Ashburton, New Zealand

Canterbury · New Zealand

Ashburton is a small city in Canterbury, New Zealand with a population of 20,200. Elevation: 348 ft (106 m). Average temperature: 53°F (11°C).

Population source: Wikidata (dated census and official estimates), GeoNames. Climate: WorldClim 2.1 normals (1970-2000), NASA POWER. Updated August 2026

20,200 Population 1,380/sq mi density
348 ft Elevation 106 meters
53°F Avg Temperature 11°C
27.1 in Annual Rain
Pacific / Auckland Timezone

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Explore over 40 sections covering people, economy, housing, health, crime, climate, community, costs, trends, schools, colleges, hospitals, treatment centers, industries, museums, libraries, breweries, farmers markets, grocery stores, pharmacies, campgrounds, parks, trails, stadiums, ski resorts, daycare centers, nursing homes, churches, fire stations, cell towers, bridges, power plants, EV stations, prisons, radio stations, airports, police stations, post offices, Amtrak stations, superfund sites, UNESCO sites, and more.
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People

Population20,200
Density1,380/mi²

Climate

Avg Temp53°F (11°C)
Rain27.1 in/yr
Elevation348 ft (106 m)
Population20,200
Population Density1,380 / sq mi
Elevation348 ft (106 m)
Coordinates-43.8983°, 171.7301°
TimezonePacific/Auckland
Country🇳🇿 New Zealand
State / ProvinceCanterbury
Average Temperature53°F (11°C)
January Average62°F (17°C)
July Average42°F (6°C)
Annual Precipitation27.1 inches (687 mm)
Annual Snowfall0.0 inches (0 cm)

About Ashburton

Ashburton is a small city in New Zealand (Canterbury) with a population of 20,200. The city sits at an elevation of 348 feet (106 meters) above sea level. The average annual temperature is 53°F (11°C). Temperatures range from 62°F in January to 42°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 27.1 inches. The timezone is Pacific/Auckland.

Climate in Ashburton

Ashburton has an average annual temperature of 12.5°C (55°F). The hottest month is Jan (17.7°C), the coldest is Jul (7.7°C). Average annual precipitation is 632 mm.

Month Avg °C / °F Min / Max °C Rain (mm)
Jan 17.7°C / 64°F 10.8° / 29° 34.7
Feb 17.2°C / 63°F 10.2° / 29.2° 51.2
Mar 15.5°C / 60°F 9.3° / 26.4° 43.8
Apr 13.1°C / 56°F 7.2° / 22.5° 38.6
May 10.9°C / 52°F 5.5° / 20.3° 56.1
Jun 8.6°C / 47°F 3.8° / 15.9° 54.0
Jul 7.7°C / 46°F 2.8° / 15.2° 85.4
Aug 8.2°C / 47°F 2.6° / 16.2° 49.0
Sep 9.8°C / 50°F 3.3° / 18.4° 38.8
Oct 11.5°C / 53°F 4.6° / 21.4° 60.7
Nov 14.2°C / 58°F 7° / 24.7° 49.0
Dec 16.1°C / 61°F 8.9° / 26.6° 71.3
Ashburton experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 53°F (11°C). Winters average 62°F in January while summers reach 42°F in July / relatively mild seasonal variation. Annual precipitation totals 27.1 inches (drier than the 38-inch national average). The city sits at an elevation of 348 feet.

Temperature

62°F Jan (17°C) 42°F Jul (6°C)
Annual Average52.5°F
3% below New Zealand avg
January Average62°F (17°C)
July Average42°F (6°C)

Geography

Elevation348 ft (106 m)
Area14.6 sq mi (37.9 km²)
Population Density1,380/sq mi
Coordinates43.8983°S, 171.7301°E
TimezonePacific/Auckland

Precipitation & Snow

Annual Rainfall 27.1"
29% below New Zealand avg
Snowfall 0.0"
Wettest Month (Apr) 2.56"
Driest Month (Sep) 1.77"

Air Quality

Earthquake History

625 earthquakes (M2.5+) within 150 km since 1990. Strongest: M7.0. Most recent: M3.0 on Aug 30, 2025.

Sep 3, 2010 19 km NE of Methven, New Zealand M7.0 43 km
Jun 18, 1994 56 km NW of Oxford, New Zealand M6.8 104 km
Nov 24, 1995 47 km NW of Oxford, New Zealand M6.2 102 km
Feb 21, 2011 6 km SE of Christchurch, New Zealand M6.1 84 km
Jun 19, 1994 40 km N of Methven, New Zealand M6.0 70 km
Jun 13, 2011 9 km ESE of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.9 90 km
Feb 14, 2016 12 km ENE of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.8 96 km
Feb 22, 2011 7 km S of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.6 79 km
Jan 5, 2015 43 km SSE of Hokitika, New Zealand M5.6 102 km
Mar 30, 1992 57 km NNW of Methven, New Zealand M5.5 88 km
Feb 22, 2011 6 km SSE of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.5 82 km
May 29, 1995 South Island of New Zealand M5.5 96 km
Sep 19, 2023 Canterbury, New Zealand M5.5 54 km
Jun 21, 1994 47 km N of Methven, New Zealand M5.4 78 km
Jan 1, 2012 21 km ENE of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.2 104 km
Jun 21, 2011 1 km SSE of Prebbleton, New Zealand M5.2 72 km
Jun 13, 2011 10 km ESE of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.2 90 km
Jan 14, 2012 10 km E of Christchurch, New Zealand M5.1 92 km
Oct 4, 2010 5 km ESE of Prebbleton, New Zealand M5.1 75 km
Jan 19, 2011 2 km S of Prebbleton, New Zealand M5.1 71 km
Source: USGS (M2.5+, 1990-2025)

Tsunami History

6 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 5.0 m (16 ft).

