Living in Petone: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 3,890 live property titles in Petone, Lower Hutt City are mostly freehold (71%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 247 (6.3%), below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 247
- Share of live titles
- 6.3%
- Live titles in total
- 3,890
- Lower Hutt City share
- 10.5%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Lower Hutt City
- joint 16 of 21
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 433 of 644
Petone at a glance
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Petone is listed under Lower Hutt City.
- 3,890 live titles are recorded here, including 247 cross-lease titles (6.3%).
- 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 6.3% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 19.9% 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 Petone
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 2,763 | 71.0% |
| Cross lease | 247 | 6.3% |
| Unit title | 776 | 19.9% |
| Leasehold | 23 | 0.6% |
| Other record types | 81 | 2.1% |
| Total | 3,890 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Petone compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Petone is lower than the national share (8.7%).
Across Lower Hutt City as a whole, the share is 10.5%; Petone is well below the overall Lower Hutt City share (10.5%).
How cross-leases in Petone are set up
Fewer leases include a garage (9% of schemes, against 28% nationally).
Three-flat schemes are more common here (24%, against 12% nationally).
Separate exclusive-use areas are less common (3% of schemes, against 5% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Petone | Lower Hutt City | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 91 | 2,185 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 59.3% | 82.9% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 24.2% | 9.4% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 16.5% | 7.6% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 651 m² | 791 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 259 m² | 364 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 8.8% | 15.7% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 8.8% | 7.6% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 3.3% | 3.8% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 31.9% | 29.2% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1990 | 1989 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 12 | 1,124 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Petone
Unit titles are 20% of Petone's titles, well above Lower Hutt City (5%) and well above New Zealand (8%). They belong to 78 developments, each run by a body corporate; 3 have 50 or more units.
The unit-title share is 2nd highest of 21 in Lower Hutt City.
23 titles (0.6%) are leasehold.
4 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 | 2 |
| Under 10 years left | 2 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 2 |
| More than 50 years left | 11 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 6 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 0 |
New titles in Petone since 2020
495 of Petone's current titles (13%) were first issued since 2020, above Lower Hutt City's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (10%) and slightly above New Zealand (12%).
That rate is in the highest quarter of 21 in Lower Hutt City.
Most are unit titles: 252 in 10 developments (apartments, terraces or townhouses under a body corporate).
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 234 | 155 |
| Unit title | 252 | 93 |
| Cross-lease | 2 | 2 |
| Leasehold | 1 | 0 |
| Other | 6 | 2 |
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 Petone
The typical building in Petone stands on ground sloping 0.7° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated).
Nearly all of its 4,076 measured buildings (100%) stand on ground under 5°.
Much of the land is low-lying: the median elevation is 2 m, and parts are below sea level.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Petone
15% of Petone's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 51% within 500 m and 83% within 1 km. The typical title is 490 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 Petone: 2023 Census
Petone's titles fall in 3 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 3 shown below hold 100% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
More workers walk or cycle to work in Petone East than across Lower Hutt City: 8.4% against 4.5%.
More households have no car in Petone East than across Lower Hutt City: 14.0% against 8.0%.
More residents are 65 or over in Petone East than across Lower Hutt City: 23.4% against 14.7%.
| Measure | Petone East 40% of titles | Petone Esplanade 30% of titles | Petone Central 30% of titles | Lower Hutt City whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,978 | 2,571 | 1,182 | 107,562 |
| Change since 2018 | +1.8% | −2.3% | +23.9% | +2.9% |
| Change since 2013 | +21.3% | +3.4% | +30.0% | +9.5% |
| Median age | 42.3 | 38.3 | 33.8 | 37.5 |
| Households | 1,650 | 1,062 | 510 | 39,027 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 62.5% | 56.2% | 39.8% | 66.8% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 37.3% | 44.1% | 59.6% | 33.2% |
| Median household income | $98,100 | $114,700 | $113,700 | $110,100 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $494 | $450 | $530 | $450 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.7% | 8.2% | 8.3% | 5.8% |
| Ages | ||||
| Under 15 | 13.1% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 19.1% |
| 15 to 29 | 16.5% | 20.5% | 25.9% | 18.5% |
| 30 to 64 | 47.0% | 52.2% | 52.0% | 47.7% |
| 65 and over | 23.4% | 13.7% | 8.4% | 14.7% |
| Where people came from | ||||
| Born overseas | 29.8% | 28.4% | 30.2% | 27.8% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 25.5% | 27.6% | 29.7% | 18.4% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 46.7% | 43.3% | 57.3% | 38.6% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 4.1% | 4.4% | 6.3% | 3.6% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 21.3% | 22.7% | 37.4% | 16.8% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | ||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 36.1% | 37.1% | 40.7% | 29.2% |
