Palmerston North Truck Rental Advice

Living in Palmerston North

USave has a truck rental location in Palmerston North, so we have plenty of experience of living and working here. We have compiled some information about living in Palmerston North, so if you're planning on relocating here, we hope this will be useful.

Geography

Palmerston North is located in the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island, in the eastern part of the Manawatu Plains, and close to the northern bank of the Manawatu River. The city is approximately 140km (87 miles) north of Wellington and covers an area of about 350km² (135 square miles).

Palmerston North's Climate

Palmerston North has a temperate climate with maximum daytime temperatures averaging 22°C in summer and 12°C in winter. On average, 20 days of the year reach above 25°C. Annual rainfall is approximately 960mm with rain occurring approximately 5% of the time. There are on average 200 rain-free days each year.

Living Costs

Most residents find Palmerston North an affordable place to live. The average cost of renting a 3 bedroom house in Palmerston North is around $250-$400 per week. House prices in Palmerston North vary depending on the suburb but the average is around $265,000 (May 2010).

Find out more about the cost of living in New Zealand, including a cost of living calculator.

Working in Palmerston North

Palmerston North has excellent employment opportunities in a range of sectors. The city's economic strengths are in the research, defence, distribution and education sectors. The retail and health and community industries employ the largest numbers of people, and the most common occupations are professional, management and clerical/admin (2006 Census).

Education

Palmerston North boasts a wide range of educational facilities, including a leading University. There are over 40 early childhood centres, more than 20 primary schools, several secondary schools and 5 tertiary institutions. State primary schools are co-educational while some high schools are single sex. Admission to state schools is usually by residential zoning, so it pays to check out your preferences for schools before buying a house.

View a list of Palmerston North schools for more details.

Study Options

Palmerston North is marketing itself as the 'Student City' and boasts 5 academic tertiary institutions. The main University is Massey, however it does provide other options for study such as:

Massey University College of Education
College of Learning (UCOL)
International Pacific College
Te Wananga o Aotearoa

Crime

According to the Central District Crime Statistics Survey, there were 1,049.2 incidents of recorded crime per 10,000 people in 2009. This was a drop of 5.2% compared to the same period prior. This compares with Auckland, which reported 1,333.1 incidents of reported crime per 10,000 people in the wider Auckland region in the same year.

Palmerston North Suburbs

Aokautere, Awapuni, Bunnythorpe, Cloverlea, Fitzherbert, Highbury, Hokowhitu, Kairanga, Kelvin Grove, Linton, Longburn, Milson, Papaioea, Roslyn, Summerhill, Takaro, Terrace End, Turitea, West End, Westbrook, Whakarongo.