Kauwhata is a rural locality and a statistical area in Manawatū District, in the Manawatū-Whanganui region in New Zealand's central North Island.

The locality is named after a Māori chief who originally owned the land.

Kauwhata School existed at least between 1913 and 1928.

Kauwhata statistical area covers 154.43 km (59.63 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 2,200 as of June 2024, with a population density of 14 people per km.

Historical population for the statistical area

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,872	—
2013	1,917	+0.34%
2018	1,971	+0.56%
Source:

The statistical area had a population of 1,971 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 54 people (2.8%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 99 people (5.3%) since the 2006 census. There were 666 households, comprising 1,002 males and 969 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The median age was 41.6 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 414 people (21.0%) aged under 15 years, 318 (16.1%) aged 15 to 29, 966 (49.0%) aged 30 to 64, and 276 (14.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 91.0% European/Pākehā, 12.6% Māori, 1.2% Pacific peoples, 2.4% Asian, and 2.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 8.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 50.2% had no religion, 39.6% were Christian, 0.3% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.3% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 0.9% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 279 (17.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 297 (19.1%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $39,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 342 people (22.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 897 (57.6%) people were employed full-time, 255 (16.4%) were part-time, and 42 (2.7%) were unemployed.