Living in Welcome Bay: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 4,034 live property titles in Welcome Bay (it lies across Tauranga City, Western Bay of Plenty District; its titles are counted under Tauranga City) are almost all freehold (89%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 396 (9.8%), slightly above the national share of 8.7%.
Welcome Bay cross-lease titles
- Cross-lease titles
- 396
- Share of live titles
- 9.8%
- Live titles in total
- 4,034
- Tauranga City share
- 13.5%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Tauranga City
- 15 of 18
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 334 of 644
Welcome Bay at a glance
Higher or lower is not better or worse. Sources and limits
Start here
What the data tells you
Recorded facts
- Welcome Bay is listed under Tauranga City.
- 4,034 live titles are recorded here, including 396 cross-lease titles (9.8%).
- 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 9.8% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 0.9% 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 Welcome Bay
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 3,580 | 88.7% |
| Cross lease | 396 | 9.8% |
| Unit title | 37 | 0.9% |
| Leasehold | 5 | 0.1% |
| Other record types | 16 | 0.4% |
| Total | 4,034 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Welcome Bay compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Welcome Bay is slightly higher than the national share (8.7%).
Across Tauranga City as a whole, the share is 13.5%; Welcome Bay is lower than the overall Tauranga City share (13.5%).
Its cross-lease share is in the lowest quarter of 18 in Tauranga City (among suburbs with an indexed page on this site).
How cross-leases in Welcome Bay are set up
Separate exclusive-use areas are less common (1% of schemes, against 5% nationally).
Three-flat schemes are less common here (3%, against 12% nationally).
Carports appear in fewer leases (4% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
| Scheme structure | Welcome Bay | Tauranga City | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 191 | 4,119 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 93.2% | 82.8% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 3.1% | 11.1% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 3.7% | 6.0% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 850 m² | 850 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 420 m² | 410 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 13.6% | 19.0% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 3.7% | 7.9% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 1.0% | 4.6% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 62.3% | 48.8% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1988 | 1987 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 143 | 3,062 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Welcome Bay
Unit titles are 1% of Welcome Bay's titles, well below Tauranga City (7%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 4 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 7 units or fewer.
New titles in Welcome Bay since 2020
116 of Welcome Bay's current titles (3%) were first issued since 2020, well below Tauranga City's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (7%) and well below New Zealand (12%).
That rate is joint 2nd lowest of 18 in Tauranga City.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 106 | 50 |
| Unit title | 0 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 7 | 5 |
| Leasehold | 2 | 1 |
| Other | 1 | 1 |
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 Welcome Bay
The typical building in Welcome Bay stands on ground sloping 4.6° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), 2nd steepest of 18 in Tauranga City.
The land rises from about 0 m to 364 m, and 42% 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 Welcome Bay
16% of Welcome Bay's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 35% within 500 m and 62% within 1 km. The typical title is 790 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 Welcome Bay: 2023 Census
Welcome Bay's titles fall in 6 census areas (Stats NZ statistical areas). The 4 shown below hold 97% of its titles; their figures are shown side by side and are not added together.
Fewer households have no car in Welcome Bay South than across Tauranga City: 1.3% against 4.3%.
Fewer workers walk or cycle to work in Welcome Bay South than across Tauranga City: 1.5% against 4.9%.
Fewer people live alone in Welcome Bay South than across Tauranga City: 9.8% against 22.6%.
| Measure | Welcome Bay South 34% of titles | Welcome Bay West 25% of titles | Welcome Bay East 23% of titles | Kaitemako 14% of titles | Tauranga City whole council |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 3,978 | 2,865 | 2,658 | 1,554 | 152,844 |
| Change since 2018 | +15.3% | +3.0% | +4.0% | +3.8% | +11.5% |
| Change since 2013 | +75.6% | +6.9% | +15.4% | +9.5% | +32.7% |
| Median age | 36.5 | 32.5 | 37.6 | 38.7 | 39.4 |
| Households | 1,233 | 945 | 870 | 528 | 55,359 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 78.3% | 69.2% | 69.3% | 79.5% | 69.4% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 21.9% | 30.8% | 30.7% | 19.9% | 30.6% |
| Median household income | $119,000 | $102,100 | $99,600 | $101,200 | $95,400 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $600 | $500 | $450 | $530 | $550 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 5.9% | 5.1% | 4.9% | 5.4% | 8.8% |
| Ages | |||||
| Under 15 | 22.7% | 24.4% | 21.2% | 19.3% | 19.4% |
| 15 to 29 | 18.0% | 21.5% | 19.3% | 18.5% | 17.2% |
| 30 to 64 | 47.0% | 44.2% | 43.2% | 45.0% | 43.7% |
| 65 and over | 12.4% | 9.9% | 16.1% | 17.2% | 19.7% |
| Where people came from | |||||
