Ashburton Central is the central suburb and central business district of Ashburton, in the Ashburton District and Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island.

Two people were killed and two others almost died during a shooting at the Work and Income office in Ashburton Central on 1 September 2014.

Tuarangi Home, located in Ashburton Central, is a public hospital facility operated by Canterbury District Health Board. It has 37 beds, and provides geriatric, psychogeriatric, rest home care, dementia care and medical services.

Ashburton Central covers 2.56 km (0.99 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 170 as of June 2024, with a population density of 66 people per km.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	162	—
2013	147	−1.38%
2018	141	−0.83%
Source:

Ashburton Central had a population of 141 at the 2018 New Zealand census, a decrease of 6 people (−4.1%) since the 2013 census, and a decrease of 21 people (−13.0%) since the 2006 census. There were 66 households, comprising 75 males and 63 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.19 males per female. The median age was 53.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 15 people (10.6%) aged under 15 years, 27 (19.1%) aged 15 to 29, 54 (38.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 45 (31.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 85.1% European/Pākehā, 4.3% Māori, 14.9% Pasifika, 4.3% Asian, and 2.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 19.1, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 34.0% had no religion, 57.4% were Christian, 2.1% were Hindu, 2.1% were Muslim and 4.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 21 (16.7%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 30 (23.8%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $31,100, compared with $31,800 nationally. 21 people (16.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 54 (42.9%) people were employed full-time, 15 (11.9%) were part-time, and 6 (4.8%) were unemployed.