The population of Ashburton District is estimated at approximately 28,600in 2008. The last national census, undertaken in 2006, showed Ashburton District to have the following demographic characteristics:

·          The population of Ashburton District increased 7.6% over the census period compared to New Zealand as a whole 7.8%. This is much greater growth than the previous census period 1996 – 2001 when the district population grew just 1.1%. The current population growth makes Ashburton District one of the fastest growing rural districts in the country.

·          The median age (half are younger, and half older, than this age) is 39.8 years for people in Ashburton District, higher than New Zealand as a whole, at 35.9 years.

·          16.3 percent of people in Ashburton District are aged 65 years and over, compared with 12.3 percent of the total New Zealand population.

·          20.7 percent of people are aged under 15 years in Ashburton District, compared with 21.5 percent for all of New Zealand.

·          82.2 percent of people in Ashburton District belong to the European ethnic group, compared with 67.6 percent for New Zealand as a whole.

·          6.1 percent of people in Ashburton District belong to the Māori ethnic group, compared with 14.6 percent for all of New Zealand.

·          10.5 percent of people in Ashburton District were born overseas, compared with 22.9 percent for New Zealand as a whole.