Prestons is a suburb on the northeastern side of Christchurch city.
The suburb is named for Thomas Herbert Preston (1824–1884), a local resident and chair of the Avon Road Board. It was first planned as a residential suburb in 2007,[3] and constructed in the 2010s.[4]
The suburb has a main exit to Preston Road at the north, and a minor one to the east. An exit to the south to reduce congestion has been delayed by disagreements over the intersection design.[5] The new exit was still delayed in May 2023.[6]
Demographics
Prestons covers 4.07km2 (1.57sqmi).[1] It had an estimated population of 5,320 as of June 2025,[2] with a population density of 1,307 people per km2.
Before the 2023 census, the suburb had a smaller boundary, covering 3.98km2 (1.54sqmi).[1] Using that boundary, Prestons had a population of 3,048 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 2,811 people (1186.1%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 2,886 people (1781.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,137 households, comprising 1,485 males and 1,566 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.95 males per female. The median age was 39.8 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 624 people (20.5%) aged under 15 years, 462 (15.2%) aged 15 to 29, 1,428 (46.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 534 (17.5%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 87.7% European/Pākehā, 8.1% Māori, 1.8% Pasifika, 8.8% Asian, and 2.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 19.8, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.4% had no religion, 39.2% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.6% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 591 (24.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 306 (12.6%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $43,900, compared with $31,800 nationally. 627 people (25.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 1,317 (54.3%) people were employed full-time, 378 (15.6%) were part-time, and 51 (2.1%) were unemployed.[7]
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Prestons
