Suburb / Locality · Area profile
Kempsey
7 km²
A significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population identifies with Kempsey, where 15.7% of residents belong to First Nations communities. The area is noticeably older than the national average, with a typical resident aged 43. It is a community of small households and high rental demand, marked by a high number of people living alone. These social patterns are mirrored in the local economy, which sees much lower typical incomes and higher unemployment than the rest of the state.
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The community is notably older than the national figure, with a typical resident aged 43. About 15.7% of people are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, a rate far above the state and national averages.
Most residents were born in Australia, and only 9.5% were born overseas, which is far below the national figure. English and Australian are the most common ancestries reported.
English is the main language for 87.2% of the community. While 4.8% of people use another language at home—higher than in most similar areas—this is still far below the state average.
About 48.0% of people identify as Christian, while 40.0% report having no religion, a figure that is well above the New South Wales average.
Educational attainment is much lower than in most areas, with only 8.0% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher. Only 34.4% of residents completed Year 12, which is far below the national figure.
Typical incomes are among the lowest at this level; the usual weekly household income is $881, which is far below the state average of $2,185. Only 4.5% of households earn $3,000 or more per week.
Health challenges are common here, with 40.6% of people reporting a long-term health condition. This is far above the national figure, and 22.2% of residents live with a mental health condition.
Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 10.0%. However, 3.6% of residents have served in the Defence Force, which is a little above the state average.
First Nations residents face significant hardship, with an unemployment rate of 35.0%—far above the national average. Typical personal income for this group is $432 per week, which is well below the national figure.
Homes here are small, with a typical size of 2.0 people. One-parent families (37.3%) and people living alone (47.0%) are both far more common than in most other areas.
Renters make up 52.0% of the market, a rate far above the national average. The typical weekly rent is $253, and most homes are smaller, with only 47.0% having three or more bedrooms.
Many households get by without a car, with 21.4% having no motor vehicle—far above the state figure. Despite this, 0.0% of people commute by public transport.
The area is relatively mobile, with 37.6% of people moving in the last five years. Recent arrivals from overseas account for 6.5% of the population.
Working or looking for work is much less common here than in most areas, at 43.7%. The unemployment rate is 15.0%, which is well above the national figure of 5.1%.
Kempsey is very walkable, with a score of 7.9. Most residents can easily reach essentials on foot, with 92.6% living within a 15-minute walk of groceries and 91.4% near health services.