Waikato regional property market insights

The average cost of buying a home in the Waikato region in December 2024 was $821,600, according to our most recent Property Price Index. This was a slight increase of 0.7% month-on-month, and up 0.5% compared to December 2023 last year, when the average cost of a Waikato home was $817,500.

There were 4,249 Waikato properties for sale on Trade Me Property in December 2024. This was down slightly from November (4,765) but up considerably compared to December 2023, when 3,706 Waikato properties were available on our site.

Our data show that the average cost of renting a property in the Waikato in December 2024 was $580, this was down 1.7% compared to November 2024, but up 1.8% year-on-year.

There was a slight decrease in the number of Waikato rental properties available on Trade Me Property in December (1,389) compared to November (1,568).

Among people surveyed in our September 2024 Property Pulse survey* who were seeking to buy a home in the Waikato region:

• 10.2% were currently in the process of buying a home.
• 8.4% were just thinking about buying a property.
• 8.4% were looking to buy a property in the next year.
• 7.1% were looking to buy a property in the next 1-2 years.

Of the respondents who’d ideally buy a property in the Waikato region, 64.8% said that they thought now was a good time to do that. Would-be buyers in the Waikato say they would be most willing to compromise on the size of the section/land in order to stay within their buying budget, compared to a range of five other options including size of garden, location and property condition.

Interested in how quickly properties in the Waikato region change hands? Of the respondents looking to sell a home in the Waikato region:

• 7.7% had owned their current home for more than five years.
• 10.3% had owned their current home for 3-5 years.
• 11.3% had owned their current home for 1-2 years.
• 27.8% had owned their current home for 6-12 months.
• 5.9% had lived in their current home for fewer than 6 months.

Of respondents looking to sell a home in the Waikato region:

• 11.8% were currently in the process of selling a property.
• 7.9% were just thinking about selling a property.
• 6.8% were looking to sell a property in the next year.
• 10.9% were looking to sell a property in the next 1-2 years.

Named after Aotearoa’s longest river, the rolling hills of the Waikato region is home to 513,800 people, according to the 2023 census. The largest city in the region, and the fourth largest in the country, is Hamilton/Kirikiriroa, with a population of 185,300. Other large centres in the region include Cambridge/Kemureti, Waiuku/Rahui-Pōkeka. The major districts in the region are:

• Hamilton 

• Matamata-Piako 

• Thames-Coromandel

• Hauraki 

• Waipa

• South Waikato

• Otorohanga

• Waitomo 

The Waikato is home to a range of attractions that bring in people from around the motu, and from further afield. The east coast of the Waikato is the Coromandel Peninsula is a place of world-beating beauty, with countless gorgeous beaches, misty forests and opportunities to get out on the water. Moving into the centre of the region is the hugely famous Hobbiton Movie Set, which employs nearly 300 people, according to Waikato Business News. Then, on the west coast, is the laid-back seaside town of Raglan, a globally renowned surf spot, and also a haven for artists and creative types.

Waikato’s economy is powered in large part by the dairy farm industry, as well as agricultural biotechnology. Other large sector employers include forestry, coal-mining and thoroughbred horse breeding and training. In addition, there are typically a good number of education jobs in the Waikato, thanks to the presence of a large university (Waikato University), a technical institute hospital and a teacher’s college. According to the Waikato Regional Council, in 2021, the region contributed around 9% of the national economy.

*Data from Trade Me Property Pulse Survey 2024. 1,572 total responses, 75 responses from the Waikato.