The district covers the northern half of the Hawke's Bay coast, extending from Māhia Peninsula to Lake Waikaremoana, and south to the mouth of the Waikare River.

[citation needed] The Ruakituri River and the Māhia Peninsula are tourist destinations in the district.

In 2014, following the election of a new Council and the appointment of a new Chief Executive, the district embarked on an ambitious programme of attracting novel and high-tech industry to the district in an effort to arrest and reverse the gradual population decline and loss of services that the community had been suffering from for the previous 20 years.

A $5M investment by the central government in improved medical facilities, and, commencing July 2014, an increased emphasis by the Wairoa District Council on economic development (particularly aimed at encouragement of diversification of agribusiness, ecotourism, digital creative industry attraction, and attraction of new and returning residents) has led to an increasingly positive community view of the district's future.

[citation needed] As a result of these economic development efforts, in 2016, Rocket Lab announced that it was establishing its Orbital Launch Site (known as Launch Complex 1) for its Electron Vehicle on the Māhia Peninsula.

The Electron vehicle is capable of delivering satellites into Low Earth Orbit, using innovative New Zealand technology.

Te Kura Kaupapa Māori O Ngati Kahungunu O Te Wairoa is a composite school providing for years 1 to 13, teaching in the Māori language Wairoa Primary, Tiaho, and Frasertown are the primary schools that offer education to students in years 1 to 6.

Ohuka, Te Mahia, Nuhaka, Ruakituri, Mohaka, Waikaremoana, Tiniroto, Tutira, Kotemaori, and St Joseph's School offer education to students in the years 1 to 8.