Living in Waimataitai: rents, schools, census and property titles
The 761 live property titles in Waimataitai, Timaru District are almost all freehold (86%), as recorded by LINZ on 30 September 2026. Cross-lease titles number 63 (8.3%), close to the national share of 8.7%.
Waimataitai cross-lease titles
- Cross-lease titles
- 63
- Share of live titles
- 8.3%
- Live titles in total
- 761
- Timaru District share
- 6.3%
- New Zealand share
- 8.7%
- Rank by share in Timaru District
- 5 of 12
- Rank by share in New Zealand
- joint 372 of 644
Waimataitai at a glance
Where Waimataitai differs most from suburbs across New Zealand: median weekly rent, new tenancies (lower 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
- Waimataitai is listed under Timaru District.
- 761 live titles are recorded here, including 63 cross-lease titles (8.3%).
- 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 8.3% of the recorded title mix. That describes the suburb, not any particular home.
- Unit titles account for 3.5% 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 Waimataitai
| Title type | Live titles | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 655 | 86.1% |
| Cross lease | 63 | 8.3% |
| Unit title | 27 | 3.5% |
| Leasehold | 4 | 0.5% |
| Other record types | 12 | 1.6% |
| Total | 761 | 100% |
Counts are titles, not homes; the register can lag conversions, so check the certificate of title. Sources and limits
How Waimataitai compares
Nationally, 8.7% of live titles are cross-lease; Waimataitai is close to the national share (8.7%).
Across Timaru District as a whole, the share is 6.3%; Waimataitai is higher than the overall Timaru District share (6.3%).
How cross-leases in Waimataitai are set up
Carports appear in more leases (27% of schemes, against 13% nationally).
Three-flat schemes are more common here (23%, against 12% nationally).
Fewer schemes refer to more than one flats plan (23%, against 36% nationally), usually because a plan was redrawn.
| Scheme structure | Waimataitai | Timaru District | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cross-lease schemes (shared sections) | 26 | 620 | 87,651 |
| Two-flat schemes | 65.4% | 64.4% | 76.2% |
| Three-flat schemes | 23.1% | 19.2% | 12.2% |
| Four or more flats | 11.5% | 16.5% | 11.4% |
| Typical section size (from the titles, not a survey) | 689 m² | 831 m² | 908 m² |
| Typical land per flat | 318 m² | 337 m² | 408 m² |
| Schemes with a garage written into a lease | 19.2% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| Schemes with a carport in a lease | 26.9% | 11.1% | 13.3% |
| Schemes with a separate exclusive-use area | 0.0% | 2.7% | 4.5% |
| Schemes referring to more than one flats plan (usually redrawn; not by itself a problem) | 23.1% | 28.7% | 35.6% |
| Median year of earliest current title | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 |
| Two-flat schemes on 700 m² or more | 6 | 230 | 54,978 |
Unit titles and leasehold in Waimataitai
Unit titles are 4% of Waimataitai's titles, well above Timaru District (2%) and well below New Zealand (8%). They belong to 8 developments, each run by a body corporate; half have 3 units or fewer.
New titles in Waimataitai since 2020
70 of Waimataitai's current titles (9%) were first issued since 2020, slightly above Timaru District's suburbs with new-title figures taken together (8%) and below New Zealand (12%).
That rate is 3rd highest of 11 in Timaru District.
| Title type | Since 2020 | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Freehold | 69 | 43 |
| Unit title | 0 | 0 |
| Cross-lease | 0 | 0 |
| Leasehold | 1 | 1 |
| 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 Waimataitai
The typical building in Waimataitai stands on ground sloping 4.1° (read on an 8 m grid, so short steep banks may be understated), 2nd steepest of 12 in Timaru District.
Much of the land is low-lying: the median elevation is 7 m, and parts are below sea level.
Unusually much of the sloping land faces north: 43%, where about a quarter would if slopes faced every way equally.
Slope is not a measure of ground stability. Sources and limits
Distance to the coast from Waimataitai
12% of Waimataitai's titles are within 200 m of the sea or harbour edge, 39% within 500 m and 93% within 1 km. The typical title is 580 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 Waimataitai: 2023 Census
About 67% of Waimataitai's titles are in the census area Waimataitai-Maori Hill (a Stats NZ statistical area), so these figures describe that area, not Waimataitai exactly.
More households have no car in Waimataitai-Maori Hill than across Timaru District: 9.8% against 5.6%.
More workers walk or cycle to work in Waimataitai-Maori Hill than across Timaru District: 9.6% against 5.7%.
More residents were born overseas in Waimataitai-Maori Hill than across Timaru District: 22.9% against 16.1%.
