NSW · Kempsey Council
Crescent Head, 2440
Current weather
18.2°CClear sky
86% humidity · 13.3 km/h wind · 23.5° / 14.6° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- National parks
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
Crescent Head is a coastal smaller community where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. The coast is the anchor, with regional towns nearby for markets, dining and weekend exploring. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
A mature community gives the area a calm, settled social fabric, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Transport options are solid enough for daily errands and regular trips further afield. Housing is well-priced for what you get: space, location and everyday convenience.
Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and transport and access against similar coastal suburbs, even with growth momentum holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,633
- Median age
- 50
- Median household income / week
- $1,317
- Dwelling vacancy
- 13.9%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 104 of 747
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,591
- Employment rate
- 49.2%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 79 / 58 / 47
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Employment, household income and age diversity (2021 Census)
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $380
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $490
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $480
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 112
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Contributes to desirability score · Housing (15%) · Future Growth (7%)
Median price, rental yield and vacancy Recent price momentum
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 287
- Against the person
- 76
- Against property
- 111
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 175.8
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 95.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +5%
Reported offences increased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order264
- Breach Bail Conditions556
- Domestic Violence Related Assault317
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment411
- Malicious Damage To Property362
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Crime rate and year-on-year trend
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Schools & preschools
- Schools & preschools
- 1
- Median school ICSEA
- 987
- Crescent Head Public SchoolPrimary
Contributes to desirability score · Education (15%)
School and preschool counts, median school ICSEA
Data sources & freshness
- ACARA school locations — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
- School ICSEA scores — Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority · Period: 2025 · Updated on site · Annual ACARA release
Public transport
15 public transport stops in this suburb
- Crescent Head Rd At Beranghi Rd
- Crescent Head Rd Opp Beranghi Rd
- High St At Kinchela St
- Mainski Inn Crescent Head, Pacific St
- Rankine St Opp Gowing St
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Public transport stop coverage
Data sources & freshness
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
178 planning-related records
2026· 17 proposals
June 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Carport189 BERANGHI ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool711 POINT PLOMER ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Dual occupancy; Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (attached)5 ROY KEMP CLOSE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
May 2026
- Demolition; Supporting Development50 MAIN STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool5 OFFSHORE LANE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Subdivision; AgricultureBERANGHI ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
April 2026
- Subdivision1022 CRESCENT HEAD ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Swimming pool2 ROSEVALE LANE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation174 NEVILLE MORTON DRIVE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
March 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure17A DULCONGHI STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Subdivision16 MAY STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Commercial livestock grazing; Agriculture1718 CRESCENT HEAD ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
February 2026
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure733 BERANGHI ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Subdivision; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space7 MAIN STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure1 SUNSHINE LANE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure3 KOROGORA STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
January 2026
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure173 NEVILLE MORTON DRIVE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
2025· 23 proposals
December 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure165 NEVILLE MORTON DRIVE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)1 SUNSHINE LANE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure103 RANCH ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Deferred Commencement
- Shed; Temporary building, structure or use103 NEVILLE MORTON DRIVE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
November 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development39 SKYLINE CRESCENT CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure910 MARIA RIVER ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Supporting Development28 HODGSON STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Manufactured home66 SKYLINE CRESCENT CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Temporary building, structure or use; Ancillary commercial development1734 CRESCENT HEAD ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia155 NEVILLE MORTON DRIVE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Additional Information Requested
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Stairway24 HODGSON STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
September 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure4 DULCONGHI STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah32 SKYLINE CRESCENT CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation17 KOROGORA STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
August 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Residential Accommodation; Supporting Development39 SKYLINE CRESCENT CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Dual occupancy (detached)1 SUNSHINE LANE CRESCENT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
July 2025
- Restaurant or cafe; Pub; Small bar; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Footpaths - outdoor dining; Mobile food and drink outlet; Outdoor dining - general; Outdoor dining - registered club; Food and drink premise; Take away food and drinkLot 226 DP 754441 1 Rankine Street Crescent HeadUnder Assessment
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure680 MARIA RIVER ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Erection of a new structure; Agriculture680 MARIA RIVER ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space1 BERANGHI STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
June 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure23 DULCONGHI STREET CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support271 loftus road Crescent Head 2428Determined
May 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support910 MARIA RIVER ROAD CRESCENT HEAD 2440Determined
Contributes to desirability score · Future Growth (7%)
Development and planning activity
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026 · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Contributes to desirability score · Lifestyle (15%)
Food, shopping, recreation and sport (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Parks & reserves
2 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Lloyd ParkPark
- Yarri Barri Nature ReserveNature reserve
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 5/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 4/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Contributes to desirability score · Community (5%)
Socio-economic advantage (IRSAD decile)
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Heritage
1 state heritage place
- Marie Short Farmhouse Kempsey Beranghi Road, Crescent HeadSHR
Data sources & freshness
- State heritage register — State heritage authority · Period: current · Updated on site
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Contributes to desirability score · Safety (18%)
Bushfire hazard overlays
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 3
- Parks (OSM)
- 2
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Contributes to desirability score · Environment (10%)
Parks and green cover (OpenStreetMap)
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability Index
- Desirability score
- 26.7/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 5816th in Australia
- State rank
- 1818th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #105 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #178 among Coastal & beach suburbs
- Data confidence
- 78%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Breach Apprehended Violence Ordercrime264
- Breach Bail Conditionscrime556
- Domestic Violence Related Assaultcrime317
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassmentcrime411
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime362
- Crescent Head Rd At Beranghi Rdtransport
- Crescent Head Rd Opp Beranghi Rdtransport
- High St At Kinchela Sttransport
- Mainski Inn Crescent Head, Pacific Sttransport
- Rankine St Opp Gowing Sttransport
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Timetables Complete GTFS stops (© Transport for NSW, CC BY 4.0) — Transport for NSW — Open Data Hub · Updated on site · GTFS static feed (updated nightly)
More in Kempsey Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.