"Evansdale" is the name given to a census

Census

A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

-gathering district in rural Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. It encompasses all areas outside of urban areas between Mount Cargill and the northern Dunedin City boundary. It is named after one of the small villages it contains: Evansdale, New Zealand

Evansdale, New Zealand

Evansdale is a locality on State Highway 1, 25km north of Dunedin, at the north west of Blueskin Bay. It also has lent its name to a cheese producer, and a census-gathering district, which recorded 1,284 people in 2006.-History:...

.

Its population is 1284 (2006 census).

Localities and rural districts in "Evansdale" statistical district

(selection only, running South to North)

• Waitati Valley
• Double Hill
• Evansdale
  Evansdale, New Zealand
  Evansdale is a locality on State Highway 1, 25km north of Dunedin, at the north west of Blueskin Bay. It also has lent its name to a cheese producer, and a census-gathering district, which recorded 1,284 people in 2006.-History:...
  
  
• Omimi
• Kilmog
• Merton
• Seacliff
  Seacliff, New Zealand
  Seacliff is a small village located north of Dunedin in the Otago region of New Zealand's South Island. The village lies roughly half way between the estuary of Blueskin Bay and the mouth of the Waikouaiti River at Karitane, on the eastern slopes of Kilmog hill...
  
  
• Hawksbury
  Hawksbury, New Zealand
  Hawksbury also known as "Cherry Farm" is a small residential and industrial area beside State Highway 1 between Dunedin and Waikouaiti.-Cherry Farm Hospital:...
  
  
• Bucklands Crossing
• Tumai

Confusion over the name

A casual reading of any list of population data from this part of New Zealand which includes "Evansdale" will appear to indicate that the tiny road-corner cluster of houses at Evansdale is a large town.

In 2005 publication of the results of a Dunedin City Council survey on water reticulation led to protests and accusations of gerrymandering as a vast number of survey respondents were listed as living in "Evansdale". The City Council was simply using the name and boundaries provided by Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand

Statistics New Zealand is the national statistical office of New Zealand.-Organisation:New Zealand's Minister of Statistics is Maurice Williamson who serves as a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives and holds several other posts within government...

, used in other census gathering.