Is Gisborne Safe? Safest & Least Safe Suburbs

Gisborne's safest suburb is Whataupoko East (safety score 84/100, 16.7 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents a year). The least safe is Makaraka-Awapuni (4/100, 153.6 per 1,000). 1 of 26 ranked Gisborne suburbs score 70 or higher.

How the safety score works

Safest suburbs in Gisborne

1.Whataupoko East 84/100 · 16.7 per 1k
2.Hexton 65/100 · 22.9 per 1k
3.Hangaroa 61/100 · 24.1 per 1k
4.Wainui-Okitu 59/100 · 24.4 per 1k
5.Te Arai 55/100 · 19.6 per 1k
6.Mangapapa East 49/100 · 33.6 per 1k
7.Whataupoko West 44/100 · 44 per 1k
8.Waipaoa 41/100 · 27.1 per 1k
9.Tamarau 33/100 · 36.4 per 1k
10.Tokomaru 29/100 · 60.4 per 1k

Top 20 safest suburbs in Gisborne →

Least safe suburbs in Gisborne

1.Makaraka-Awapuni 4/100 · 153.6 per 1k
2.Mangapapa South 8/100 · 70.6 per 1k
3.Lytton 8/100 · 51.2 per 1k
4.Kaiti South 9/100 · 82.6 per 1k
5.Te Hapara East 10/100 · 57 per 1k
6.Centennial Crescent 10/100 · 56.6 per 1k
7.Ruatōria-Raukumara 14/100 · 76.8 per 1k
8.Te Hapara South 14/100 · 45.9 per 1k
9.Outer Kaiti 17/100 · 40.3 per 1k
10.Mangapapa North 18/100 · 46.3 per 1k

Town centres and retail hubs rank low because theft is recorded where it happens, not where offenders live.

Gisborne safety FAQ

Is Gisborne safe?

What is the safest suburb in Gisborne?

Whataupoko East, with a safety score of 84/100. The next safest are Hexton, Hangaroa, Wainui-Okitu.

Which suburbs in Gisborne have the most crime?

Makaraka-Awapuni (153.6 per 1,000), Mangapapa South (70.6 per 1,000), Lytton (51.2 per 1,000). Town centres and retail hubs rank low because shoplifting and other theft is recorded where it happens.

How are Gisborne suburbs ranked?

By SafeSuburbs Safety Score, which weights each NZ Police recorded victimisation by harm (NZ Crime Harm Index) per 1,000 residents (2023 Census). Areas with fewer than 500 residents, with no crime records matched to them yet, or whose Police records stop partway through the period (usually a redrawn boundary) are listed but not ranked.