Papakōwhai

Porirua CityWellington Region
Last updated:

Safety Score (12-month average)

73

Crime rate

22.8 per 1,000

Population 2,283

Total crimes (past 12 months)

52

Trend (last 3 months)

▲ 37.5%

vs previous 3-month period

Regional rank

#124 / 232

Bottom 47%

Safety Score (NZCHI)

Updated August 2026

Papakōwhai Overview

Crime Count
No data
0
20
50
100
Assault
Burglary
Theft

Most common offences by count were theft (82.7%), burglary (9.6%), and assault (7.7%). Percentages show share of offence counts in the selected time frame.

Crime Summary

The annual total crime rate in Papakōwhai is 22.777 crimes per thousand residents, placing it at rank 124 within Wellington Region. The overall crime trend in the area has increased in recent months with criminal activity peaking in Jul 2025, Aug 2025, Sep 2025.

Crime activity peaked in July, August, and September 2025.

Papakōwhai crime statistics: common questions

Is Papakōwhai safe?

Papakōwhai recorded 52 offences in the last 12 months, a rate of 22.8 per 1,000 residents across about 2,283 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 Papakōwhai?

The crime rate in Papakōwhai is 22.8 offences per 1,000 residents over the last 12 months, from 52 recorded offences across about 2,283 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 Papakōwhai?

The most common offence category in Papakōwhai is theft, with 43 recorded offences in the last 12 months — about 83% of all offences recorded there. The next most common is burglary (5).

Is crime going up or down in Papakōwhai?

Recorded offences in Papakōwhai have risen 37.5% 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 Papakōwhai compare with other suburbs in Wellington Region?

Papakōwhai ranks 124 of 232 suburbs in Wellington Region by crime rate, where 1 is the highest rate. This is a ranking of recorded crime, not a safety rating, and it compares Papakōwhai only with other suburbs in Wellington Region — not with the rest of New Zealand.

Where does the crime data for Papakōwhai come from?

Figures for Papakōwhai, Porirua City 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 Papakōwhai is on SafeSuburbs.co.nz