Living in Torbay: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 5,142 live property titles in Torbay, Auckland are mostly freehold (71%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 1,334 (25.9%), well above the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 1,334
- Share of live titles
- 25.9%
- Live titles in total
- 5,142
- Auckland share
- 14.4%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Auckland
- 40 of 160
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- 56 of 644
Torbay at a glance
Where Torbay differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: cross-lease share of titles (higher than 91% of NZ suburbs); median weekly rent, new tenancies (higher than 90% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Torbay is listed under Auckland.
- 5,142 live titles are recorded here, including 1,334 cross-lease titles (25.9%).
- 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 25.9% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 2.3% 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 Torbay
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 3,628 | 70.6% |
| Cross lease | 1,334 | 25.9% |
| Unit title | 119 | 2.3% |
| Leasehold | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other record types | 61 | 1.2% |
| Total | 5,142 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Torbay compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Torbay is about 3.0 times the national share (8.7%).
Across Auckland as a whole, the share is 14.4%; Torbay is about 1.8 times the overall Auckland share (14.4%).
Its cross-lease share is in the highest quarter of 160 in Auckland (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Torbay are set up
Fewer schemes have four or more flats on one section (1%, against 11% nationally), up to 16.
Three-flat schemes are less common here (2%, against 12% nationally).
Fewer leases include a garage (14% of schemes, against 28% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Torbay | Auckland | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 672 | 39,589 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 97.5% | 73.7% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 1.5% | 14.0% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 0.9% | 12.0% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 1,012 m² | 961 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 506 m² | 418 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 14.3% | 23.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 11.5% | 19.2% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 7.0% | 5.5% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 42.0% | 42.1% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1987 | 1989 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 655 | 26,275 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Torbay
Unit titles are 2% of Torbay's titles, well below Auckland (15%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 59 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 2 units or fewer.
The unit-title share is in the lowest quarter of 160 in Auckland.
New titles in Torbay since 2020
507 of Torbay's current titles (10%) were first issued since 2020, well below Auckland's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (16%) and slightly below New Zealand (12%).
Most came recently: 356 since 2023.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 485 | 345 |
| Unit title | 0 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 22 | 11 |
| Leasehold | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 0 | 0 |
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 Torbay
The typical building in Torbay stands on ground sloping 7.7° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), in the steepest quarter of 160 in Auckland.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Torbay
9% of Torbay's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 23% within 500 m and 50% within 1 km. The typical title is 1,000 m 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 Torbay: 2023 Census
Torbay's titles fall in 6 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 4 shown below hold 85% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer workers walk or cycle to work in Awaruku than across Auckland: 1.0% against 4.2%.
Fewer households have no car in Awaruku than across Auckland: 1.9% against 6.8%.
Fewer people live alone in Awaruku than across Auckland: 10.2% against 18.5%.
| Measure | Awaruku 24% of titles | Glamorgan 22% of titles | Torbay West 19% of titles | Torbay East 19% of titles | Auckland whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,513 | 3,303 | 2,826 | 2,427 | 1,656,486 |
| Change since 2018 | −1.0% | +0.4% | +2.8% | +0.2% | +5.4% |
| Change since 2013 | +4.7% | +6.3% | +8.4% | +5.9% | +17.0% |
| Median age | 39.9 | 36.6 | 38.9 | 43.6 | 35.9 |
| Households | 1,140 | 1,098 | 957 | 891 | 539,490 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 74.2% | 66.7% | 70.4% | 74.3% | 59.5% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 26.1% | 33.3% | 29.9% | 25.3% | 40.5% |
| Median household income | $139,200 | $128,800 | $122,200 | $129,900 | $116,800 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $650 | $620 | $600 | $640 | $540 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.6% | 5.7% | 6.6% | 8.5% | 8.8% |
| Ages | |||||
| Under 15 | 17.9% | 21.6% | 20.0% | 16.8% | 19.2% |
| 15 to 29 | 18.5% | 18.5% | 18.7% | 16.8% | 20.9% |
| 30 to 64 | 50.4% | 48.5% | 47.1% | 48.2% | 46.5% |
| 65 and over | 13.2% | 11.4% | 14.2% | 18.2% | 13.3% |
| Where people came from | |||||
