Ōhura is a small town in the west of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located to the west of Taumarunui in the area known as the King Country, in inland Manawatū-Whanganui. It lies on the banks of the Mangaroa Stream, a tributary of the Ōhura River which is a tributary of the Whanganui River.

The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "place which is uncovered" for Ōhura. In July 2020, the name of the locality was officially gazetted as Ōhura by the New Zealand Geographic Board.

Ōhura was the centre for coal mining in the region, operating through to circa 1965, where previously the mines, railway network and farming had been major parts of the local industry.

A proud piece of the town is the Ohura Museum which provides a repository for much of the history of Ōhura and the surrounding area.

Te Rukirangi Marae and Papakainga meeting house is located in Ōhura. It is the tribal meeting ground of the Ngāti Maniapoto hapū of Te Rukirangi.

Ōhura is described by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 2.79 km (1.08 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 120 as of June 2023, with a population density of 43 people per km. It is part of the wider Otangiwai-Ohura statistical area.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	162	—
2013	129	−3.20%
2018	126	−0.47%
Source:

Before the 2023 census, the settlement had a larger boundary, covering 3.25 km (1.25 sq mi). Using that boundary, Ōhura had a population of 126 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 3 people (−2.3%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 36 people (−22.2%) since the 2006 census. There were 66 households, comprising 78 males and 51 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.53 males per female. The median age was 59.2 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 12 people (9.5%) aged under 15 years, 12 (9.5%) aged 15 to 29, 60 (47.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 42 (33.3%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 90.5% European/Pākehā, 21.4% Māori, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.6% had no religion, 31.0% were Christian and 2.4% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 9 (7.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 39 (34.2%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $19,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 3 people (2.6%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 36 (31.6%) people were employed full-time, and 15 (13.2%) were part-time.

Otangiwai-Ohura statistical area covers 2,011.70 km (776.72 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,050 as of June 2023, with a population density of 0.52 people per km.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,233	—
2013	1,086	−1.80%
2018	1,020	−1.25%
Source:

Otangiwai-Ohura had a population of 1,020 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 66 people (−6.1%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 213 people (−17.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 423 households, comprising 546 males and 477 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.14 males per female. The median age was 43.4 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 204 people (20.0%) aged under 15 years, 153 (15.0%) aged 15 to 29, 519 (50.9%) aged 30 to 64, and 144 (14.1%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 84.4% European/Pākehā, 30.3% Māori, 1.5% Pacific peoples, 1.8% Asian, and 0.9% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.2, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 56.5% had no religion, 29.7% were Christian, 2.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Buddhist and 1.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 78 (9.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 204 (25.0%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $27,300, compared with $31,800 nationally. 84 people (10.3%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 453 (55.5%) people were employed full-time, 138 (16.9%) were part-time, and 30 (3.7%) were unemployed.

Ohura Valley Primary is a co-educational state primary school for Year 1 to 8 students, with a roll of 3 as of February 2024. The school opened in 1908 providing both primary and secondary education. It became a primary school only at the beginning of 1999.

Ohura County Council was formed from Waitomo County by the Ohura County Act 1908. It had earlier been part of Taranaki County. It was bounded by Awakino County and Clifton County to the west, Waitomo County to the north, Taumarunui County to the east and Whangamomona County and Kaitieke County to the south. In 1908 its boundaries were defined by roads, rivers and streams. The 1906 population of the county was 1,226 and in 1956 was 1,893. The first meeting was on Monday 27 September 1909. It was agreed future meetings would be on the Wednesday closest to a full moon, which continued as the meeting date for at least a decade. Ohura Town Board was created in 1918 from an area formerly part of the county. In 1955 the Municipal Corporations Act 1954 renamed all Town Boards as Town Councils. In 1976 the Ohura Town Council also merged into Taumarunui County, as Ohura County had done in 1956, when Kaitieke also merged with Taumarunui.

• Frank Glasgow, All Black rugby player

• King Country places - Ōhura, Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand
• Ohura website