Bethlehem, New Zealand
Bethlehem
| |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Bethlehem | |
| Coordinates: 37°42′S 176°07′E / 37.700°S 176.117°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Bay of Plenty |
| City | Tauranga |
| Local authority | Tauranga City Council |
| Electoral ward | Bethlehem General Ward |
| Area | |
| • Land | 1,386 ha (3,420 acres) |
| Population (June 2025)[2] | |
• Total | 9,250 |
| • Density | 667/km2 (1,730/sq mi) |
| (Tauranga Harbour) | Bellevue | |
| Te Puna |
  Bethlehem  |
Judea |
| Tauriko | Gate Pa |
Bethlehem (Māori: Peterehema, pronounced [ˌpɛ.tɛ.ɾɛ.ˈhɛ.ma])[3] is a suburb of Tauranga in New Zealand's North Island. Originally a small independent town, it has now been absorbed by Tauranga and comprises a number of subdivisions including Bethlehem Heights, Sterling Gate, La Cumbre, Saint Andrews, and Mayfield.[4]
Demographics
[edit]Bethlehem covers 13.86 km2 (5.35 sq mi)[1] and had an estimated population of 9,250 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 667 people per km2.
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 5,556 | — |
| 2013 | 7,050 | +3.46% |
| 2018 | 8,634 | +4.14% |
| 2023 | 9,156 | +1.18% |
| Source: [5][6] | ||
Bethlehem had a population of 9,156 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 522 people (6.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 2,106 people (29.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,293 males, 4,842 females, and 18 people of other genders in 3,582 dwellings.[7] 1.8% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. There were 1,362 people (14.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,149 (12.5%) aged 15 to 29, 3,426 (37.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 3,216 (35.1%) aged 65 or older.[5]
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.2% European (Pākehā); 10.3% Māori; 1.5% Pasifika; 10.2% Asian; 0.6% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.2% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.1%, Māori by 3.1%, Samoan by 0.1%, and other languages by 13.3%. No language could be spoken by 0.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 27.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.[5]
Religious affiliations were 45.6% Christian, 0.8% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 0.9% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, and 1.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 42.9%, and 7.0% of people did not answer the census question.[5]
Of those at least 15 years old, 1,971 (25.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,029 (51.7%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 1,800 (23.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. 1,044 people (13.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 2,901 (37.2%) full-time, 1,113 (14.3%) part-time, and 138 (1.8%) unemployed.[5]
| Name | Area (km2) | Population | Density (per km2) | Dwellings | Median age | Median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethlehem North | 5.12 | 3,645 | 712 | 1,542 | 63.1 years | $33,700[8] |
| Bethlehem Central | 4.27 | 4,392 | 1,029 | 1,680 | 49.1 years | $40,000[9] |
| Bethlehem South | 4.47 | 1,119 | 1,119 | 360 | 45.2 years | $52,400[10] |
| New Zealand | 38.1 years | $41,500 |
Marae
[edit]Bethlehem has two Ngāti Ranginui marae:
- Hangarau or Peterehema Marae and its Hangarau is affiliated with Ngāti Hangarau.
- Te Wairoa Marae and its Kahu Tapu meeting house are affiliated with Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Pango and Ngāti Rangi.[11][12]
Economy
[edit]Bethlehem Town Centre
[edit]Bethlehem Town Centre is a shopping area covering 20,000 m².[13] It has 1000 carparks and about 50 retailers, including Kmart, Woolworths, and Smiths City.[14]
Education
[edit]Bethlehem Campus
[edit]The local Bethlehem Campus includes several Christian educational institutions on a single site.
