East Kempsey, NSW: suburb profile

The population of East Kempsey NSW is 1,336 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in East Kempsey is $635 per week ($33,020 per year). Median rent in East Kempsey is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). East Kempsey has a median age of 41 years, older than the national median of 38. East Kempsey has a population density of 356 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in East Kempsey is England. The most common religion is No religion (40.9% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Australian Indigenous Languages. The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Kempsey is $1,252.

There were 34 recorded offences in East Kempsey in 2025-26, a rate of 25 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was theft (9 offences).

Population
1,336
Census 2021
Median income
$635/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$300/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
41years
Census 2021

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing 2021; offences from NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au), 2025-26.

East Kempsey vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in East Kempsey is $635 a week, 17% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 1,626th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $300 a week, $85 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 26.9% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 41, 2 years younger than in the typical NSW suburb (43).

The typical suburb is the median across suburbs with 200 or more residents. ABS Census 2021, calculated by GDP.com.au.
MeasureEast KempseyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$635/wk$765/wk −17%$766/wk
Household income$1,116/wk$1,704/wk −35%$1,637/wk
Rent$300/wk$385/wk −22%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,252/mo$1,965/mo −36%$1,733/mo
Median age4143 −2 yrs42
Rent share of household income26.9%22.6% +4.3 pts20.3%
Income, rent and mortgage against the typical suburb Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS, calculated by GDP.com.au
Bar chart of median income, rent and mortgage repayment in East Kempsey, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

East Kempsey Population

1,336 residents at the 2021 Census.

East Kempsey Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$635/wk
$33,020 per year
Ranked 6,527 of 14,663
Median Rent
$300/wk
$1,300 per month
Ranked 4,529 of 14,663
Median Age
41years
3 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,252/mo
Avg household size: 2.2 · 0.7 per bedroom

Valid: Census 2021 · Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing.

East Kempsey Rent Prices & Affordability

27% of median household income goes on median rent

Marks at 25% and 35%. Band: moderate.

Household income $1,116/wk
Median rent $300/wk
Rent to income 26.9%

Rent is between 25% and 35% of household income: moderate housing costs.

Median rent in East Kempsey against your income

About $4,836 a month
Median rent $300/wk
Left after rent $816/wk
Rent share 26.9%

East Kempsey Schools

9
schools nearby
5
government
874
avg ICSEA score
3,189
total students
St Paul's College Catholic
Secondary · 7-12 · 641 students
999
ICSEA
St Joseph's Primary School Catholic
Primary · K-6 · 332 students
991
ICSEA
Kempsey Adventist School Independent
Combined · K-12 · 458 students
953
ICSEA
Kempsey East Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 180 students
875
ICSEA
Melville High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 355 students
849
ICSEA
Kempsey High School Government
Secondary · 7-12 · 584 students
848
ICSEA
Kempsey West Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 422 students
794
ICSEA
Macleay Vocational College Independent
Secondary · 9-12 · 88 students
787
ICSEA
Kempsey South Public School Government
Primary · K-6 · 129 students
767
ICSEA

Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), 2025. ICSEA is the Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (national average 1000).

All schools near East Kempsey, with a map

East Kempsey Map

East Kempsey, New South Wales Map data: OpenStreetMap
Loading map…

East Kempsey, New South Wales: 31.0813°S, 152.8516°E

East Kempsey Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (9)

People in East Kempsey

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 47.5% (635) Female 52.5% (703)

Population Density

356
people per km²
1,336 people · 3.7 km²

Households

2.2
Avg household size
0.7
Persons per bedroom
$1,422
Family income/wk

Age Distribution

0-4
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80-84
85+
Male Female

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Most common overseas birthplaces

England
1.4%
Philippines
1.1%
New Zealand
0.7%
Germany
0.5%
Thailand
0.4%
India
0.4%
Iran
0.4%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G09 Country of Birth by SAL

Most common languages at home other than English

Australian Indigenous Languages
1.0%
Filipino
0.4%
Arabic
0.4%
Tagalog
0.3%
Mandarin
0.2%
Afrikaans
0.0%
Cantonese
0.0%

Shares are of all residents. Source: ABS Census 2021, G13 Language Used at Home by SAL

Ancestry

Australian
44.9%
English
43.8%
Irish
13.1%
Australian Aboriginal
11.8%
Scottish
9.6%
German
3.6%
Filipino
1.3%
Dutch
1.2%
New Zealander
1.1%
Chinese
1.0%
Italian
0.7%

Shares are of the suburb population. People can report up to two ancestries, so shares add to more than 100%. Source: ABS Census 2021, G08 Ancestry by SAL

