NSW · Kempsey Council
Hat Head, 2440
Current weather
18.4°CClear sky
83% humidity · 12.1 km/h wind · 22.9° / 15.6° today · 1 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
In Kempsey, Hat Head keeps a rural calm, a smaller community with room to breathe and a strong local rhythm. A strong local centre anchors daily routines, while the surrounding region adds variety for weekends away. Open skies and rolling countryside set a calm backdrop to everyday routines.
An older demographic makes it especially popular with retirees, with families and grandchildren still a visible part of community life. Life here is grounded in local routine rather than big-city choice, and that is part of the charm. The area offers approachable housing costs alongside a lifestyle that still feels complete.
Construction and infill projects are noticeably reshaping parts of the area.
The desirability score is below average, pulled down chiefly by weaker housing affordability and local dining and lifestyle amenities relative to similar regional towns. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 365
- Median age
- 60
- Median household income / week
- $990
- Dwelling vacancy
- 49.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 164 of 329
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,860
- Employment rate
- 39.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 11 / 8 / 3
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)
- 64
- Against the person
- 17
- Against property
- 25
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 175.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 21 residents
- State safety percentile
- 95th (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
4 public transport stops in this suburb
- Gap St Hat Head
- Gap St Hat Head
- Vine St At Day St
- Vine St At Day 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).
63 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure9 BORONIA AVENUE HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered club2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
May 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Emergency services facility2A MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool35 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2025· 8 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure2 VINE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure48 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation97 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation32 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space49 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences; Garage, carport or carparking space93 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2024· 14 proposals
November 2024
- Temporary building, structure or use; Market1 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah18 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support10 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facilityMRYTLE ST HAT HEADDetermined
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation area; Other Infrastructure; Infrastructure2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure43 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport8 OAK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Tourist and visitor accommodation11 CREEK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
February 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation area; Other Infrastructure; Infrastructure2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2023· 14 proposals
December 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences; Swimming pool1 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
October 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure43 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
September 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development32 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
August 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing10 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed24 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
June 2023
- Dwelling8 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development30 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling32 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing11 CREEK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed11 BREAM CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
May 2023
- Dwelling56 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development89 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
March 2023
- Shed30 BAY STREET HAT 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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
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
- 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)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
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
- 9.1/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 6946th in Australia
- State rank
- 2146th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #597 among Country & regional · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #1055 among Country & regional suburbs
- Data confidence
- 70%
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
- Gap St Hat Headtransport
- Gap St Hat Headtransport
- Vine St At Day Sttransport
- Vine St At Day Sttransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning32 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 14 Sep 2023 · Withdrawn
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- 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.