| Employed full-time | 52.1% | 59.0% | 66.5% | 55.4% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 2.8% | 2.6% | 3.8% | 3.1% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 53.7% | 54.2% | 54.6% | 47.6% |
| Median personal income | $47,900 | $51,700 | $57,000 | $47,800 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | ||||
| Work from home | 16.8% | 19.2% | 16.5% | 17.5% |
| Car, truck or van | 50.1% | 49.8% | 46.2% | 60.8% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 23.7% | 20.5% | 22.3% | 16.3% |
| Walk or cycle | 8.4% | 9.1% | 13.1% | 4.5% |
| Households and families | ||||
| One-person households | 35.9% | 30.6% | 32.1% | 23.1% |
| Average people per household | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 14.0% | 13.3% | 16.8% | 8.0% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 5.9% | 6.5% | 9.2% | 7.1% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 37.7% | 38.1% | 31.5% | 44.7% |
| Couples without children | 50.8% | 44.3% | 52.2% | 37.5% |
| One-parent families | 11.5% | 17.1% | 17.4% | 17.8% |
| Homes | ||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 50.9% | 61.3% | 46.2% | 76.3% |
| Average bedrooms | 2.5 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 58.9% | 57.8% | 53.0% | 64.4% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 14.1% | 18.4% | 18.4% | 21.4% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 8.9% | 13.0% | 12.1% | 15.0% |
Rents around Petone
New tenancies in Petone East in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $575 a week (up 16.2% on a year earlier). That is close to the typical suburb in Lower Hutt City ($600), and close to the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Petone East 40% of titles | Petone Esplanade 30% of titles | Petone Central 30% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $575 | $610 | $490 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $483–$695 | $304–$680 | $430–$560 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +16.2% | +2.0% | +8.9% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 36 | 27 | 39 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Petone
LINZ maps 4 school sites inside Petone, among them Hutt Valley Activity Centre (Activity Centre) and Petone Central School (Full Primary).
- Hutt Valley Activity Centre (Activity Centre)
- Petone Central School (Full Primary)
- Sacred Heart School (Petone) (Full Primary)
- Wilford School (Full Primary)
- Nearest school: Wilford School (0.6 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi (1.3 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Hutt Hospital (4.0 km)
School enrolment zones in Petone: a guide
Three secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Petone's titles: Hutt International Boys School, Hutt Valley High School and St Oran's College.
- Sacred Heart School (Petone) (primary, Years 1–8): all or nearly all titles
- Wilford School (primary, Years 1–8): about 35% of titles
- Hutt International Boys School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Hutt Valley High School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- St Oran's 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 Petone
99% of Petone's titles are within 400 m of a stop with a scheduled weekday service, close to Lower Hutt City as a whole (93%).
86% are that close to a frequent stop (60 or more departures that day), well above the council (43%).
48% are within 800 m of a train station or ferry wharf.
The typical title is 151 m in a straight line from its nearest stop.
Timetable of Wednesday 30 September 2026, Metlink (Greater Wellington Regional Council). Sources and limits
Places of worship near Petone
OpenStreetMap maps 10 places of worship inside Petone (10 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Salvation Army Petone Corps, under 1 km away
- Hindu: unnamed, 5.4 km away
- Buddhist: Dhamma Gavesi Meditation Centre, 8.3 km away
- Muslim: Masjid Al-Ameen, 5.1 km away
- Sikh: Wellington Gurudwara Sahib, 5.8 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Lower Hutt City with many cross-leases
- Stokes Valley: 492 cross-lease titles (12.5%)
- Waterloo: 426 cross-lease titles (21.3%)
- Wainuiomata: 406 cross-lease titles (5.3%)
- Waiwhetū: 362 cross-lease titles (20.3%)
- Hutt Central: 343 cross-lease titles (15.1%)
- Woburn: 334 cross-lease titles (23.5%)
- Naenae: 333 cross-lease titles (9.6%)
- Avalon: 300 cross-lease titles (13.2%)
All suburbs in Lower Hutt City
Suburbs like Petone
The closest match on the measures on this site is Kilbirnie in Wellington City, nearest on schools, distance to the coast, elevation. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kilbirnie | Wellington City | 3.4% | $540 | 37.5 | schools, distance to the coast, elevation |
| Boulcott | Lower Hutt City | 14.6% | $635 | 41.1 | slope, near a stop, born overseas |
| Epuni | Lower Hutt City | 12.5% | No data | 38.9 | slope, near a stop, household income |
| Alicetown | Lower Hutt City | 10.3% | $530 | 36.9 | slope, elevation, near a stop |
| Lyall Bay | Wellington City | 11.7% | $680 | 36.6 | commuting by public transport, distance to the coast, elevation |
Questions
What is the rent in Petone?
New tenancies in Petone East (the rent area for part of Petone) had a median rent of $575 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 $483 to $695.
What schools are in Petone?
LINZ maps 4 school sites inside Petone, including Hutt Valley Activity Centre, Petone Central School and Sacred Heart School (Petone). The nearest secondary school to its centre is Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Māori o ngā Kōhanga Reo o Te Awa Kairangi (1.3 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles are Hutt International Boys School, Hutt Valley High School and St Oran's College; check the school's own zone map for any address.