People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 39.1, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.0% had no religion, 30.8% were Christian, 0.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 5.7% were Hindu, 2.3% were Muslim, 2.1% were Buddhist and 3.1% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 240 (23.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 51 (5.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $10,400, compared with $31,800 nationally. 105 people (10.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 300 (29.2%) people were employed full-time, 174 (17.0%) were part-time, and 69 (6.7%) were unemployed. In the 2018 census a new Ruakura area was created, covering the University and a rural area on the city fringe. It is . Up to 2013 Ruakura was part of the Newstead area, which covered a similar area, but excluded the university. As shown below, the change resulted in a much larger, younger and poorer population in 2018 than previously and younger than the 37.4 years of the national average. 61.1% were European, 27.2% Asian and 13.7% Māori. Only 3 people lived in meshblock 0955300, at the Research Centre, in 2013. Education Tai Wananga is a co-educational state secondary school located in Ruakura. It had a roll of . Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Toku Mapihi Maurea is a coeducational full primary school (years 1–8) with a roll of . The school teaches primarily in the Māori language. Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of Ruakura Junction railway station Ruakura had a railway station from 1 October 1884 to 1 January 1967 at the junction of the East Coast Main Trunk and the Cambridge Branch. The branch had its first public train on 8 October 1884. Ruakura was west of Eureka and east of Claudelands. it was north of Mongaonui (or Mongonui), later renamed Newstead. When the line opened, Ruakura station was described as an island in a swamp, with no road connection. In 2020 reopening as a "passenger rail Metro Station" was put forward as a COVID-19 recovery scheme, as part of a $150m scheme to relay tracks to Cambridge. Employment area and Inland port In 2016 approval was given to create an employment area, with an inland port, served