Kensington, Whangārei

In 2018, Whangarei District Council completed improvements to the Kensington Avenue and Kamo Road intersection, following delays since 2014 in acquiring properties.[6]

In April 2020, Police investigated the death of a five-month-old baby at a home in Kensington.[7]

The following month, Police recovered a stolen vehicle with a baby inside from a property in Kensington.[8] The vehicle had been stolen from a nearby petrol station before being abandoned.[9]

A major storm struck Kensington in July 2018.[10] It caused extensive damage to the Whangarei Quarry Gardens,[4] and at least one home was evacuated.[10]

In August 2020, the first stage of a $15.5 million development opened in Kensington. The complex includes a medical centre, gym, physio, food outlets and an early childhood centre.[11] The property was owned by Northland Regional Council,[12] and was previously the site of a Woolworths and Countdown supermarket,[13] but had been vacant since 2014.[14]

Kensington covers 3.11 km² (1.20 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 3,390 as of June 2022,[2] with a population density of 1,090 people per km².

Lake at Whangarei Quarry Gardens

Scene at Whangarei Quarry Gardens

Kensington had a population of 3,240 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 228 people (7.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 39 people (1.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,389 households, comprising 1,527 males and 1,713 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.89 males per female. The median age was 46.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 480 people (14.8%) aged under 15 years, 570 (17.6%) aged 15 to 29, 1,443 (44.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 747 (23.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 75.3% European/Pākehā, 27.4% Māori, 4.3% Pacific peoples, 8.2% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.1% had no religion, 41.0% were Christian, 2.4% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.6% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.9% were Buddhist and 2.0% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 486 (17.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 588 (21.3%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $25,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. 321 people (11.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,200 (43.5%) people were employed full-time, 378 (13.7%) were part-time, and 123 (4.5%) were unemployed.[15]