Te Kauwhata is a small town in the north of the Waikato region of New Zealand, situated close to the western shore of Lake Waikare, some 40 km north of Hamilton and approximately 58 km south of Manukau City. Description Te Kauwhata may translate as "the empty storehouse", possibly referring to food storehouses in the original ancient Māori settlement. Te Kauwhata can also translate as "the spiritual medium" or "the frame". The original name of the research farm and railway station was Wairangi, changed to Waerenga in 1897. Waerenga means a bush clearing for farming. The name Te Kauwhata was used for the settlement from 1910, Te Kauwhata was surveyed for a township in 1912. Te Kauwhata is the site of a range of farms, including dairy and dry stock, as well as extensive horticulture. Of note is that Te Kauwhata, or "TK" as the locals say, is bordered by the Whangamarino Swamp. Demographics Te Kauwhata covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. At the 2018 New Zealand census, Te Kauwhata had smaller boundaries, covering . It had a population of 1,617 an increase of 483 people (42.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 711 people (78.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 603 households, comprising 780 males and 840 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.93 males per female. The median age was 40.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 354 people (21.9%) aged under 15 years, 237 (14.7%) aged 15 to 29, 627 (38.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 399 (24.7%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 77.9% European/Pākehā, 23.0% Māori, 3.3% Pacific peoples, 7.6% Asian, and 1.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 21.0, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.1% had no religion, 34.0% were Christian, 1.5% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.6% were Muslim, 0.9% were Buddhist and 2.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 171 (13.5%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 315 (24.9%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $26,800, compared with $31,800 nationally. 207 people (16.4%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 567 (44.9%) people