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Matamata
Matamata (Māori: [ˈmataˌmata]) is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which takes in the surrounding rural areas, as well as Morrinsville and Te Aroha. State Highway 27 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town. The town has a population of 9,540 as of June 2025.
A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions. During the period between the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey they had no furniture or props, but could be entered with vistas of the farm viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road. In 2011, parts of Hobbiton began to close in preparation for the three new movies based on the first Tolkien novel, The Hobbit.
In 1876 Matamata had 7 homesteads housing 40 European settlers. In 1901 the Matamata Road Board had 300 residents, 50 dwellings, 60 rate payers and 80 rateable properties.
Matamata covers 9.59 km2 (3.70 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 9,540 as of June 2025, with a population density of 995 people per km2.
Matamata had a population of 9,132 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,089 people (13.5%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,872 people (25.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,386 males, 4,716 females and 27 people of other genders in 3,696 dwellings. 2.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,536 people (16.8%) aged under 15 years, 1,428 (15.6%) aged 15 to 29, 3,429 (37.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,742 (30.0%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.5% European (Pākehā); 17.0% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 6.4% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori language by 3.0%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 7.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 32.7% Christian, 1.2% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 1.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.4%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 960 (12.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,248 (55.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,388 (31.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 555 people (7.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,384 (44.5%) people were employed full-time, 951 (12.5%) were part-time, and 141 (1.9%) were unemployed.
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Matamata AI simulator
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Matamata
Matamata (Māori: [ˈmataˌmata]) is a town in Waikato, New Zealand. It is located near the base of the Kaimai Ranges, and is a thriving farming area known for Thoroughbred horse breeding and training pursuits. It is part of the Matamata-Piako District, which takes in the surrounding rural areas, as well as Morrinsville and Te Aroha. State Highway 27 and the Kinleith Branch railway run through the town. The town has a population of 9,540 as of June 2025.
A nearby farm was the location for the Hobbiton Movie Set in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. The New Zealand government decided to leave the Hobbit holes built on location as tourist attractions. During the period between the filming of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey they had no furniture or props, but could be entered with vistas of the farm viewed from inside them. A "Welcome to Hobbiton" sign has been placed on the main road. In 2011, parts of Hobbiton began to close in preparation for the three new movies based on the first Tolkien novel, The Hobbit.
In 1876 Matamata had 7 homesteads housing 40 European settlers. In 1901 the Matamata Road Board had 300 residents, 50 dwellings, 60 rate payers and 80 rateable properties.
Matamata covers 9.59 km2 (3.70 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 9,540 as of June 2025, with a population density of 995 people per km2.
Matamata had a population of 9,132 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 1,089 people (13.5%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 1,872 people (25.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 4,386 males, 4,716 females and 27 people of other genders in 3,696 dwellings. 2.1% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 47.0 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 1,536 people (16.8%) aged under 15 years, 1,428 (15.6%) aged 15 to 29, 3,429 (37.5%) aged 30 to 64, and 2,742 (30.0%) aged 65 or older.
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 84.5% European (Pākehā); 17.0% Māori; 2.1% Pasifika; 6.4% Asian; 0.7% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.2%, Māori language by 3.0%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 7.4%. No language could be spoken by 1.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.6%. The percentage of people born overseas was 18.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.
Religious affiliations were 32.7% Christian, 1.2% Hindu, 0.3% Islam, 1.3% Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% Buddhist, 0.3% New Age, and 1.4% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 53.4%, and 8.7% of people did not answer the census question.
Of those at least 15 years old, 960 (12.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 4,248 (55.9%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 2,388 (31.4%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $35,600, compared with $41,500 nationally. 555 people (7.3%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,384 (44.5%) people were employed full-time, 951 (12.5%) were part-time, and 141 (1.9%) were unemployed.