Akina had a population of 5,193 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 372 people (7.7%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 567 people (12.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,953 households, comprising 2,514 males and 2,679 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.94 males per female, with 1,158 people (22.3%) aged under 15 years, 1,077 (20.7%) aged 15 to 29, 2,283 (44.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 672 (12.9%) aged 65 or older.
Ethnicities were 68.6% European/Pākehā, 26.8% Māori, 5.4% Pacific peoples, 12.8% Asian, and 2.5% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.
The percentage of people born overseas was 19.3, compared with 27.1% nationally.
Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 48.0% had no religion, 33.7% were Christian, 2.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 2.9% were Hindu, 1.2% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 5.1% had other religions.
Of those at least 15 years old, 561 (13.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 927 (23.0%) people had no formal qualifications. 291 people (7.2%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,031 (50.3%) people were employed full-time, 579 (14.3%) were part-time, and 156 (3.9%) were unemployed.[4]
Hastings Intermediate is a co-educational state intermediate school, serving Year 7–8,[7][8] with a roll of 361 as of August 2024.[9][10] The school opened in 1954.[11]
Hastings Christian School is a co-educational Year 1–13 state-integrated Christian school,[12][13] with a roll of 320 as of August 2024.[9][14] It started in 1987 as a primary school, and bought its current site in 1992. It provided secondary education for years 9 and 10 from 1998, and expanded to cover up to year 13 by 2010.[15]