Rangitata is a settlement in New Zealand. It is located at the junction of State Highway 1 and State Highway 79. The Rangitata River is located 3 kilometres north of the town and 10.7 kilometres north of Orari.

The Rangitata statistical area, which includes Orari and surrounds but does not include Geraldine, covers 171.84 km (66.35 sq mi) and had an estimated population of 1,630 as of June 2024, with a population density of 9.5 people per km.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
2006	1,221	—
2013	1,500	+2.98%
2018	1,653	+1.96%
Source:

Before the 2023 census, Rangitata had a larger boundary, covering 172.13 km (66.46 sq mi). Using that boundary, it had a population of 1,653 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 153 people (10.2%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 432 people (35.4%) since the 2006 census. There were 687 households, comprising 837 males and 816 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.03 males per female. The median age was 50.7 years (compared with 37.4 years nationally), with 300 people (18.1%) aged under 15 years, 186 (11.3%) aged 15 to 29, 687 (41.6%) aged 30 to 64, and 480 (29.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 90.7% European/Pākehā, 5.4% Māori, 1.3% Pasifika, 6.5% Asian, and 2.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 18.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 45.4% had no religion, 46.3% were Christian, 0.5% were Hindu, 0.2% were Buddhist and 1.1% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 243 (18.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 303 (22.4%) people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $32,000, compared with $31,800 nationally. 216 people (16.0%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 600 (44.3%) people were employed full-time, 198 (14.6%) were part-time, and 24 (1.8%) were unemployed.