreight Primary School, Dawson School and East Tamaki School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School (1.4 km in a straight line). The secondary-school home zone covering most of its titles is Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate Senior School; check the school's own zone map for any address.