{{short description|Suburb of Rotorua, New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=December 2020}} {{stack begin}} {{Infobox New Zealand suburb | name = Fordlands | image = | caption1 = | city1 = Rotorua | ward = Te Ipu Wai Auraki General Ward | council = Rotorua Lakes Council | established = | coordinates = {{coord|-38.145|176.224|region:NZ_type:city|display=it}} | arearef = <ref name="Area"/> | area = 99 | population = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Fordlands|y}} | popdate = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y}} | popref = {{NZ population data 2023 SA2||||y}} | population_density_km2 = auto | trainstations = | ferryterminals = | airports = | hospitals = | mapframe = yes | mapframe-zoom = 13 | caption2 = }} {{Adjacent place | centre = Fordlands | north = Mangakakahi | northeast = | east = Utuhina | southeast = Hillcrest | south = Matipo Heights | southwest = Pomare | west = Sunnybrook | northwest = Pukehangi }} {{stack end}} '''Fordlands''' is a western suburb of Rotorua in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island.
The area is named for Harry Ford (1878-1969), whose model dairy farm became the suburb.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rotorualakescouncil.nz/our-services/planningservices/districtplan/DistrictPlan/Documents/Proposed-district-plan/Research/RDC-154378-Rotorua-Central-Area-Built-Heritage-Study-Part1-B.pdf|title=Rotorua Central Area: Build Heritage Study|publisher=Rotorua Lakes Council|page=1|accessdate=20 December 2020}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
It was described in 2017 as the most deprived suburb in New Zealand.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/the-locals-proud-to-call-fordlands-home/XQ65GZKPFAHE7UHZ5XIUCEUQD4/|title=The locals proud to call Fordlands home|newspaper=Rotorua Daily Post|date=10 November 2017|first=Ben|last=Flood}}</ref> The suburb was an inspiration for the novel ''Once Were Warriors'' by Alan Duff.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/108096075/welcome-to-fordlands-the-rotorua-suburb-that-inspired-once-were-warriors|title=Welcome to Fordlands, the Rotorua suburb that inspired Once Were Warriors|publisher=Stuff|date=4 November 2018|first=Donna-Lee|last=Biddle}}</ref>
==Demographics== Fordlands covers {{Convert|0.99|km2||abbr=on}}<ref name="Area">{{Cite web|title=Stats NZ Geographic Data Service|url=https://datafinder.stats.govt.nz/data/|at=Statistical Area 2 2023 (generalised)|access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref> and had an estimated population of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Fordlands|y}} as of {{NZ population data 2023 SA2|||y|y||,}} with a population density of {{Decimals|{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2023 SA2|Fordlands|y}}|R}}/0.99|0}} people per km<sup>2</sup>.
{{Historical populations|2006|2,307|2013|2,118|2018|2,460|2023|2,667|percentages=pagr|align=left|source=<ref name="Census 2023"/><ref name="Census 2018">{{NZ census 2018|Fordlands (199700)|fordlands|Fordlands}}</ref>}} Fordlands had a population of 2,667 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 207 people (8.4%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 549 people (25.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 1,287 males, 1,362 females, and 18 people of other genders in 750 dwellings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_005&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=doTotal%2Bdo1.199700.2023&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_DWD_003|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for dwellings, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses}}</ref> 2.7% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 29.7 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 711 people (26.7%) aged under 15 years, 639 (24.0%) aged 15 to 29, 1,062 (39.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 255 (9.6%) aged 65 or older.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 32.8% European (Pākehā); 70.3% Māori; 15.0% Pasifika; 6.4% Asian; 0.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 1.1% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 94.9%, Māori by 23.7%, Samoan by 1.8%, and other languages by 6.4%. No language could be spoken by 2.7% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.9, compared with 28.8% nationally.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Religious affiliations were 31.7% Christian, 0.6% Hindu, 0.4% Islam, 7.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% Buddhist, 0.7% New Age, and 0.8% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 52.1%, and 7.2% of people did not answer the census question.<ref name="Census 2023"/>
Of those at least 15 years old, 156 (8.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 1,080 (55.2%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 723 (37.0%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $30,100, compared with $41,500 nationally. 33 people (1.7%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 795 (40.6%) full-time, 198 (10.1%) part-time, and 183 (9.4%) unemployed.<ref name="Census 2023">{{Cite web|url=https://explore.data.stats.govt.nz/vis?fs[0]=2023%20Census%2C0%7CTotals%20by%20topic%23CAT_TOTALS_BY_TOPIC%23&pg=0&fc=Variable%20codes&bp=true&snb=9&df[ds]=ds-nsiws-disseminate&df[id]=CEN23_TBT_008&df[ag]=STATSNZ&df[vs]=1.0&dq=hq011%2Bhq010%2Bhq009%2Bhq008%2Bhq007%2Bhq006%2Bhq005%2Bhq004%2Bhq003%2Bhq002%2Bhq001%2Bhq000%2Bws1%2Bsp99%2Bra80%2Bra08%2Bra07%2Bra06%2Bra05%2Bra01%2Bra04%2Bra03%2Bra02%2Bra00%2Brb1%2Bls66%2Bls03%2Bls02%2Bls05%2Bls04%2Bls01%2Beg6%2Beg5%2Beg4%2Beg3%2Beg2%2Beg1%2BbiTotal%2Bbi0%2Bbi1%2BasTotalLG%2Bas4%2Bas3%2Bas2%2Bas1%2Bws4%2Bws3%2Bws2%2Bge3%2Bge2%2Bge1%2Brc%2BasMed%2BegTotal%2BlsTotal%2BgeTotal%2BrbTotal%2BraTotal%2BhqTotal%2BibTotal%2Bib7%2Bibmed%2BwsTotal.199700.2013%2B2018%2B2023&to[TIME]=false&ly[rw]=CEN23_TBT_IND_003&ly[cl]=CEN23_YEAR_001|publisher=Stats NZ – Tatauranga Aotearoa – Aotearoa Data Explorer|access-date=3 October 2024|title=Totals by topic for individuals, (RC, TALB, UR, SA3, SA2, Ward, Health), 2013, 2018, and 2023 Censuses|at=Fordlands (199700)}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Rotorua District}} Category:Suburbs of Rotorua Category:Populated places in the Bay of Plenty Region