Year Location Cause Max Wave Deaths Distance
1895 PIEGON BAY Meteorological 5.0 m - 97 km
1881 PIGEON BAY (BANKS PENINSULA) Earthquake 3.0 m - 97 km
1856 S CANTERBURY PROVINCE, SOUTH ISLAND Unknown 1.0 m - 24 km
1869 NEW ZEALAND Unknown 0.6 m - 145 km
1922 SE. NEW ZEALAND Earthquake 0.4 m - 143 km
1978 OFF EAST COAST OF SOUTH ISLAND Meteorological - - 135 km
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.

Monthly Weather

Month Avg Temperature Precipitation Summary
January 62°F (17°C) 2.2 in Warmest
February 61°F (16°C) 2.1 in
March 59°F (15°C) 2.4 in
April 53°F (12°C) 2.6 in Wettest
May 48°F (9°C) 2.4 in
June 43°F (6°C) 2.1 in
July 42°F (6°C) 2.3 in Coldest
August 45°F (7°C) 2.6 in
September 49°F (9°C) 1.8 in Driest
October 53°F (12°C) 2.2 in
November 56°F (13°C) 2.2 in
December 60°F (15°C) 2.3 in

Ashburton has a seasonal temperature swing of 20°F / from 42°F in July to 62°F in January. Total annual precipitation is 27.0 inches, with April being the wettest month (2.6") and September the driest (1.8").

View full weather details →

Colleges & Universities in Ashburton

Institution Type Founded Website
Ara Institute of Canterbury College - ,

Schools in Ashburton

1 public schools (OpenStreetMap data).

School Level Enrollment Teachers Student/Teacher
Ashburton Borough School (Lagmhor) - - - -
View full schools details →

Radio Stations near Ashburton

1 stations within ~55 km.

Station Genre Quality
Compass FM community radio, local news MP3 128 kbps

Museums in Ashburton

NameTypeAddressPhoneAnnual Revenue
Ashburton Art Gallery & Heritage Centre
The Ashburton Fire Museum
The Plains Museum
The Plains Museum

Libraries in Ashburton

NameAddressStaffAnnual VisitsCirculationCollectionPrograms
Ashburton Public Library0.0

Cafes in Ashburton

1 cafes within city radius - OpenStreetMap data

Eat Cafe

Stadiums & Teams in Ashburton

TeamLeagueDivision

Ski Resorts Near Ashburton

2 ski resorts within range.

Resort Slopes (km) Lifts Peak (m) Price Season Night Park
Mount Hutt Ski Area 0.0 - - $0 - - -
Porters Ski Area 0.0 - - $0 - - -

Airports Near Ashburton

13 airports within the area.

AirportIATAType
Timaru AirportTIUMedium Airport
Anama airstrip-Small Airport
Arrowsmith Station-Small Airport
Ashburton AirportASGSmall Airport
Dunsandel-Small Airport
Forest Field Aerodrome-Small Airport
Hakatere Airstrip-Small Airport
Manuka Point Lodge Airstrip-Small Airport
Mount Hutt Station Airstrip-Small Airport
Pudding Hill Aerodrome-Small Airport
Rangitata Island Airport-Small Airport
Springfield Airport-Small Airport
West Melton Aerodrome-Small Airport

Quick Facts

Timezone
Pacific/Auckland

🇳🇿 About New Zealand

Capital Wellington
Population 4,885,500
Area 268,680 km²
GDP (USD) $255,194,972,673
GDP per capita $49,076
HDI 0.939
Life expectancy 83.0 years
Internet users 96.2%
Urban population 83.9%
Currency NZD (Dollar)
Languages English, Māori, New Zealand Sign Language
Calling code +64
TLD .nz
Driving side left

Public Holidays in New Zealand

23 public holidays this year

Date Holiday Local Name
Jan 1 New Year's Day New Year's Day
Jan 2 Day after New Year's Day Day after New Year's Day
Jan 19 Wellington Anniversary Day Wellington Anniversary Day
Jan 26 Auckland Anniversary Day Auckland/Northland Anniversary Day
Feb 2 Nelson Anniversary Day Nelson Anniversary Day
Feb 6 Waitangi Day Waitangi Day
Mar 9 Taranaki Anniversary Day Taranaki Anniversary Day
Mar 23 Otago Anniversary Day Otago Anniversary Day
Apr 3 Good Friday Good Friday
Apr 6 Easter Monday Easter Monday
Apr 7 Southland Anniversary Day Southland Anniversary Day
Apr 27 Anzac Day Anzac Day
Jun 1 King's Birthday King's Birthday
Jul 10 Matariki Matariki
Sep 28 Canterbury (South) Anniversary Day Dominion Day
Oct 23 Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day Hawke's Bay Anniversary Day
Oct 26 Labour Day Labour Day
Nov 2 Marlborough Anniversary Day Marlborough Anniversary Day
Nov 13 Canterbury Anniversary Day Canterbury (North & Central) Anniversary Day
Nov 30 Chatham Islands Anniversary Day Chatham Islands Anniversary Day
Nov 30 Westland Anniversary Day Westland Anniversary Day
Dec 25 Christmas Day Christmas Day
Dec 28 Boxing Day Boxing Day

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Frequently Asked Questions About Ashburton

What is the population of Ashburton?

Ashburton has a population of 20,200 residents and is located in New Zealand. The population density is 1,380 people per square mile, spread across 14.6 square miles.

What is the weather like in Ashburton?

Ashburton has a four-season climate with an average annual temperature of 53°F (11°C). Winter temperatures average 62°F in January, while summers reach an average of 42°F in July. Annual rainfall totals 27.1 inches.

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