Puniu

Ōtorohanga District•Waikato Region
Police data to:

Safety Score (12-month average)

22

–

Crime rate

51.3 per 1,000

Population 1,578

Total crimes (past 12 months)

81

Trend (last 3 months)

▲ 216.7%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#76 / 258

Top 29%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Police data to August 2026

Puniu Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Sexual offences
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were assault (67.9%), burglary (21.0%), and theft (7.4%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Puniu is 51.3308 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 76 within Waikato Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Dec 2025, Jul 2026, Aug 2026.

Explore crime in nearby locations

Crime activity peaked in December 2025, July 2026, and August 2026.

Puniu crime statistics: common questions

Is Puniu safe?

Puniu recorded 81 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 51.3 per 1,000 residents across about 1,578 residents. These are offences recorded by New Zealand Police, which reflect what was reported and recorded rather than all crime that occurred.

What is the crime rate in Puniu?

The crime rate in Puniu is 51.3 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 81 recorded offences across about 1,578 residents. A rate counts offences against a suburb's resident population, so town centres and commercial areas can show high rates because offences there involve people who do not live there.

What is the most common crime in Puniu?

The most common offence category in Puniu is assault, with 55 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 68% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (17).

Is crime going up or down in Puniu?

Recorded offences in Puniu have risen 216.7% over the most recent three-month period compared with the previous three months. This is a three-month comparison, not a year-on-year one, and short windows move around a lot in small areas.

How does Puniu compare with other suburbs in Waikato Region?

Puniu ranks 76 of 258 suburbs in Waikato Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Puniu only with other suburbs in Waikato Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Puniu come from?

Figures for Puniu, Ōtorohanga District come from New Zealand Police recorded victimisation data, published through police.govt.nz, and are grouped to Stats NZ Statistical Area 2 (SA2) boundaries. They count offences recorded by Police, so they reflect reporting and recording practice as well as underlying offending.

Looking for a plain-English safety summary?

👉 See how safe Puniu is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz