Ōhope

Ōhope
Ōhope
Town
	Ōhope from the air, looking north
	Wikimedia \| © OpenStreetMap
	Coordinates: 37°57′58″S 177°02′35″E / 37.966°S 177.043°ECoordinates: 37°57′58″S 177°02′35″E / 37.966°S 177.043°E
Country	New Zealand
Region	Bay of Plenty
Territorial authority	Whakatāne District
Ward	Whakatāne-Ōhope
Population (June 2020)
• Total	3,360

Ōhope, until 1974 known as Ohope Beach, is a beach settlement in the eastern Bay of Plenty, on the northeast coast of the North Island of New Zealand, six kilometres east and over the hill, from Whakatāne.

Name[]

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place of [the] main body of an army" for Ōhope.^[2] On 10 October 1974, the name of the settlement was formally changed from Ohope Beach to Ohope.^[3] On 21 June 2019, the official name of the town was changed to Ōhope (with a macron) by the New Zealand Geographic Board. ^[4]

Demographics[]

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	2,853	—
2013	2,847	−0.03%
2018	3,177	+2.22%
Source: ^[5]

Early morning on Ōhope Beach in summer

Ōhope had a population of 3,177 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 330 people (11.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 324 people (11.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,350 households. There were 1,545 males and 1,632 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 51.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 498 people (15.7%) aged under 15 years, 378 (11.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,410 (44.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 891 (28.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 89.6% European/Pākehā, 14.9% Māori, 1.0% Pacific peoples, 3.2% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities (totals add to more than 100% since people could identify with multiple ethnicities).

The proportion of people born overseas was 22.3%, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.4% had no religion, 37.2% were Christian, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.6% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 771 (28.8%) people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 366 (13.7%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $36,600, compared with $31,800 nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,215 (45.4%) people were employed full-time, 438 (16.3%) were part-time, and 60 (2.2%) were unemployed.^[5]

Holiday destination[]

It is a popular holiday destination during the New Zealand summer, with several kilometres of safe swimming beaches. The western end of the beach is popular for surfing during the summer and Christmas period.