Hiwinui is a settlement in Manawatū District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region in New Zealand's central North Island.

"Hiwinui" means "big ridge" in the Māori language.^[4]

The Hiwinui area was originally settled by the Rangitāne iwi. Land was purchased by the government in the 1860s and resold to pākehā settlers, who converted the forest to farmland.^[2]: 4

Hiwinui is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 2.42 km² (0.93 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 390 as of June 2023,^[3] with a population density of 161 people per km². It is part of the larger Taonui statistical area.

Hiwinui had a population of 336 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 93 people (38.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 162 people (93.1%) since the 2006 census. There were 105 households, comprising 171 males and 165 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.04 males per female, with 93 people (27.7%) aged under 15 years, 39 (11.6%) aged 15 to 29, 180 (53.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 33 (9.8%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 97.3% European/Pākehā, 7.1% Māori, 1.8% Pacific peoples, 0.9% Asian, and 2.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 60.7% had no religion, 32.1% were Christian, 0.9% were Buddhist and 2.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 72 (29.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 24 (9.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 75 people (30.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 153 (63.0%) people were employed full-time, 42 (17.3%) were part-time, and 9 (3.7%) were unemployed.^[5]

Hiwinui School is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students.^[8] It has a roll of 127 as of February 2024.^[9][10] The school opened in 1891.^[11]