Living in Ōtorohanga: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 2,991 live property titles in Ōtorohanga, Ōtorohanga District are almost all freehold (95%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 50 (1.7%), well below the national share of 8.7%.
- Cross-lease titles
- 50
- Share of live titles
- 1.7%
- Live titles in total
- 2,991
- Ōtorohanga District share
- 0.6%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Ōtorohanga District
- 1 of 1
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 625 of 644
Ōtorohanga at a glance
Where Ōtorohanga differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: cross-lease share of titles (lower than 97% of NZ suburbs).
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Ōtorohanga is listed under Ōtorohanga District.
- 2,991 live titles are recorded here, including 50 cross-lease titles (1.7%).
- 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 1.7% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 0.6% 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 Ōtorohanga
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 2,855 | 95.5% |
| Cross lease | 50 | 1.7% |
| Unit title | 19 | 0.6% |
| Leasehold | 38 | 1.3% |
| Other record types | 29 | 1.0% |
| Total | 2,991 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Ōtorohanga compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Ōtorohanga is well below the national share (8.7%).
Across Ōtorohanga District as a whole, the share is 0.6%; Ōtorohanga is about 2.8 times the overall Ōtorohanga District share (0.6%).
How cross-leases in Ōtorohanga are set up
Carports appear in more leases (24% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Fewer schemes refer to more than one flats plan (20%, against 36% nationally), usually because a plan was redrawn.
Fewer leases include a garage (16% of schemes, against 28% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Ōtorohanga | Ōtorohanga District | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 25 | 29 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 80.0% | 75.9% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 20.0% | 24.1% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 0.0% | 0.0% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 948 m² | 991 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 447 m² | 463 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 16.0% | 20.7% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 24.0% | 20.7% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 4.0% | 6.9% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 20.0% | 20.7% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1989 | 1989 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 17 | 19 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Ōtorohanga
Unit titles are 1% of Ōtorohanga's titles, well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 3 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 7 units or fewer.
38 titles (1.3%) are leasehold.
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 | 5 |
| Under 10 years left | 1 |
| 10 to 50 years left | 3 |
| More than 50 years left | 7 |
| Term mentions renewal (including perpetually renewable) | 19 |
| Term not stated or not readable | 3 |
New titles in Ōtorohanga since 2020
362 of Ōtorohanga's current titles (12%) were first issued since 2020, close to Ōtorohanga District's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (12%) and close to New Zealand (12%).
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 341 | 164 |
| Unit title | 3 | 3 |
| Cross-lease | 4 | 4 |
| Leasehold | 11 | 7 |
| Other | 3 | 3 |
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 Ōtorohanga
The typical building in Ōtorohanga stands on ground sloping 2.0° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated).
The land rises from about 0 m to 288 m, and 22% of all of it, including reserves and gullies, is 15° or steeper.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Ōtorohanga
Ōtorohanga is inland: the typical title is 28 km from the sea or harbour edge, and fewer than 1 in 2,000 titles are within 1 km of it.
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 Ōtorohanga: 2023 Census
Ōtorohanga's titles fall in 6 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 4 shown below hold 99% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer workers work from home in Ōtorohanga than across Ōtorohanga District: 12.1% against 30.9%.
More households have no car in Ōtorohanga than across Ōtorohanga District: 7.3% against 3.3%.
More workers walk or cycle to work in Ōtorohanga than across Ōtorohanga District: 6.8% against 3.8%.
