Marfell

Suburb in New Plymouth, New Zealand

Marfell
Suburb
Interactive map of Marfell
Coordinates: 39°4′28″S 174°2′44″E / 39.07444°S 174.04556°E / -39.07444; 174.04556
Country	New Zealand
City	New Plymouth
Local authority	New Plymouth District Council
Electoral ward	Kaitake-Ngāmotu General Ward Te Purutanga Mauri Pūmanawa Māori Ward
Area
• Land	73 ha (180 acres)
Population  (June 2025)
• Total	2,060
• Density	2,800/km2 (7,300/sq mi)

Spotswood	Blagdon
	Marfell	Westown
Whalers Gate		Hurdon

Marfell is a suburb of New Plymouth, in the western North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the southwest of the city centre. The Mangaotuku Stream runs past Marfell.

Demographics

Marfell covers 0.73 km² (0.28 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,060 as of June 2025, with a population density of 2,822 people per km².

Marfell had a population of 1,986 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 321 people (19.3%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 456 people (29.8%) since the 2013 census. There were 993 males, 984 females, and 9 people of other genders in 666 dwellings. 3.6% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 31.1 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 528 people (26.6%) aged under 15 years, 426 (21.5%) aged 15 to 29, 873 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 162 (8.2%) aged 65 or older.

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 69.8% European (Pākehā); 40.2% Māori; 4.5% Pasifika; 9.1% Asian; 0.9% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 2.0% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 96.8%, Māori by 9.7%, Samoan by 0.2%, and other languages by 7.1%. No language could be spoken by 2.3% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.3%. The percentage of people born overseas was 14.7, compared with 28.8% nationally.

Religious affiliations were 21.3% Christian, 1.7% Hindu, 0.6% Islam, 2.7% Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% Buddhist, 1.2% New Age, and 2.0% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 63.3%, and 6.8% of people did not answer the census question.

Of those at least 15 years old, 189 (13.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 819 (56.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 450 (30.9%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $34,300, compared with $41,500 nationally. 57 people (3.9%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 696 (47.7%) full-time, 192 (13.2%) part-time, and 72 (4.9%) unemployed.

Education

Marfell Community School is a coeducational contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 131 students as of July 2026. The school was founded in 1961 on an old pā site called Pukeori. The roll reached a high of 487 in 1974.

Notes

External links

• Marfell school website