Bethlehem College is a co-educational state-integrated school for Year 1 to 13 students[15][16] with a roll of 2,108 as of July 2026.[17]
In March of 1988, construction of the school began. The first classroom building - ‘A’ block - was built on the 10th of March.[18] Bethlehem college was initially an independent private school, becoming a state-integrated school in 1999.[18]
In January 2013 a van of Bethlehem College students and former students crashed in a small village in Kenya, while they were on a volunteer mission at Ark Quest Academy.[19] Student Caitlin Dickson was killed, as were married couple Brian and Grace Johnston. Kenyan bus driver Christopher Mmata was also killed.[20]
In 2022 Bethlehem College received considerable media attention when it was revealed that the school contract had a clause in it which made parents and their children agree that marriage is between a man and a woman.[21] Allegations of homophobic bullying within the school came to light following this, resulting in a petition for the Education Review Office and the Ministry of Education to investigate the school, launched by Shaneel Lal.[22][23]
Bethlehem Tertiary Institute, formerly the Bethlehem Institute of Education, is a tertiary institution offering Degrees and Diplomas in teaching, social work and counselling and a Master of Professional Practice. Over 400 students are enrolled and students may study either onsite with a 'flipped classroom' approach or through innovative distance learning. The academy was founded in 1988 as a primary school with 100 students, and has expanded since to offer secondary and tertiary education.[24][independent source needed]
Notable former students include Kiri Allan (Member of Parliament), David Farrier (journalist and actor), Michael Ashton (makeup artist), Sam Tanner (1500m athlete) and Mika Vukona (professional basketball player).
Other schools
[edit]Bethlehem has three other schools.
Bethlehem School is a state primary school,[25] with a roll of 426.[26] The school opened as a native school in 1883.[27]
Tauranga Adventist School is a state-integrated Seventh-day Adventist primary school,[28][29] with a roll of 115.[30] It opened in 1974.[31]
Te Wharekura o Mauao is a state secondary school,[32][33] with a roll of 286.[34] It opened in 2010.[35]
All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of July 2026.[36]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- 1 2 "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
- ↑ "Peterehema". Te Aka Māori Dictionary.
- ↑ "Place name detail: Bethlehem". New Zealand Gazetteer. Land Information New Zealand.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Bethlehem North (193000), Bethlehem Central (193500) and Bethlehem South (194200). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Bethlehem North (193000), Bethlehem Central (193500) and Bethlehem South (194200).
- ↑ "Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Bethlehem North. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Bethlehem Central. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses". Stats NZ - Tatauranga Aotearoa - Aotearoa Data Explorer. Bethlehem South. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ↑ "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ↑ "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
- ↑ "Bethlehem's Kmart opening marks end of big project". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald. 18 March 2016.
- ↑ "Store Directory - Bethlehem Town Centre". shopbethlehem.co.nz. Colliers International. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ↑ "Bethlehem College Official School Website". beth.school.nz.
- ↑ "Bethlehem College Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ↑ "Bethlehem College Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- 1 2 College, Bethlehem. "Heritage • Bethlehem College". Bethlehem College. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ↑ "Community shocked by Kenya crash deaths". 3 News NZ. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ↑ "Kenya crash survivors recovering well". 3 News NZ. 18 January 2013. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2013.
- ↑ "Marriage is between man and woman: School under fire for 'discriminatory' statement". The New Zealand Herald. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ↑ Quill, Annemarie (13 June 2022). "School launch investigation after alleged threats made to students supporting LGBTQIA+ community". Stuff. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ↑ "5600 sign petition for investigation into alleged 'abuse' at Bethlehem College". The New Zealand Herald. 10 June 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ↑ "Bethlehem Tertiary Institute". bti.ac.nz. Bethlehem Tertiary Institute.
- ↑ "Bethlehem School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ↑ "Bethlehem School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ↑ "Home". Bethlehem School. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ↑ "Tauranga Adventist School Official School Website". taurangasda.school.nz.
- ↑ "Tauranga Adventist School Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ↑ "Tauranga Adventist School Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ↑ "History". Tauranga Adventist School. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ↑ "Te Wharekura o Mauao Official School Website". mauao.school.nz.
- ↑ "Te Wharekura o Mauao Ministry of Education School Profile". educationcounts.govt.nz. Ministry of Education.
- ↑ "Te Wharekura o Mauao Education Review Office Report". ero.govt.nz. Education Review Office.
- ↑ Udy, Carly (5 February 2010). "First full immersion school opens". Bay of Plenty Times.
- ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2026.