Himatangi Beach is a small coastal community in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located 32 kilometres west of Palmerston North in the centre of the largest sand dune geographical feature in New Zealand.

Himatangi Beach is defined by Statistics New Zealand as a rural settlement. It covers 0.95 km (0.37 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 590 as of June 2024, with a population density of 621 people per km. It is part of the larger Oroua Downs statistical area.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	447	—
2013	432	−0.49%
2018	513	+3.50%
Source:

Himatangi Beach had a population of 513 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 81 people (18.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 66 people (14.8%) since the 2006 census. There were 228 households, comprising 264 males and 249 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.06 males per female, with 60 people (11.7%) aged under 15 years, 63 (12.3%) aged 15 to 29, 252 (49.1%) aged 30 to 64, and 132 (25.7%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.9% European/Pākehā, 16.4% Māori, 0.6% Pacific peoples, 2.3% Asian, and 1.8% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 53.8% had no religion, 28.7% were Christian, 1.2% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.6% were Hindu and 2.3% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 48 (10.6%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 153 (33.8%) people had no formal qualifications. 54 people (11.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 189 (41.7%) people were employed full-time, 51 (11.3%) were part-time, and 21 (4.6%) were unemployed.

The population increases to several thousand in the summer.

• Himatangi