Taupō Central is the central suburb and business district of Taupō in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island.^[3]

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Taupō Central
Suburb
Lake Terrace
Coordinates: 38.687533°S 176.069315°E / -38.687533; 176.069315
Country	New Zealand
City	Taupō
Local authority	Taupō District Council
Electoral ward	Taupō Ward
Area [1]
• Land	476 ha (1,176 acres)
Population  (June 2023)[2]
• Total	8,300

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	Rangatira Park	Rotokawa
Nukuhau	Taupō Central	Tauhara
Acacia Bay	(Lake Taupō)	Hilltop

An eight-storey hotel was proposed in the CBD in 2018. It would have been Taupō's tallest building.^[4] As the Council had a three-storey limit at that time, consent required a decision by the Environment Court, which allowed a six-storey building in June 2020.^[5] The hotel was still unbuilt as of May 2022.^[6]

Taupō Museum is located in Taupō Central.^[7][8] It opened in the 1970s.^[9]

Taupō Central covers 4.76 km² (1.84 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 8,300 as of June 2023,^[2] with a population density of 1,744 people per km².

Taupō Central had a population of 7,680 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 450 people (6.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 198 people (2.6%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,856 households, comprising 3,684 males and 3,990 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.92 males per female, with 1,581 people (20.6%) aged under 15 years, 1,500 (19.5%) aged 15 to 29, 3,294 (42.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,311 (17.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 72.6% European/Pākehā, 29.6% Māori, 4.5% Pacific peoples, 8.3% Asian, and 2.0% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 20.5, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 51.8% had no religion, 32.3% were Christian, 3.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.8% were Hindu, 0.2% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 2.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 897 (14.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,143 (18.7%) people had no formal qualifications. 714 people (11.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,144 (51.5%) people were employed full-time, 966 (15.8%) were part-time, and 198 (3.2%) were unemployed.^[10]

Taupo School is a state primary school,^[15][16] with a roll of 440.^[17] The school opened in 1894.^[18]

Mountview School is a state primary school,^[19] with a roll of 327.^[20] The school opened in 1970. A planned 50th jubilee in 2020 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[21]

Taupo-nui-a-Tia College is a state secondary school,^[22][23] with a roll of 1,155.^[24] The college opened in 1960, replacing the Taupo District High School which operated from 1951 to 1959.^[25]

Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Whakarewa I Te Reo Ki Tuwharetoa is a composite (Year 1–13) Māori immersion school,^[26] with a roll of 139.^[27]

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of February 2024.^[28]