| Born overseas | 28.4% | 19.2% | 22.6% | 22.3% | 25.4% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 15.8% | 16.5% | 21.3% | 14.9% | 25.4% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 47.6% | 46.7% | 39.6% | 41.2% | 47.2% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 3.7% | 3.3% | 3.6% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 16.2% | 18.5% | 15.5% | 13.8% | 19.3% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 25.9% | 20.9% | 20.7% | 23.0% | 24.9% |
| Employed full-time | 55.4% | 56.2% | 50.4% | 51.3% | 49.7% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 2.0% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.6% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 42.6% | 36.5% | 40.1% | 43.2% | 44.2% |
| Median personal income | $46,200 | $44,800 | $39,000 | $39,300 | $42,100 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||||
| Work from home | 17.8% | 12.8% | 16.8% | 15.4% | 16.5% |
| Car, truck or van | 78.1% | 81.9% | 77.8% | 79.6% | 75.7% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 1.7% | 2.4% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| Walk or cycle | 1.5% | 2.2% | 3.1% | 1.8% | 4.9% |
| Households and families | |||||
| One-person households | 9.8% | 14.0% | 16.2% | 16.4% | 22.6% |
| Average people per household | 3.1 | 3 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 1.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 4.3% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 4.3% | 6.3% | 7.7% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 48.6% | 42.9% | 41.2% | 40.4% | 40.3% |
| Couples without children | 39.1% | 34.3% | 40.4% | 43.3% | 43.5% |
| One-parent families | 12.5% | 22.8% | 18.4% | 16.3% | 16.2% |
| Homes | |||||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 94.7% | 95.3% | 92.2% | 92.6% | 80.1% |
| Average bedrooms | 3.5 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 79.0% | 70.9% | 66.4% | 68.1% | 75.1% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 6.5% | 20.4% | 19.0% | 13.9% | 13.2% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 5.5% | 15.9% | 14.6% | 9.5% | 10.7% |
Rents around Welcome Bay
New tenancies in Welcome Bay South in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $710 a week (up 0.3% on a year earlier). That is slightly above the typical suburb in Tauranga City ($650), and slightly above the national median ($600).
| April–June 2026 | Welcome Bay South 34% of titles | Welcome Bay West 25% of titles | Welcome Bay East 23% of titles | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $710 | $713 | $663 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $629–$780 | $628–$738 | $436–$750 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +0.3% | +9.7% | — | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 15 | 18 | 12 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Welcome Bay
LINZ maps 3 school sites inside Welcome Bay, among them Selwyn Ridge School (Contributing) and Tauranga Waldorf School (Full Primary).
- Selwyn Ridge School (Contributing)
- Tauranga Waldorf School (Full Primary)
- Welcome Bay School (Contributing)
- Nearest school: Tauranga Waldorf School (2.1 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Tauranga Girls' College (6.0 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Tauranga Hospital (6.3 km)
School enrolment zones in Welcome Bay: a guide
Two secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Welcome Bay's titles: Tauranga Boys' College and Tauranga Girls' College.
- Welcome Bay School (primary, Years 1–6): about 70% of titles
- Selwyn Ridge School (primary, Years 1–6): about 40% of titles
- Maungatapu School (primary, Years 1–6): about 10% of titles
- Tauranga Intermediate (intermediate, Years 7–8): all or nearly all titles
- Tauranga Boys' College (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Tauranga Girls' 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
Places of worship near Welcome Bay
OpenStreetMap maps 5 places of worship inside Welcome Bay (5 Christian).
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: Welcome Bay Community Church, 2.2 km away
- Muslim: Tauranga Masjid, 5.9 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Tauranga City with many cross-leases
- Mount Maunganui: 2,452 cross-lease titles (17.4%)
- Otūmoetai: 910 cross-lease titles (24.0%)
- Papamoa Beach: 896 cross-lease titles (7.1%)
- Tauranga South: 685 cross-lease titles (25.7%)
- Gate Pa: 586 cross-lease titles (22.9%)
- Greerton: 449 cross-lease titles (27.1%)
- Matua: 425 cross-lease titles (19.0%)
- Judea: 384 cross-lease titles (23.5%)
Suburbs like Welcome Bay
The closest match on the measures on this site is Wattle Downs in Auckland, nearest on schools, degrees, distance to the coast. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wattle Downs | Auckland | 4.7% | $740 | 38 | schools, degrees, distance to the coast |
| Brookfield | Tauranga City | 17.9% | $650 | 34.4 | distance to the coast, unit-title share, commuting by public transport |
| Pahurehure | Auckland | 13.9% | $680 | 36.8 | distance to the coast, median age, household income |
| Conifer Grove | Auckland | 13.3% | No data | 38.1 | commuting on foot or by bike, distance to the coast, heat pumps |
| Bellevue | Tauranga City | 23.6% | $730 | 34.4 | land per flat, schools, distance to the coast |
Questions
What is the rent in Welcome Bay?
New tenancies in Welcome Bay South (the rent area for part of Welcome Bay) had a median rent of $710 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 $629 to $780.
What schools are in Welcome Bay?
LINZ maps 3 school sites inside Welcome Bay: Selwyn Ridge School, Tauranga Waldorf School and Welcome Bay School. The nearest secondary school to its centre is Tauranga Girls' College (6.0 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles are Tauranga Boys' College and Tauranga Girls' College; check the school's own zone map for any address.