NSW · Kiama Council
Kiama Heights, 2533
Current weather
14.9°CClear sky
55% humidity · 10.8 km/h wind · 20.7° / 12° today · 1.9 mm rain
Updated
Desirability score
- Coastal
- Excellent transport
- High desirability
- Green suburb
Suburb profile
Kiama Heights is a coastal smaller community where beach life and relaxed outdoor living shape the local character. Set on the coast at a distance from the capital, it trades city proximity for a slower, beach-led rhythm. Salt air and open horizons give the suburb a relaxed, outdoor feel year-round.
Established families and long-term residents give the suburb a settled feel, with plenty of young families in the mix. Strong public transport connections keep the wider area accessible. Homes here are sought-after, with many people drawn to the lifestyle the area offers.
A busy pipeline of new development is gradually changing the look and feel of the streets.
The desirability score is below average, weighed down by weaker local dining and lifestyle amenities and parks and green space against similar coastal suburbs, even with community and employment and safety holding up better. Limited access to some essential local services also trimmed the result.
Population
- Population
- 878
- Median age
- 47
- Median household income / week
- $1,758
- Dwelling vacancy
- 15.6%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 60 of 385
- Median monthly mortgage
- $2,340
- Employment rate
- 51%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 23 / 16 / 9
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)
- $605
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $800
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $750
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 78
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)
- 31
- Against the person
- 6
- Against property
- 14
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 35.3
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 146 residents
- State safety percentile
- 11.4th (lower crime is better)
- Decrease (daily rate)
- -11.2%
Reported offences decreased compared with the previous period.
Reported offences by period
Most common offence types
- Fraud44
- Malicious Damage To Property53
- Other Theft40
- Steal From Retail Store38
- Transport Regulatory Offences67
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
36 public transport stops in this suburb
- 27A South Kiama Dr
- 91 Attunga Av
- Kalang Rd At Anembo Cres
- Kalang Rd At Attunga Av
- Kalang Rd At Elanora Rd
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).
90 planning-related records
2026· 3 proposals
June 2026
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Swimming pool139 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Under Assessment
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation2A SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Additional Information Requested
April 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation1 DAVID SMITH PLACE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Under Assessment
2025· 13 proposals
October 2025
- Demolition; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Driveways and hard stand spaces; Fences; Garage, carport or carparking space51 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
August 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation34 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure38 ANEMBO CRESCENT KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
June 2025
- Subdivision11 WEIR STREET KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
May 2025
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation24 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure1 27 ANEMBO CRESCENT KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure139 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
March 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Multi-dwelling housing (terraces); Residential Accommodation4-6 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
February 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Multi-dwelling housing (terraces)4-6 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Withdrawn
January 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure139 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support54 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure73 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation59 KALANG ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
2024· 15 proposals
December 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah; Carport; Minor building alterations (internal)54 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation36 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Withdrawn
September 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure215 PRINCES HIGHWAY KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support54 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
August 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure41 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
July 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation34 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Farm buildings; Erection of a new structure162 PRINCES HIGHWAY KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences; Swimming pool139 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Withdrawn
May 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Farm stay accommodation164 PRINCES HIGHWAY KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support40 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
April 2024
- Secondary dwelling; Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure98 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
March 2024
- Subdivision11 WEIR STREET KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Secondary dwelling; Erection of a new structure21 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
February 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure46 SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure129 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
2023· 9 proposals
December 2023
- Demolition54 KALANG ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
October 2023
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure2A SOUTH KIAMA DRIVE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
August 2023
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development67 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Multi dwelling housing (terraces)4-6 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Balconies, decks, patios, terraces or verandahs; Alterations and additions to residential development56 ATTUNGA AVENUE KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
- Dwelling54 KALANG ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
July 2023
- Farm buildings; Other164 PRINCES HIGHWAY KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
June 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing38A ANEMBO CRESCENT KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
May 2023
- Dwelling; Demolition15 ELANORA ROAD KIAMA HEIGHTS 2533Determined
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
8 nearby amenities within ~1.5 km
- Bench
- Kalang Rd opp Elanora RdBus stop
- Playground
- Public toilets
- Swimming pool (3)
- Waste Basket
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
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 10/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 10/10
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
- 35.5/100 — Below average
- National rank
- 4293rd in Australia
- State rank
- 1367th in NSW
- Peer rank
- #68 among Coastal & beach · Mature suburbs
- Cohort rank
- #136 among Coastal & beach 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
- Benchamenitiesbench
- Kalang Rd opp Elanora Rdamenitiesbus_stop
- Playgroundamenitiesplayground
- Public toiletsamenitiestoilets
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Swimming poolamenitiesswimming_pool
- Waste Basketamenitieswaste_basket
- Fraudcrime44
- Malicious Damage To Propertycrime53
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
More in Kiama Council
Other suburbs in the same local government area.
Comparable suburbs
Similar population and socio-economic profile in other parts of New South Wales.