| Measure | Waimataitai-Maori Hill | Marchwiel East | Timaru District whole council |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residents | 2,082 | 2,007 | 47,547 |
| Change since 2018 | +1.9% | +1.4% | +2.7% |
| Change since 2013 | +9.5% | +12.1% | +8.2% |
| Median age | 44.4 | 37.9 | 44.6 |
| Households | 909 | 750 | 19,557 |
| Own or part-own their home (including family trusts) | 63.7% | 69.2% | 74.5% |
| Not owned and not in a family trust (mostly renting) | 36.3% | 30.4% | 25.5% |
| Median household income | $72,300 | $72,400 | $76,900 |
| Median weekly rent, renting households | $310 | $300 | $320 |
| Dwellings unoccupied on census night | 8.3% | 9.0% | 8.0% |
| Ages | |||
| Under 15 | 14.7% | 19.6% | 17.6% |
| 15 to 29 | 17.9% | 18.4% | 15.7% |
| 30 to 64 | 42.7% | 41.9% | 43.9% |
| 65 and over | 24.6% | 20.3% | 22.9% |
| Where people came from | |||
| Born overseas | 22.9% | 15.5% | 16.1% |
| Of those born overseas, arrived in the last 5 years | 37.3% | 25.5% | 24.1% |
| Lived elsewhere in New Zealand 5 years ago (of all residents, including children born since) | 43.0% | 44.3% | 42.1% |
| Lived overseas 5 years ago (of all residents) | 3.7% | 3.3% | 2.8% |
| Moved here in the last year (of all residents) | 18.1% | 16.4% | 15.7% |
| Work and study (people 15 and over) | |||
| Bachelor degree or higher | 17.0% | 8.5% | 15.3% |
| Employed full-time | 48.4% | 46.2% | 48.9% |
| Unemployed (share of everyone 15 and over, not the unemployment rate) | 1.9% | 3.7% | 1.8% |
| Managers and professionals (of those employed) | 33.5% | 23.3% | 36.1% |
| Median personal income | $37,500 | $34,000 | $38,600 |
| Getting to work (of those employed) | |||
| Work from home | 12.2% | 6.9% | 13.5% |
| Car, truck or van | 76.9% | 83.6% | 78.7% |
| Bus, train or ferry | 1.1% | 1.6% | 0.6% |
| Walk or cycle | 9.6% | 6.6% | 5.7% |
| Households and families | |||
| One-person households | 33.4% | 27.3% | 28.7% |
| Average people per household | 2.2 | 2.5 | 2.3 |
| Households with no motor vehicle | 9.8% | 6.4% | 5.6% |
| Crowded households (need one or more extra bedrooms) | 3.0% | 6.5% | 2.9% |
| Couples with children (of families) | 31.9% | 35.8% | 35.5% |
| Couples without children | 55.1% | 42.0% | 50.8% |
| One-parent families | 13.0% | 22.2% | 13.6% |
| Homes | |||
| Separate (stand-alone) houses | 69.4% | 83.2% | 85.0% |
| Average bedrooms | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3 |
| Heated with a heat pump | 83.3% | 77.4% | 74.5% |
| Damp, always or sometimes | 16.2% | 18.4% | 14.6% |
| Mould over A4 size, always or sometimes | 11.1% | 15.4% | 9.5% |
Rents around Waimataitai
New tenancies in Waimataitai-Maori Hill in the April–June 2026 quarter had a median rent of $490 a week (up 11.4% on a year earlier). That is close to the typical suburb in Timaru District ($470), and slightly below the national median ($600); joint 2nd highest of 7 in Timaru District.
| April–June 2026 | Waimataitai-Maori Hill | New Zealand |
|---|---|---|
| Median weekly rent, new tenancies | $490 | $600 |
| Middle half of rents | $415–$500 | $490–$700 |
| Change in median on a year earlier | +11.4% | +0.2% |
| Bonds lodged in the quarter | 21 | 40,827 |
Schools and hospitals near Waimataitai
No school site lies inside Waimataitai's boundary; the nearest is Waimataitai School, 0.8 km away in a straight line.
- Nearest school: Waimataitai School (0.8 km)
- Nearest secondary school: Craighead Diocesan School (1.5 km)
- Nearest public general hospital: Timaru Hospital (3.3 km)
School enrolment zones in Waimataitai: a guide
Three secondary schools have a home zone covering most of Waimataitai's titles: Craighead Diocesan School, Mountainview High School and Roncalli College.
- St Joseph's School (Timaru) (primary, Years 1–8): all or nearly all titles
- Grantlea Downs School (primary, Years 1–8): about 60% of titles
- Waimataitai School (primary, Years 1–8): about 40% of titles
- Oceanview Heights School (primary, Years 1–8): about 5% of titles
- Craighead Diocesan School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Mountainview High School (secondary): all or nearly all titles
- Roncalli 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 Waimataitai
No place of worship is mapped in OpenStreetMap inside Waimataitai's boundary.
Nearest mapped place of each tradition within 10 km:
- Christian: St Joseph's Parish - Highfield, 1.1 km away
Listed as facilities for access; not an indicator of who lives here. Sources and limits
Other suburbs in Timaru District with many cross-leases
- Highfield: 195 cross-lease titles (11.4%)
- Seaview: 195 cross-lease titles (18.5%)
- Temuka: 170 cross-lease titles (5.9%)
- Maori Hill: 157 cross-lease titles (27.0%)
- Geraldine: 98 cross-lease titles (5.3%)
- Glenwood: 91 cross-lease titles (11.2%)
- Gleniti: 90 cross-lease titles (6.4%)
All suburbs in Timaru District
Suburbs like Waimataitai
The closest match on the measures on this site is Seaview, Timaru District in Timaru District, nearest on schools, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seaview, Timaru District | Timaru District | 18.5% | $430 | 41 | schools, distance to the coast, commuting by public transport |
| Highfield | Timaru District | 11.4% | $500 | 51 | distance to a hospital, unit-title share, population change |
| South Hill | Waitaki District | 4.2% | $465 | 47 | distance to the coast, population change, born overseas |
| Maori Hill, Timaru District | Timaru District | 27.0% | $490 | 44.4 | rent, median age, children |
| Kensington, Timaru District | Timaru District | 7.1% | $468 | 38.2 | commuting by public transport, schools, distance to the coast |
Questions
What is the rent in Waimataitai?
New tenancies in Waimataitai-Maori Hill (the rent area for part of Waimataitai) had a median rent of $490 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 $415 to $500.
What schools are in Waimataitai?
No school site lies inside Waimataitai's boundary. The nearest school is Waimataitai School (0.8 km in a straight line). Secondary-school home zones covering most of its titles are Craighead Diocesan School, Mountainview High School and Roncalli College; check the school's own zone map for any address.