| Measure | Ōtorohanga 54% of titles | Maihiihi 19% of titles | Honikiwi 13% of titles | Te Kawa 13% of titles | Ōtorohanga District whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,180 | 1,875 | 1,602 | 1,182 | 10,410 |
| Change since 2018 | +5.1% | +2.3% | +1.3% | −2.2% | +3.0% |
| Change since 2013 | +21.1% | +1.5% | +18.1% | +10.1% | +13.9% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 36.6 | 39.3 | 35.6 | 38.3 |
| Households | 1,164 | 660 | 570 | 405 | 3,654 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 64.2% | 58.6% | 75.8% | 63.7% | 65.3% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 35.6% | 41.4% | 24.2% | 37.0% | 34.7% |
| Median household income | $76,900 | $93,700 | $100,900 | $96,700 | $85,400 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $340 | $250 | $250 | $250 | $272 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 6.0% | 11.2% | 8.1% | 9.8% | 16.6% |
| Ages | |||||
| Under 15 | 21.4% | 24.2% | 22.5% | 24.1% | 21.4% |
| 15 to 29 | 20.0% | 16.2% | 14.8% | 17.0% | 16.7% |
| 30 to 64 | 38.8% | 45.0% | 46.6% | 46.2% | 45.0% |
| 65 and over | 19.8% | 14.9% | 16.1% | 12.7% | 16.9% |
| Where people came from | |||||
| Born overseas | 11.3% | 11.1% | 13.6% | 12.0% | 11.6% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 20.2% | 22.4% | 9.7% | 28.3% | 18.1% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 45.6% | 43.6% | 44.5% | 41.8% | 46.4% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 2.3% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.8% | 2.0% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 17.7% | 17.0% | 12.4% | 16.8% | 18.6% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 10.8% | 12.7% | 18.1% | 15.6% | 13.4% |
| Employed full-time | 48.0% | 57.0% | 57.2% | 60.4% | 51.6% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 4.1% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.0% | 2.9% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 31.1% | 55.8% | 51.7% | 52.2% | 46.8% |
| Median personal income | $34,900 | $46,700 | $44,100 | $48,600 | $38,000 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||||
| Work from home | 12.1% | 42.4% | 32.8% | 34.1% | 30.9% |
| Car, truck or van | 80.9% | 50.0% | 62.2% | 57.5% | 61.8% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Walk or cycle | 6.8% | 1.5% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 3.8% |
| Households and families | |||||
| One-person households | 27.5% | 21.0% | 18.2% | 18.5% | 23.9% |
| Average people per household | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.7 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 7.3% | 1.0% | 1.3% | 1.7% | 3.3% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 7.2% | 3.3% | 4.0% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 36.4% | 47.3% | 44.1% | 44.9% | 41.0% |
| Couples without children | 38.7% | 43.0% | 46.2% | 44.9% | 43.6% |
| One-parent families | 25.3% | 10.3% | 9.7% | 12.1% | 15.4% |
| Homes | |||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 88.7% | 95.9% | 95.3% | 95.6% | 92.8% |
| Average bedrooms | 3 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 70.4% | 55.6% | 52.8% | 60.2% | 58.6% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 24.9% | 17.8% | 18.2% | 18.5% | 21.4% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 18.2% | 13.9% | 13.2% | 18.2% | 16.4% |
Rents around Ōtorohanga
New tenancies in Otorohanga in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $525 a week (up 5.0% on a year earlier). That is slightly below the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Otorohanga 54% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $525 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $484–$578 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +5.0% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 30 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Ōtorohanga
LINZ maps 5 school sites inside Ōtorohanga, among them Kio Kio School (Full Primary) and Otorohanga South School (Full Primary).
- Kio Kio School (Full Primary)
- Otorohanga South School (Full Primary)
- St Mary's Catholic School (Otorohanga) (Full Primary)
- Ōtorohanga College (Secondary (Year 9-15))
- Ōtorohanga School (Full Primary)
- Nearest school: Otorohanga South School (1.7 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Ōtorohanga College (2.6 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Te Kuiti Hospital (15.5 km)
School enrolment zones in Ōtorohanga: a guide
The largest primary-school zone share of Ōtorohanga's titles is in Otorohanga South School's home zone (about 45%).
- Otorohanga South School (primary, Years 1–8): about 45% of titles
- Otorohanga Primary School (primary, Years 1–8): about 35% of titles
- Kio Kio School (primary, Years 1–8): about 15% of titles
About 5% of Ōtorohanga's titles are outside every mapped home zone.
A guide only: check the school's own zone map for any address. Zones as at 14 July 2026. Sources and limits
Places of worship near Ōtorohanga
OpenStreetMap maps 5 places of worship inside Ōtorohanga (5 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Harvest Christian Fellowship, 1.7 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Suburbs like Ōtorohanga
The closest match on the measures on this site is Huntly in Waikato District, nearest on population change, unit-title share, heat pumps. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntly | Waikato District | 3.7% | No data | 35.9 | population change, unit-title share, heat pumps |
| Te Kūiti | Waitomo District | 2.5% | $498 | 38.5 | older residents, recent movers within NZ, commuting by public transport |
| Putāruru | South Waikato District | 2.5% | $530 | 43.1 | commuting by public transport, rent, recent movers within NZ |
| Ngāruawāhia | Waikato District | 5.8% | $600 | 32.2 | schools, heat pumps, working from home |
| Feilding | Manawatu District | 4.3% | $520 | 40.8 | rent, commuting on foot or by bike, unit-title share |
Questions
What is the rent in Ōtorohanga?
New tenancies in Otorohanga (the rent area for part of Ōtorohanga) had a median rent of $525 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 $484 to $578.
What schools are in Ōtorohanga?
LINZ maps 5 school sites inside Ōtorohanga, including Kio Kio School, Otorohanga South School and St Mary's Catholic School (Otorohanga). The nearest secondary school to its centre is Ōtorohanga College (2.6 km in a straight line). Being near a school does not mean being in its zone.