Urban Centre · Area profile
Kempsey
47 km²
Population growth has transformed Kempsey, with the number of residents leaping 164% since 2011 to reach 11,073. The community has become far more diverse, as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population rose by 20 points to 22.2%. This is a place where the typical resident is now 39, significantly younger than the 48-year-old typical resident seen a decade ago. It is a larger, shifting community with a strong Indigenous presence and a growing number of young families.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up 22.2% of the population, which is far above the national figure of 3.2%. While the typical age is 39, seniors aged 65 and over represent 21.1%, a figure well above the Australian average.
The area is predominantly Australian or English in ancestry, and only 6.4% of people were born overseas, which is far below the national figure of 27.7%.
English is the main language for 81% of residents, and very few people speak little or no English, at just 0.2%, which is well below the national figure of 3.4%.
Christianity is the most common faith at 46.5%, while 34.5% of people report no religion, a figure that rose 16 points since 2011.
Educational attainment is much lower than most areas, with only 6.7% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and only 26.6% having completed Year 12.
Incomes are much lower than typical areas; the typical household earns $997 a week, far below the national figure of $1,746.
Health challenges are common here, with 36.2% of people living with a long-term health condition and 11.1% needing help with daily activities, which is well above the national figure of 5.8%.
Volunteer rates are much lower than most areas at 10.9%, and 13.5% of residents provide some form of unpaid care.
Family structures are distinctive, with one-parent families making up 32.8%, far above the national figure of 14.1%. People living alone also make up a higher than usual 32.2% of households.
Most residents live in separate houses, and renting is much more common here than in most areas, at 36%. Typical weekly rent is $280, which is well below the national figure of $375.
Cars are the primary way to get around, and 9.5% of homes have no motor vehicle, which is a little above the national figure of 7.4%.
The community is relatively stable, as 32.2% of people moved in the last five years, which is well below the national figure of 40.7%.
Employment is a struggle for many, with an unemployment rate of 9.8%, well above the national figure of 5.1%. Only 39.6% of adults are working or looking for work, far below the national figure of 61.1%.
The area is somewhat walkable, and residents have good access to basics, with 72.7% of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries, well above the state figure of 67.7%.