| Born overseas | 52.7% | 48.2% | 48.5% | 43.1% | 42.9% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 18.6% | 21.3% | 16.8% | 20.7% | 19.6% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 40.4% | 40.5% | 38.5% | 40.3% | 45.0% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 6.1% | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.0% | 5.6% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 17.5% | 19.3% | 15.9% | 15.5% | 21.1% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 36.4% | 36.0% | 32.0% | 39.6% | 32.9% |
| Employed full-time | 56.8% | 57.6% | 54.8% | 52.6% | 53.2% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 2.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 3.3% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 53.5% | 52.3% | 51.1% | 57.0% | 47.5% |
| Median personal income | $50,400 | $50,800 | $47,700 | $49,800 | $44,700 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||||
| Work from home | 22.7% | 22.7% | 20.4% | 24.3% | 18.2% |
| Car, truck or van | 67.0% | 66.3% | 68.5% | 64.3% | 68.6% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 8.3% | 8.3% | 8.4% | 8.7% | 7.8% |
| Walk or cycle | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1.5% | 1.7% | 4.2% |
| Households and families | |||||
| One-person households | 10.2% | 16.0% | 18.6% | 19.8% | 18.5% |
| Average people per household | 3 | 3 | 2.9 | 2.7 | 3 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 1.9% | 3.1% | 3.9% | 2.5% | 6.8% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 3.8% | 4.2% | 3.5% | 1.7% | 8.8% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 49.4% | 53.1% | 54.1% | 48.9% | 47.2% |
| Couples without children | 37.4% | 32.7% | 31.5% | 39.6% | 35.5% |
| One-parent families | 12.9% | 14.2% | 14.8% | 11.5% | 17.3% |
| Homes | |||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 83.8% | 74.6% | 82.1% | 79.2% | 71.5% |
| Average bedrooms | 3.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 69.8% | 68.9% | 67.9% | 69.5% | 66.3% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 19.9% | 26.6% | 19.1% | 16.7% | 20.1% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 15.0% | 22.0% | 14.4% | 13.8% | 17.4% |
Rents around Torbay
New tenancies in Awaruku in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $750 a week (up 7.9% on a year earlier). That is slightly above the typical suburb in Auckland ($675), and above the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Awaruku 24% of titles | Glamorgan 22% of titles | Torbay 19% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $750 | $708 | $755 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $580–$793 | $595–$808 | $598–$861 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +7.9% | +2.6% | −11.2% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 21 | 24 | 24 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Torbay
LINZ maps 2 school sites inside Torbay, among them Glamorgan School (Contributing) and Torbay School (Contributing).
- Glamorgan School (Contributing)
- Torbay School (Contributing)
- Nearest school: Glamorgan School (0.4 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Long Bay College (1.1 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: North Shore Hospital (9.2 km)
School enrolment zones in Torbay: a guide
One secondary school has a home zone covering most of Torbay's titles: Long Bay College.
- Torbay School (primary, Years 1–6): about 55% of titles
- Glamorgan School (primary, Years 1–6): about 30% of titles
- Long Bay School (primary, Years 1–6): about 30% of titles
- Northcross Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): all or nearly all titles
- Long Bay College (secondary): all or nearly all 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 Torbay
95% of Torbay's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, slightly above Auckland as a whole (82%).
46% are that close to a frequent stop (60 or more departures that day), slightly below the council (54%).
The typical title is 163 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Auckland Transport. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Torbay
OpenStreetMap maps 3 places of worship inside Torbay (3 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Saint Francis de Sales Church, under 1 km away
- Buddhist: Wat Phra Dhammakaya Auckland, 7.2 km away
- Muslim: Muslim Prayer Room, 4.9 km away
- Sikh: Gurdwara Sahib North Shore, 9.2 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 Torbay
The closest match on the measures on this site is Waiake in Auckland, nearest on rent, degrees, commuting on foot or by bike. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waiake | Auckland | 38.9% | $750 | 40.1 | rent, degrees, commuting on foot or by bike |
| Hillsborough, Auckland | Auckland | 26.2% | $795 | 37.9 | recent movers within NZ, slope, unit-title share |
| Northcross | Auckland | 18.9% | $710 | 38.4 | schools, commuting on foot or by bike, population change |
| Rothesay Bay | Auckland | 35.9% | $810 | 41.2 | land per flat, elevation, distance to the coast |
| Mairangi Bay | Auckland | 24.8% | $950 | 40.9 | elevation, schools, near a stop |
Questions
What is the rent in Torbay?
New tenancies in Awaruku (the rent area for part of Torbay) had a median rent of $750 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 $580 to $793.
What schools are in Torbay?
LINZ maps 2 school sites inside Torbay: Glamorgan School and Torbay School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Long Bay College (1.1 km in a straight line). The secondary-school home zone covering most of its titles is Long Bay College; check the school's own zone map for any address.