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City Profile

Tawa, Wellington

New Zealand · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Compare Tawa Custom Comparison
65
Overall Score

Tawa is a prominent northern residential suburb and community of Wellington, New Zealand, situated along the Porirua Stream and the North Island Main Trunk railway. Originally a farming area with deep Māori and early European settlement roots, it evolved into a thriving commuter town boasting a strong sense of local identity and community spirit. Families and professionals frequently move to Tawa for its peaceful suburban atmosphere, excellent local schools, and convenient rail access to downtown Wellington.

About Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand, is the world's southernmost capital city, known for its compact, walkable urban design and vibrant arts and culture scene. Its economy is primarily service-based, with major industries including government, finance, business services, film, and increasingly, information technology and innovation. Living in Wellington offers a temperate marine climate with warm summers and cool, wet, windy winters, and while it's considered one of the world's most livable cities, the cost of living, particularly for housing, is relatively high. The lifestyle blends city amenities with easy access to outdoor activities and natural beauty.

17,800
Population
$52K
Avg Salary
94
Cost Index
64.5
Quality Score
How this 65/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 82 / 100 82.0 30% 24.6
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 94.0 51.3 25% 12.8
Economy & jobs Median household income: $58,000 Income needed to live here: $46,000 Unemployment rate: 4.5% 63.2 20% 12.6
Growth Population growth rate: 0.9% Job growth rate: 1.8% 51.8 15% 7.8
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 67 / 100 67.0 10% 6.7
Overall score 64.5

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=53, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 16 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business
67
Livability
79
Affordability
62
Growth
68

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Tawa is closely aligned with the broader Wellington metropolitan area, reflecting New Zealand's general economic pressures including housing and imported goods costs. While slightly more affordable than central Wellington, housing and utility expenses still make up a significant portion of household budgets. Everyday expenses such as groceries and local transport remain manageable, though overall costs stay slightly elevated relative to national averages due to proximity to the capital.

Average Rent
$1,650/mo
Groceries
$420/mo
Transport
$110/mo
Utilities
$160/mo
Healthcare
$220/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$50.00
Cinema ticket
$15.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$24.00
Monthly groceries
$420.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$130.00

Income

Salary Insights

Tawa functions largely as a residential commuter hub, with a high proportion of residents traveling into central Wellington or Porirua for employment in public administration, education, and professional services. Locally, the economy is driven by retail, light commercial enterprises, and local health and educational services. The strong remote work infrastructure also supports a growing segment of residents telecommuting for regional and national organizations.

The average salary in Tawa is $52,000 per year. You would need approximately $46,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.10% Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services +2.20% Healthcare and Social Assistance +2.40% Education and Training +1.90% Public Administration and Safety +1.60%

Weather

Climate

🌡️
13°C
Avg Temp
☀️
12°C
Summer High
❄️
13°C
Winter Low
🌧️
52.40"
Annual Rain
💧
78.00%
Humidity
🌤️
214
Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Tawa is exceptionally well-connected via the Kāpiti Line commuter rail network, offering frequent train services to Wellington railway station in under twenty minutes. The suburb is also bounded by State Highway 1, facilitating straightforward driving commutes despite peak-hour congestion. Local bus routes and pedestrian-friendly paths ensure that getting around the immediate community is convenient without a car.

26 min
Avg Commute
68.00/10
Transit Score
64.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency
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At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Commuter rail stations (Tawa and Linden) provide a direct sub-20 minute train ride into central Wellington
High-performing local primary and secondary schools make it a top choice for families
Extensive green spaces, parks, and recreational trails including the Porirua Stream pathways
Lower median property purchase prices compared to central Wellington city suburbs
Strong community engagement with active local sports clubs, libraries, and civic groups
Drawbacks
State Highway 1 and local arterial roads experience notable commuter traffic congestion during peak hours
Limited nightlife and entertainment options within the suburb proper, requiring travel to Wellington
Housing affordability remains a challenge for first-time home buyers due to high national property price baselines
Topography featuring surrounding hills can limit cycling accessibility for certain neighborhoods
Variable public bus feeder routes can make cross-suburb non-rail transit less direct

Head to Head

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Nearby Cities

Wellington
61
Eastbourne
66
Waikanae
62
Carterton
66

Community Q&A

Questions about Tawa

What people ask about living in and moving to Tawa, Wellington.

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Gathering the most common questions about Tawa…

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The consumer market basket tracks everyday necessities, including staple grocery items (such as milk, bread, eggs, and produce), residential energy bills (electricity, gas, and water), public and private transit costs, routine outpatient medical care, and standard consumer goods and services to ensure a representative monthly budget.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Even in close geographic proximity, local tax jurisdictions, municipal utility rates, zoning laws, and micro-housing markets can create wide cost discrepancies. For example, a city with strict land-use regulations or higher local sales taxes will typically exhibit elevated housing and consumer goods costs compared to an adjacent county with looser zoning and lower tax burdens.

Local tax climates significantly shift a city's affordability score by directly affecting disposable income. Urblytica factors in state income tax brackets, local municipal property tax millage rates, and combined sales taxes to measure the true tax drag on median household earnings.

Core economic indexes and consumer price metrics undergo a comprehensive quarterly recalibration. This update cycle integrates the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, municipal utility rate adjustments, and regional housing data feeds to ensure all index comparisons reflect current economic conditions.

Housing is weighted as the single largest component in Urblytica's cost-of-living algorithm, typically accounting for roughly 30% to 35% of the composite score. It incorporates both median monthly gross rent and median single-family home purchase prices relative to local median income levels.

Normalization involves adjusting raw economic inputs against localized purchasing power parities (PPPs) and population-weighted density scales. This ensures fair, apples-to-apples comparisons between dense metropolitan hubs and smaller suburban or rural towns.

Utility indexing applies a rolling annual average that captures seasonal climate variations, such as increased summer air conditioning loads in southern climates or heavier winter heating demands in northern regions, providing a realistic year-round average utility expense.

Remote workers leverage the index to calculate real purchasing power parity when moving from a high-cost-of-living area to a lower-cost region. By comparing index differentials against their fixed salary, users can determine if their net savings and lifestyle quality will improve post-relocation.

While the raw Cost of Living Index measures pure expense levels, it is frequently paired with Urblytica’s local wage index and median household income benchmarks. This combined view highlights whether local salaries keep pace with local consumer goods and housing expenses.

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