18 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Hamilton, Waikato

  1. Kirikiriroa, the city’s Maori name means “long stretch of gravel”
  2. Hamilton’s got the beautiful Waikato river flowing through the city. There are plenty of river walks in the city.
  3. Hamilton is a lot warmer compared to other parts of New Zealand but that also means you don’t freeze during winters.
  4. The city is home to the amazing Hamilton Gardens, a conceptual group of gardens from different countries and periods of time.
  5. Though Hamilton is not a coastal city, it is surrounded by coastal cities, like Auckland and Tauranga.
  6. There are a lot of day trips close to Hamilton, like the Hobbiton city, Rotorua, Tauranga, Waitomo Glowworm caves and Auckland.
  7. Though Hamilton is one of the most populous cities in New Zealand, it is quite reasonable to live in and is not as expensive as Auckland. You could buy a brand new 5 bedroom house in Hamilton for the same price as a 1990s house in Auckland.
  8. The average population in Hamilton is very young compared to the rest of the country. Around half the residents are less than 30 years old.
  9. The dairy industry in Hamilton is one of the largest in the country.
  10. Hamilton is extremely diverse, with more than 80 ethnic groups.
  11. Hamilton is a refugee base in New Zealand, with people from Syria and Somalia immigrating to NZ.
  12. Hamilton is New Zealand’s largest inland city.
  13. Hamilton accounts for 3.3% of New Zealand’s population and the 4th largest city in the country.
  14. Hamilton has a lot of beautiful parks.
  15. Te Awa or The Base was originally an air-force base, hence the name. It is one of the biggest malls in New Zealand.
  16. The Hobbiton, a significant location used for the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and The Hobbit film series, is only an hour away from Hamilton in Matamata, Waikato.
  17. Hamilton’s economy is on a high, with a lot of developments projects in the housing market. This means an increase in need for builders and electricians in Hamilton.
  18. Business services in Hamilton are growing rapidly too, so lots of opportunities in the city and a growth in working population.

Read more about Hamilton city, Waikato.