Waitomo District is a territorial authority, located in the Waikato region, at the north of the King Country area in the North Island of New Zealand. A small part of the district, the locality of Tiroa, however, lies in the Manawatū-Whanganui region. The District covers the west coast from Te Maika, on Kawhia Harbour, to the north of Taharoa, to Mokau in the south and extends inland to Maniaiti / Benneydale and Mount Pureora. Demographics Waitomo District covers and had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2. Waitomo District had a population of 9,303 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 396 people (4.4%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 135 people (−1.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,384 households, comprising 4,695 males and 4,605 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.02 males per female. The median age was 38.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 2,082 people (22.4%) aged under 15 years, 1,701 (18.3%) aged 15 to 29, 4,071 (43.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,446 (15.5%) aged 65 or older. Ethnicities were 63.5% European/Pākehā, 44.8% Māori, 3.7% Pacific peoples, 3.7% Asian, and 1.3% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 10.4, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.2% had no religion, 31.6% were Christian, 3.8% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu, 0.6% were Muslim, 0.3% were Buddhist and 1.2% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 783 (10.8%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,932 (26.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 684 people (9.5%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,597 (49.8%) people were employed full-time, 1,263 (17.5%) were part-time, and 282 (3.9%) were unemployed. District council The seat of the Waitomo District Council is at Te Kuiti, which had a population of in . No other village in the district has a population of over 500. The district has a land area of , 94.87% of which lies in the Waikato Region and only 5.13% in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region. The Waitomo district was declared in 1976. The current district mayor is John Robertson, who defeated incumbent Brian