Ashley, New Zealand

Ashley
Town
Ashley Hotel
Ashley Hotel
Interactive map of Ashley
Coordinates: 43°16′34″S 172°35′57″E / 43.276028°S 172.599248°E / -43.276028; 172.599248
CountryNew Zealand
RegionCanterbury
Territorial authorityWaimakariri District
WardRangiora-Ashley Ward
CommunityRangiora-Ashley Community
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityWaimakariri District Council
 • Regional councilEnvironment Canterbury
 • Mayor of WaimakaririDan Gordon
 • Kaikōura MPStuart Smith
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
 • Total
0.99 km2 (0.38 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2025)
 • Total
410
 • Density410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode
7477 and 7473
Area code03
Local iwiNgāi Tahu

Ashley is a small town in North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand. It used to have a railway station on the Main North Line that runs through the village.

Education

Ashley Rakahuri School is Ashley's only school, and was established in 1864. It is a state co-educational full primary, with 184 students (as of July 2026). The principal is Linda Horne.

Demographics

Ashley is described by Stats NZ as a rural settlement and covers 0.99 km2 (0.38 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 410 as of June 2025, with a population density of 414 people per km2. Ashley is part of the larger Ashley-Sefton statistical area.

Historical population for Ashley
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901202—    
2006222+0.09%
2013324+5.55%
2018366+2.47%
2023393+1.43%
The 2006 population is for a larger area of 4.66 km2. The 1901 population may be for different boundaries.
Source:

Ashley had a population of 393 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 27 people (7.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 69 people (21.3%) since the 2013 census. There were 189 males and 204 females in 144 dwellings. 1.5% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 43.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 75 people (19.1%) aged under 15 years, 66 (16.8%) aged 15 to 29, 186 (47.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 66 (16.8%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 95.4% European (Pākehā); 6.9% Māori; 0.8% Pasifika; 2.3% Asian; 0.8% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.5% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.7%, Māori by 1.5%, and other languages by 4.6%. No language could be spoken by 2.3% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.8%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.0, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 23.7% Christian, 0.8% New Age, and 0.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 67.9%, and 6.9% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 45 (14.2%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 192 (60.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 72 (22.6%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $41,500, compared with $41,500 nationally. 24 people (7.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 162 (50.9%) full-time, 45 (14.2%) part-time, and 3 (0.9%) unemployed.

Ashley-Sefton statistical area

Ashley-Sefton statistical area, which also includes Sefton, covers 86.91 km2 (33.56 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 2,560 as of June 2025, with a population density of 29.5 people per km2.

Historical population for Ashley-Sefton
YearPop.±% p.a.
20061,710—    
20131,953+1.92%
20182,139+1.84%
20232,439+2.66%
Source:
Ashley River bridge
Ashley war memorial

Ashley-Sefton had a population of 2,439 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 300 people (14.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 486 people (24.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,251 males, 1,185 females, and 6 people of other genders in 864 dwellings. 3.0% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 44.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 474 people (19.4%) aged under 15 years, 348 (14.3%) aged 15 to 29, 1,176 (48.2%) aged 30 to 64, and 441 (18.1%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 94.5% European (Pākehā); 8.2% Māori; 0.7% Pasifika; 2.2% Asian; 0.5% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.7% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.8%, Māori by 1.5%, and other languages by 4.8%. No language could be spoken by 2.0% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.2%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.2, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 25.6% Christian, 0.1% Islam, 0.2% New Age, and 0.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 64.8%, and 8.5% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 345 (17.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,167 (59.4%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 453 (23.1%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $43,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 243 people (12.4%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 1,038 (52.8%) full-time, 348 (17.7%) part-time, and 39 (2.0%) unemployed.

Climate

The average temperature in summer is 15.9 °C, and in winter is 7 °C.

MonthNormal temperature
January16.4 °C
February16.1 °C
March14.9 °C
April12.4 °C
May9.4 °C
June7.0 °C
July6.5 °C
August7.4 °C
September9.4 °C
October11.5 °C
November13.2 °C
December15.1 °C

References

  1. ↑ "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Kaikōura - Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "Te Tai Tonga – Official Result". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Urban Rural 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  6. ↑ Wood, Pauline J (1989). "From slates to computers : the history of Ashley and Mt. Grey Downs schools, 1864-1989". Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  7. ↑ "New Zealand Schools Directory". New Zealand Ministry of Education. Retrieved 1 July 2026.
  8. ↑ "Geographic Boundary Viewer". Stats NZ. Urban Rural Areas – 2023 and Statistical Area 2 – 2023.
  9. 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. Ashley (2094). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. 7023938.
  11. ↑ "Ashley". THE CYCLOPEDIA OF NEW ZEALAND. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "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.
  13. ↑ "Stats NZ Geographic Data Service". Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised). Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  14. ↑ "Subnational population estimates - Aotearoa Data Explorer". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  15. 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. Ashley-Sefton (313700). Retrieved 3 October 2024.
  16. ↑ "Statistical area 1 dataset for 2018 Census". Statistics New Zealand. March 2020. Ashley-Sefton (313700). 2018 Census place summary: Ashley-Sefton
  17. ↑ "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.
  18. ↑ "Weather statistics for Ashley, Canterbury (New Zealand)". yr.no. Retrieved 11 December 2013.