NSW · Kempsey Council
East Kempsey, 2440
Current weather
16.6°CClear sky
95% humidity · 10.4 km/h wind · 22.8° / 14.6° today · 0.5 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Green suburb
- High desirability
Suburb profile
East Kempsey is a regional centre in Kempsey that balances local services with a more relaxed pace of life. Life revolves around the local community, with the wider region offering trips and services when needed. Families and commuters make up much of the community, with plenty of young families in the mix.
Local shops, markets and community spots keep everyday life grounded in the town itself. Pocket parks and green corners give residents room to get outside without leaving the neighbourhood. Buses and nearby services make commuting and cross-suburb trips straightforward.
The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete. Infill and new builds are slowly updating the area without overwhelming its existing character.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and community and employment against similar regional towns, even with housing affordability and parks and green space holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 1,336
- Median age
- 41
- Median household income / week
- $1,116
- Dwelling vacancy
- 8.2%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 49 of 596
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,252
- Employment rate
- 50.6%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 59 / 32 / 51
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)
- 235
- Against the person
- 62
- Against property
- 91
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 175.9
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 22 residents
- State safety percentile
- 95.2th (lower crime is better)
- Increase (daily rate)
- +5.2%
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
Public transport
23 public transport stops in this suburb
- Innes St At Bissett St
- Innes St Opp Kempsey East Public School
- Kempsey East Public School, Innes St
- Kempsey East Public School, Innes St
- Washington St At Sullivan 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)
Roadworks & transport
1 active roadworks / incidents
- Check signage. Follow directions on site. Exercise caution. <strong>Unsealed Roads - Maintenance Grading Program</strong><strong><span class="ql-cursor"></span></strong>to startWrights Lane24 May 2026 – 03 Jul 2026
Data sources & freshness
- Road incidents & closures — State road authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · Hourly refresh where supported
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
22 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
May 2026
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure7 RONALD LALOR PLACE EAST KEMPSEY 2440Under Assessment
April 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space22 LORD STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Additional Information Requested
- Subdivision23 BETTS STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Under Assessment
2025· 5 proposals
September 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Carport4 VICTORIA STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
July 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces33 SULLIVAN STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
May 2025
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Supporting Development27 BETTS STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
April 2025
- Shed; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure46 BISSETT STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
- Shed; Erection of a new structure; Carport24 INNES STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
2024· 2 proposals
November 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structureMACLEAY STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
October 2024
- Subdivision5 WHARF STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Deferred Commencement
2023· 6 proposals
November 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space28 BISSETT STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
August 2023
- Garages, carports and car parking spaces46 WASHINGTON STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
May 2023
- Secondary dwelling33 WASHINGTON STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
March 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development20 BISSETT STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
- Shed33 WASHINGTON STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
- Dwelling203 CRAIG STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
2022· 3 proposals
July 2022
- Secondary dwelling34 BETTS STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
April 2022
- Shed24 WASHINGTON STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
February 2022
- Stormwater management systems; Shed16 MACLEAY STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
2021· 3 proposals
October 2021
- Alterations and additions to residential development50 LORD STREET EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
- Dwelling; Shed3 LAURELS AVENUE EAST KEMPSEY 2440Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development24 WASHINGTON STREET EAST KEMPSEY 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
81 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench (2)
- Bissett St at Innes StBus stop
- George Gilfillan St after Victoria StBus stop
- Rudder St opp Ferry StBus stop
- Sullivan St at Rudder StBus stop
- Washington St at Sullivan StBus stop
- Chaddies Newsagency & General StoreConvenience store
2 Rudder Street
- Kempsey Eye ClinicDentist
3 Rudder Street
- Lush Hair CoutureHairdresser
2 Rudder Street
- Wildflowers BoutiqueHouseware
Unit 1 3 Rudder Street
Names and addresses from OpenStreetMap. Unnamed venues show as their type (e.g. Cafe).
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
4 parks and public open space in this suburb
- Hodgson ParkPark
- Melville ParkPark
- Remembrance ParkPark
- Rudder ParkPark
Data sources & freshness
- Parks & reserves — State government + ABS LGA boundaries · Period: current · Updated on site
Health access
- Hospitals & GP clinics
- 2
- Emergency department
- Not in suburb
- Belreigh PodiatrySullivan Streetpodiatrist
- Kempsey Eye ClinicRudder Streetdentist
Contributes to desirability score · Accessibility (15%)
Hospitals and GP clinics
Data sources & freshness
- Hospitals & clinics — OpenStreetMap + state health datasets · Period: current · Updated on site
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 1/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 2/10
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
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- No overlay at centroid
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)
- 8
- Parks (OSM)
- 6
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
- 37.6/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 3890th in Australia
- State rank
- 1226th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #178 among Country & regional · Established suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #429 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 74%
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Bissett St at Innes Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Chaddies Newsagency & General Storeamenities2 Rudder Streetconvenience
- George Gilfillan St after Victoria Stamenitiesbus_stop
- Kempsey Eye Clinicamenities3 Rudder Streetdentist
- Kempsey Presbyterian Churchamenitiesplace_of_worship
- Lush Hair Coutureamenities2 Rudder Streethairdresser
- Parkingamenitiesparking
- Parkingamenitiesparking
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
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.