Living in Marfell: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 744 live property titles in Marfell, New Plymouth District are almost all freehold (93%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 31 (4.2%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 31
- Share of live titles
- 4.2%
- Live titles in total
- 744
- New Plymouth District share
- 6.6%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in New Plymouth District
- 15 of 18
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 528 of 644
Marfell at a glance
Where Marfell differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: median age (lower than 93% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Marfell is listed under New Plymouth District.
- 744 live titles are recorded here, including 31 cross-lease titles (4.2%).
- 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 4.2% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 2.2% of recorded titles, so title structure can vary within the suburb.
- 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
- Mapped public-transport context is not available for this suburb.
Title mix in Marfell
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 692 | 93.0% |
| Cross lease | 31 | 4.2% |
| Unit title | 16 | 2.2% |
| Leasehold | 0 | 0.0% |
| Other record types | 5 | 0.7% |
| Total | 744 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Marfell compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Marfell is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across New Plymouth District as a whole, the share is 6.6%; Marfell is well below the overall New Plymouth District share (6.6%).
Its cross-lease share is in the lowest quarter of 18 in New Plymouth District (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Marfell are set up
Carports appear in more leases (40% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Fewer schemes refer to more than one flats plan (20%, against 36% nationally), usually because a plan was redrawn.
Three-flat schemes are less common here (7%, against 12% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Marfell | New Plymouth District | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 15 | 1,094 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 93.3% | 66.6% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 6.7% | 17.6% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 0.0% | 15.8% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 737 m² | 809 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 360 m² | 337 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 20.0% | 38.9% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 40.0% | 15.5% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 6.7% | 7.8% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 20.0% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1989 | 1990 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 8 | 430 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Marfell
Unit titles are 2% of Marfell's titles, close to New Plymouth District (2%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 5 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 3 units or fewer.
New titles in Marfell since 2020
92 of Marfell's current titles (12%) were first issued since 2020, above New Plymouth District's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (9%) and close to New Zealand (12%).
That rate is 2nd highest of 18 in New Plymouth District.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 92 | 10 |
| Unit title | 0 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 0 | 0 |
| 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 Marfell
The typical building in Marfell stands on ground sloping 4.3° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), 3rd steepest of 18 in New Plymouth District.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Marfell
0% of Marfell's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 0% within 500 m and 5% within 1 km. The typical title is 1.6 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 Marfell: 2023 Census
About 84% of Marfell's titles are in the census area Marfell (a Stats NZ statistical area), so these figures describe that area, not Marfell exactly.
Fewer residents are 65 or over in Marfell than across New Plymouth District: 8.2% against 19.6%.
More households have no car in Marfell than across New Plymouth District: 10.9% against 5.3%.
Fewer workers walk or cycle to work in Marfell than across New Plymouth District: 3.4% against 5.5%.
| Measure | Marfell | Blagdon-Lynmouth | New Plymouth District whole council |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 1,986 | 2,598 | 87,000 |
| Change since 2018 | +19.3% | +3.0% | +7.8% |
| Change since 2013 | +29.8% | +8.4% | +17.3% |
| Median age | 31.1 | 35.3 | 40.7 |
| Households | 666 | 969 | 33,207 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 59.7% | 66.3% | 72.4% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 40.3% | 34.4% | 27.6% |
| Median household income | $75,100 | $83,700 | $86,400 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $256 | $400 | $380 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 4.3% | 6.0% | 6.9% |
| Ages | |||
| Under 15 | 26.6% | 20.8% | 19.8% |
| 15 to 29 | 21.5% | 20.0% | 16.3% |
| 30 to 64 | 44.0% | 45.2% | 44.3% |
| 65 and over | 8.2% | 14.0% | 19.6% |
| Where people came from | |||
| Born overseas | 14.9% | 17.7% | 17.1% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 16.7% | 30.5% | 21.9% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 45.9% | 41.0% | 42.2% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 2.6% | 5.0% | 3.4% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 16.1% | 17.9% | 16.3% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 13.8% | 20.9% | 20.7% |
| Employed full-time | 47.7% | 51.7% | 48.4% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 4.9% | 2.9% | 2.5% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 32.8% | 39.5% | 43.0% |
| Median personal income | $34,300 | $40,400 | $39,200 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||
| Work from home | 10.8% | 14.3% | 16.8% |
| Car, truck or van | 82.4% | 74.8% | 75.6% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 1.4% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Walk or cycle | 3.4% | 7.4% | 5.5% |
| Households and families | |||
| One-person households | 24.8% | 25.8% | 24.7% |
| Average people per household | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 10.9% | 6.9% | 5.3% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 11.2% | 5.7% | 4.2% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 38.7% | 39.5% | 39.5% |
| Couples without children | 26.5% | 37.7% | 43.9% |
| One-parent families | 34.2% | 23.8% | 16.5% |
| Homes | |||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 75.2% | 87.2% | 84.3% |
| Average bedrooms | 2.9 | 3 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 60.5% | 55.9% | 53.2% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 28.2% | 20.9% | 16.4% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 21.1% | 19.1% | 14.0% |
Rents around Marfell
New tenancies in Marfell in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $528 a week (down 16.2% on a year earlier). That is close to the typical suburb in New Plymouth District ($553), and slightly below the national median ($600); 3rd lowest of 16 in New Plymouth District.
| April–June 2026 | Marfell | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $528 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $353–$558 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | −16.2% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 12 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Marfell
One school site lies inside Marfell: Marfell Community School (Contributing).
- Marfell Community School (Contributing)
- Nearest school: Marfell Community School (0.3 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Spotswood College (0.8 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Taranaki Base Hospital (0.8 km)
Being near a school does not mean being in its zone: check its enrolment scheme. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Marfell
No place of worship is mapped in OpenStreetMap inside Marfell's boundary.
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Saint James Presbyterian Church, under 1 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in New Plymouth District with many cross-leases
- Westown: 386 cross-lease titles (14.5%)
- New Plymouth: 333 cross-lease titles (10.9%)
- Strandon: 231 cross-lease titles (18.5%)
- Waitara: 195 cross-lease titles (5.5%)
- Fitzroy: 163 cross-lease titles (17.1%)
- Moturoa: 157 cross-lease titles (15.0%)
- Lower Vogeltown: 142 cross-lease titles (22.6%)
All suburbs in New Plymouth District
Suburbs like Marfell
The closest match on the measures on this site is Blagdon in New Plymouth District, nearest on elevation, distance to the coast, commuting by public transport. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blagdon | New Plymouth District | 9.0% | $580 | 35.3 | elevation, distance to the coast, commuting by public transport |
| Mangapapa | Gisborne District | 3.8% | $530 | 32.8 | schools, rent, cross-lease share |
| Lynmouth | New Plymouth District | 13.5% | $580 | 35.3 | distance to a hospital, distance to the coast, commuting by public transport |
| Spotswood, New Plymouth District | New Plymouth District | 10.9% | $580 | 36.9 | commuting by public transport, household income, distance to the coast |
| Parkvale, Tauranga City | Tauranga City | 20.0% | $600 | 31.2 | schools, median age, distance to a hospital |
Questions
What is the rent in Marfell?
New tenancies in the Marfell rent area had a median rent of $528 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 $353 to $558.
What schools are in Marfell?
LINZ maps 1 school site inside Marfell: Marfell Community School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Spotswood College (0.8 km in a straight line). Being near a school does not mean being in its zone.