Invercargill Central
Suburb
Downtown Invercargill
Coordinates: 46°24′47″S 168°20′51″E / 46.412970°S 168.347416°E / -46.412970; 168.347416
Country	New Zealand
City	Invercargill
Local authority	Invercargill City Council
Area [1]
• Land	396 ha (979 acres)
Population  (June 2022)[2]
• Total	1,460
Airports	Invercargill Airport
Hospitals	Southern Cross Hospital Invercargill

West Plains	Avenal	Windsor
Invercargill Airport	Invercargill Central	Richmond
(New River Estuary)	Kew	Appleby

Invercargill Central is the central business district and central suburb of Invercargill, in the Southland region of the South Island of New Zealand.

It has a population of 1,365 as of 2018.^[3] Invercargill central is the only area in Southland to contain commercial high rise buildings which are the furthest south tall buildings in the world ^[4]

Demographics

Invercargill Central statistical area covers 9.18 km² (3.54 sq mi), but this includes Invercargill Airport, which has an area of 5.22 km² (2.02 sq mi) but no resident population, so the populated part of Invercargill Central covers 3.96 km² (1.53 sq mi)^[1] This part had an estimated population of 1,460 as of June 2022,^[2] with a population density of 369 people per km².

The Umbrella sculpture in Don Street

Invercargill Central had a population of 1,365 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 240 people (21.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 210 people (18.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 462 households. There were 777 males and 591 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.31 males per female. The median age was 34.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 126 people (9.2%) aged under 15 years, 420 (30.8%) aged 15 to 29, 627 (45.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 195 (14.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 60.9% European/Pākehā, 14.7% Māori, 2.6% Pacific peoples, 27.5% Asian, and 4.4% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 36.0%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 41.3% had no religion, 36.7% were Christian, 5.3% were Hindu, 2.9% were Muslim, 2.4% were Buddhist and 4.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 285 (23.0%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 231 (18.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $16,500, compared with $31,800 nationally. 84 people (6.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 396 (32.0%) people were employed full-time, 216 (17.4%) were part-time, and 114 (9.2%) were unemployed.^[5]

Education

Invercargill Middle School is a state contributing primary school for years 1 to 6^[6] with a roll of 156 students as of April 2023.^[7] The school opened in 1873 as Invercargill Grammar School, became Invercargill District High School and then Invercargill Central School, and adopted the current name in 1885.^[8]

St Joseph's School is a state-integrated Catholic school for year 1 to 8^[9] with a roll of 120 students. The school has a continuous history from 1882 and traces its origins to the late 1860s.^[10]

The Southern Institute of Technology's three Invercargill campuses are located in Invercargill Central.^[11]

References