| Whare Flat | |
| Type: | Rural locality |
| Coordinates: | -45.8167°N 170.4083°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | New Zealand |
| Subdivision Type2: | Island |
| Subdivision Name2: | South Island |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | Otago |
| Subdivision Type4: | Territorial authority |
| Subdivision Name4: | Dunedin |
| Subdivision Type5: | Community board |
| Subdivision Name5: | Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board[1] |
| Seat Type: | Electorates |
| Leader Title: | Territorial authority |
| Leader Name: | Dunedin City Council |
| Leader Title1: | Regional council |
| Leader Name1: | Otago Regional Council |
| Leader Title2: | Mayor of Dunedin |
| Leader Title3: | Taieri MP |
| Leader Title4: | Te Tai Tonga MP |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone1: | NZST |
| Utc Offset1: | +12 |
| Timezone1 Dst: | NZDT |
| Utc Offset1 Dst: | +13 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postcode |
| Postal Code: | 9092 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 03 |
| Blank Name: | Local iwi |
| Blank Info: | Ngāi Tahu |
Whare Flat is a locality some 15 km to the northwest of Dunedin city centre, in the South Island of New Zealand.[2] It is located at a widening of the Silver Stream's valley amid the foothills of the Silverpeaks.[3]
Whare Flat is the location of a scout camp, Camp Waiora,[4] and plays host annually to the Whare Flat Folk Festival,[5] the southern South Island's biggest annual folk music event, which is held over the New Year holiday.
The "whare" of Whare Flat's name was not a traditional Māori structure, but was actually a shepherd's hut.[6]
Whare Flat is part of the Taieri statistical area, which covers 150.05km2 to the west, north and northeast of Mosgiel.[7] The statistical area had an estimated population of as of with a population density of people per km2.
Before the 2023 census, Taieri had a larger boundary, covering 150.19km2.[7] Using that boundary, Taieri had a population of 1,506 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 96 people (6.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 336 people (28.7%) since the 2006 census. There were 546 households, comprising 750 males and 756 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.99 males per female. The median age was 46.9 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 276 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 204 (13.5%) aged 15 to 29, 729 (48.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 294 (19.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 95.6% European/Pākehā, 5.4% Māori, 1.2% Pasifika, 1.2% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 11.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.2% had no religion, 38.0% were Christian, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.2% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 282 (22.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 216 (17.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $38,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 321 people (26.1%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 627 (51.0%) people were employed full-time, 243 (19.8%) were part-time, and 24 (2.0%) were unemployed.