Kihikihi, a small town located in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, serves as a satellite community of Te Awamutu, five kilometres to the north, and lies 35 kilometres south of Hamilton. The 2018 New Zealand census recorded a population of 2,808 people The main reason for the large increase since 2013 is the construction of a large number of new dwellings. The town's outer rim has merged with the expanding rim of Te Awamutu, rendering the boundary between the two towns difficult to perceive. Kihikihi is a Māori-language word meaning "cicada"; the name imitates the sound made by the insect. A large statue of a cicada stands at the northern entrance to the town. Kihikihi's multi-purpose sports domain hosts national and international equestrian events such as the FEI Eventing World Cup. The town is also home to the historic Kihikihi Polo Club, founded in 1892 by the Kay family. History KIhikihi in the 19th century was described as a "border settlement" or a "frontier town" by James Cowan, ruined in the 1880s by the "Great Wet Peace" with the partition of the King Country and land-buying from Māori . Demographics Kihikihi covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Kihikihi had a population of 2,808 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 336 people (13.6%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 447 people (18.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 999 households, comprising 1,389 males and 1,422 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female, with 585 people (20.8%) aged under 15 years, 531 (18.9%) aged 15 to 29, 1,260 (44.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 432 (15.4%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 78.8% European/Pākehā, 29.8% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 2.6% Asian, and 1.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.4, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.6% had no religion, 32.4% were Christian, 2.6% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.7% were Hindu, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 273 (12.3%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 555 (25.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 315 people (14.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status