Burnside is a suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located southeast of Christchurch International Airport. As with most suburbs in Christchurch, it has no defined boundaries and is a general area.

Burnside was originally part of a farm, approximately 1,700 acres (6.9 km) in size, owned by the early settler William Boag (1828–1904), who arrived in 1851 from Perthshire. It was named for the small creeks that formed the headwaters of the Waimairi Stream. The name Burnside was made official by the Waimairi County Council in 1959, although Burnside Road had been renamed Memorial Avenue in 1950.

For the first hundred years of European settlement, the area in and around Burnside was farmland, with sheep, cattle and orchards occupying the land.

Burnside, comprising the statistical areas of Burnside, Burnside Park and Russley, covers 4.57 km (1.76 sq mi). It had an estimated population of 9,810 as of June 2024, with a population density of 2,147 people per km.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	7,191	—
2013	7,335	+0.28%
2018	7,713	+1.01%
Source:

Burnside had a population of 7,713 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 378 people (5.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 522 people (7.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,712 households, comprising 3,810 males and 3,903 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.98 males per female, with 1,458 people (18.9%) aged under 15 years, 1,683 (21.8%) aged 15 to 29, 3,372 (43.7%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,200 (15.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 70.2% European/Pākehā, 7.2% Māori, 2.9% Pasifika, 24.6% Asian, and 3.1% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 32.6, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.9% had no religion, 39.1% were Christian, 0.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 1.4% were Hindu, 1.6% were Muslim, 2.0% were Buddhist and 2.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,788 (28.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 780 (12.5%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,185 people (18.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,024 (48.3%) people were employed full-time, 1,023 (16.4%) were part-time, and 219 (3.5%) were unemployed.

Individual statistical areas

Name	Area (km)	Population	Density (per km)	Households	Median age	Median income
Burnside	1.36	3,489	2,565	1,209	36.1 years	$32,400
Burnside Park	1.34	3,243	2,420	1,104	37.2 years	$33,400
Russley	1.87	981	525	399	49.7 years	$37,400
New Zealand					37.4 years	$31,800

Burnside High School is a secondary school catering for years 9 to 13. It has a roll of 2550. The school opened in 1960.

Cobham Intermediate is an intermediate school catering for years 7 to 8. It has a roll of 654. The school, initially named Fendalton Intermediate, opened in 1963.

Burnside Primary School and Roydvale School are contributing primary schools catering for years 1 to 6. They have rolls of 329 and 288, respectively. Burnside School opened in 1956, and Roydvale in 1967. Kendal School, which opened in 1962, closed in 2014.

Christ the King School is a state-integrated Catholic primary school for years 1 to 8. It has a roll of 323.

All these schools are coeducational, and all except Christ the King are state schools. Rolls are as of August 2024.

Burnside contains a central park (Burnside Park), and its two central roads are Memorial Avenue and Greers Road. It contains a smaller park (Jellie Park) opposite Burnside High School on Greers Road.

• Christchurch City Libraries — History of Bryndwr and Burnside