Last updated October 2026
Papatoetoe is one of South Auckland’s largest and most multicultural suburbs — anchored by the historic Old Papatoetoe town centre on St George Street, the substantial Hunters Plaza shopping centre, two train stations (Papatoetoe and Puhinui) and one of NZ’s most diverse residential populations.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 47,300, up 7% since 2018
- Land area
- 11.69 km²
- Location
- 16.5 km south-east of central Auckland
- Council
- Auckland Council
- Neighbouring suburbs
- Manukau City Centre, Wiri, Ōtara, Māngere East, Māngere, Middlemore Hospital
- Ward or local board
- Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board
- Getting there
- SH1 and SH20 access; Southern Line trains from Papatoetoe station; Southern and Eastern Line interchange at Puhinui station, with the Airport Link bus
- Main shopping
- Hunters Plaza, and the Old Papatoetoe town centre on St George Street
- Schools
- Aorere College, Holy Cross School (Papatoetoe), Kedgley Intermediate, Papatoetoe Central School, Papatoetoe East School, Papatoetoe High School, Papatoetoe Intermediate, Papatoetoe South School, Papatoetoe West School, Puhinui School
- Nearby landmarks
- Old Papatoetoe town centre, Papatoetoe War Memorial Library, Old Papatoetoe Saturday Market
Who Lives in Papatoetoe
About 47,300 residents in 13,110 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
About Papatoetoe
Papatoetoe is one of South Auckland’s largest suburbs — substantial multicultural community with significant Indian, Pacific, Māori and other populations. The suburb has two distinct commercial heart areas: Old Papatoetoe (the heritage village around St George Street) and Hunters Corner / Hunters Plaza (the more modern commercial precinct). Both serve the wider South Auckland catchment.
Old Papatoetoe Town Centre and Saturday Market
Old Papatoetoe on St George Street is one of Auckland’s most pleasant heritage commercial strips — preserved Victorian and Edwardian commercial buildings, the historic Papatoetoe War Memorial Library, plus the long-running Old Papatoetoe Saturday Market on Wallace Road. The combination of heritage character plus the lively weekly market makes Old Papatoetoe distinctively appealing within the wider South Auckland context.
Twin Train Stations
Papatoetoe has the unusual advantage of two train stations: Papatoetoe Station (Southern Line; serves the western/central Papatoetoe area) and Puhinui Station (Southern + Eastern Line interchange, also Airport Link bus). The two stations give residents extensive rail commute options to Britomart and the wider Auckland network.
Near Papatoetoe
Just outside Papatoetoe, within 10 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Businesses
Where to Learn More
Auckland Transport — Papatoetoe and Puhinui stations
Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board — local government area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Papatoetoe?
South Auckland. ~17 km from CBD.
What’s Old Papatoetoe?
The heritage town centre on St George Street with preserved Victorian/Edwardian buildings, library, Saturday market.
What’s the Saturday market?
Long-running Old Papatoetoe Saturday Market on Wallace Road behind the Old Papatoetoe library.
Are there two train stations?
Yes — Papatoetoe Station (Southern Line) and Puhinui Station (Southern + Eastern + Airport Link bus interchange).
Which schools are in Papatoetoe?
Papatoetoe’s schools include Papatoetoe Central, East, South and West schools, Papatoetoe Intermediate, Kedgley Intermediate, Papatoetoe High School, Aorere College, Holy Cross School and Puhinui School.
Where is the main shopping in Papatoetoe?
Hunters Plaza at Hunters Corner is the modern shopping precinct, and the Old Papatoetoe town centre on St George Street is the heritage village.
For more South Auckland suburbs see Auckland Suburbs — including Papatoetoe War Memorial Library.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Auckland only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Papatoetoe is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.