Te Puke

Te Puke covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Te Puke had a population of 9,114 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 483 people (5.6%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,788 people (24.4%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,530 males, 4,566 females, and 15 people of other genders in 2,964 dwellings. 2.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 35.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,782 people (19.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,803 (19.8%) aged 15 to 29, 3,912 (42.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,614 (17.7%) aged 65 or older. == History ==

Settlement Development Railway The East Coast Main Trunk Railway passes through Te Puke and opened in 1928. Rail passenger services were provided by the Taneatua Express which operated between Auckland and Taneatua between 1928 and 1959. In February 1959, the steam hauled express train service was replaced by a railcar service operated by 88 seaters that only ran as far as Te Puke. The railcar service operated between 1959 and 1967, when it was cancelled due to both mechanical problems with the railcars and poor patronage, the latter largely due to the circuitous and time-consuming rail route between Auckland and the Bay of Plenty at that time. Horticulture ==Marae==

There are five marae in Te Puke, affiliated with local iwi and hapū: • Haraki Marae and meeting house are affiliated with Waitaha and the Ngāti Rangiwewehi hapū of Ngāti Rangiwewehi ki Tai. • Makahae – Te Kahika Marae is affiliated with the Tapuika hapū of Ngāti Tuheke. In October 2020, the Government committed $4,525,104 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and nine others, creating an estimated 34 jobs. • Manoeka Marae and Hei meeting house are affiliated with Waitaha. • Moko – Ngāti Moko Marae and the Mokotangatakotahi meeting house are affiliated with the Tapuika hapū of Ngāti Moko. • Tawakepito Marae and Tawakepito meeting house is affiliated with the Tapuika hapū of Ngāti Tuheke. ==Economy==

Agriculture is the backbone of the district's economy. The warm, moist climate and fertile soils are favourable for horticulture, with production of kiwifruit, avocados and citrus fruit such as lemons and oranges. The town markets itself as the "Kiwifruit capital of the world". Dairy cattle and other livestock are also farmed. Today, Te Puke is a thriving town with a reasonably large main shopping street, Jellicoe Street, which is also the main road passing through Te Puke. There are a number of schools, religious organisations, cultural groups, and a variety of clubs in the town. A large number of residents work picking or packing kiwifruit during April or May, as well as others coming from other nearby towns and cities. It can swell past 10,000 some seasons. ==Education==

Te Puke High School is the town's co-educational state high school for Year 9 to 13 students, with a roll of as of . Te Puke District High School opened in 1923, and became Te Puke High School in 1954. Te Puke has two state primary schools for Year 1 to 6 students: Fairhaven School, with a roll of , and Te Puke Primary School, with a roll of . Fairhaven School includes a Māori language immersion unit. The school opened in 1957. Te Puke Primary School opened in 1883. It has one state intermediate school for Year 7 to 8 students: Te Puke Intermediate, with a roll of . The school includes a bilingual learning programme in Māori. Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Matai is a co-educational state Māori language immersion primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of . It opened in 1887 and became a full immersion Māori language school in 1996. Following a decline in roll, it made English a compulsory subject in 2010. The school is located 3 km southeast of Te Puke. ==Climate==