Fernridge, New Zealand

Fernridge
Locality
Interactive map of Fernridge
Coordinates: 40°56′01″S 175°36′51″E / 40.9337°S 175.6142°E / -40.9337; 175.6142
Country	New Zealand
Region	Wellington Region
Territorial authority	Masterton District
Ward	Masterton/Whakaoriori General Ward Masterton/Whakaoriori Māori Ward
Electorates	Wairarapa Ikaroa-Rāwhiti (Māori)
Government
• Territorial Authority	Masterton District Council
• Regional council	Greater Wellington Regional Council
• Mayor of Masterton	Bex Johnson1
• Wairarapa MP	Mike Butterick2
• Ikaroa-Rāwhiti MP	Cushla Tangaere-Manuel3
Area 4
• Total	84.91 km2 (32.78 sq mi)
Population  (June 2025)5
• Total	1,300
• Density	15/km2 (40/sq mi)

Fernridge is a small rural settlement located 4 km northwest of Masterton, New Zealand. The area has a mixture of farms, horticultural smallholdings and lifestyle blocks.

Upper Plain statistical area, which also includes Kaituna and Matahiwi, covers 84.91 km² (32.78 sq mi).⁴ It had an estimated population of 1,300 as of June 2025,⁵ with a population density of 15 people per km².

Upper Plain had a population of 1,263 in the 2023 New Zealand census, an increase of 60 people (5.0%) since the 2018 census, and an increase of 192 people (17.9%) since the 2013 census. There were 648 males, 609 females, and 6 people of other genders in 441 dwellings.⁷ 2.4% of people identified as LGBTIQ+. The median age was 46.3 years (compared with 38.1 years nationally). There were 231 people (18.3%) aged under 15 years, 177 (14.0%) aged 15 to 29, 591 (46.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 261 (20.7%) aged 65 or older.⁶

People could identify as more than one ethnicity. The results were 92.6% European (Pākehā); 15.9% Māori; 2.9% Pasifika; 2.4% Asian; 0.2% Middle Eastern, Latin American and African New Zealanders (MELAA); and 3.3% other, which includes people giving their ethnicity as "New Zealander". English was spoken by 97.9%, Māori by 2.6%, Samoan by 0.5%, and other languages by 5.5%. No language could be spoken by 1.9% (e.g. too young to talk). New Zealand Sign Language was known by 0.7%. The percentage of people born overseas was 13.3, compared with 28.8% nationally.⁶

Religious affiliations were 29.7% Christian, 0.2% Hindu, 0.2% Māori religious beliefs, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.2% New Age, and 0.7% other religions. People who answered that they had no religion were 60.8%, and 7.8% of people did not answer the census question.⁶

Of those at least 15 years old, 252 (24.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, 579 (56.1%) had a post-high school certificate or diploma, and 201 (19.5%) people exclusively held high school qualifications. The median income was $43,000, compared with $41,500 nationally. 150 people (14.5%) earned over $100,000 compared to 12.1% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was 525 (50.9%) full-time, 171 (16.6%) part-time, and 15 (1.5%) unemployed.⁶

Fernridge School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 6 students,⁸⁹ with a roll of 186 as of March 2026.¹⁰ It opened in 1866.¹¹