Religion

No religion
40.9%
Catholic
20.4%
Anglican
15.4%
Not stated
8.1%
Uniting Church
4.1%
Christian (other)
2.3%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.9%
Baptist
1.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

12.4%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
31.4% 340
Separated
5.4% 59
Divorced
13.5% 146
Widowed
8.5% 92
Never married
41.2% 447

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
34.4%
Couple: no children
30.1%
One parent: children under 15
15.9%
Couple: no children under 15
11.4%
One parent: no children under 15
8.2%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
36.5%
2 persons
32.5%
3 persons
14.2%
4 persons
8.8%
5 persons
4.6%
6+ persons
3.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in East Kempsey

Housing Tenure

Of the 547 occupied private dwellings in East Kempsey at the 2021 Census, 34.2% were rented, 34.2% owned outright and 28.9% owned with a mortgage.

Owned outright
34.2% 187 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
28.9% 158 dwellings
Rented
34.2% 187 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
3.1% 17 dwellings

Source: ABS Census 2021, Suburb and Locality (SAL)

Dwelling Types

Separate house
93.7%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
4.5%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
2.1%
2 bedrooms
24.6%
3 bedrooms
49.6%
4 bedrooms
19.1%
5 bedrooms
3.6%
6+ bedrooms
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G41 Number of Bedrooms by SAL

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.0%
$300-$449/mo
2.0%
$600-$799/mo
6.0%
$800-$999/mo
10.0%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
38.7%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
22.0%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
14.7%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
2.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
6.1%
1 vehicle
43.8%
2 vehicles
34.9%
3 vehicles
10.9%
4+ vehicles
4.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G34 Motor Vehicles per Dwelling by SAL

Work, income and education in East Kempsey

Employment

Employed full-time
29.3% 286 people
Employed part-time
23.0% 224 people
Unemployed
3.1% 30 people
Not in labour force
44.6% 435 people

Source: ABS Census 2021, G46 Labour Force Status by SAL

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
23.8%
Professionals
19.5%
Technicians & Trade Workers
14.2%
Clerical & Administrative
11.9%
Managers
10.2%
Labourers
8.5%
Sales Workers
8.2%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
3.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Industry of Employment by Occupation

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.4%
$1-$149/wk
0.6%
$150-$299/wk
1.6%
$300-$399/wk
3.4%
$400-$499/wk
9.7%
$500-$649/wk
10.5%
$650-$799/wk
11.4%
$800-$999/wk
7.9%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.1%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
9.9%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.5%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
4.3%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
10.7%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
4.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
4.5%
$4,000+/wk
3.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
6.3%
$1-$149/wk
4.4%
$150-$299/wk
7.2%
$300-$399/wk
6.7%
$400-$499/wk
7.3%
$500-$649/wk
5.9%
$650-$799/wk
14.6%
$800-$999/wk
14.0%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
12.9%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
7.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.4%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
3.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
3.9%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.4%
$3,500+/wk
1.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
74.2%
Did not go to work
11.4%
Car (passenger)
8.3%
Walked only
3.0%
Other
1.0%
Truck
0.8%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.6%
Bus
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G62 Method of Travel to Work by SAL

Education Level

Year 12 or equivalent
42.3%
Year 10 or equivalent
38.7%
Year 9 or equivalent
11.1%
Year 11 or equivalent
7.9%

Shares are of people whose highest year of school is Year 9 to 12 only. Source: ABS Census 2021, G16 Highest Year of School by SAL

Qualifications

Certificate III/IV
53.3%
Bachelor Degree
20.0%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
16.5%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
4.6%
Certificate I/II
4.4%
Postgraduate Degree
1.3%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G49 Non-School Qualification by SAL

Field of Study

Management & Commerce
22.7%
Society & Culture
18.7%
Health
13.5%
Education
11.3%
Engineering
9.8%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
9.2%
Architecture & Building
8.0%
Creative Arts
3.1%
Agriculture & Environment
2.1%
Information Technology
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G51 Field of Study by SAL

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
29.9%
Secondary: Government
17.6%
Pre-school
12.3%
Vocational Education
10.7%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
9.2%
Secondary: Catholic
8.4%
Primary: Catholic
6.1%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
5.7%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G15 Type of Educational Institution by SAL

More from the 2021 Census

Need for Assistance

Does not have need for assistance
85.8%
Has need for assistance
7.5%
Need for assistance not stated
6.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G18 Core Activity Need for Assistance by SAL

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
162
Asthma
75
Arthritis
59
Heart disease
52
Diabetes
48
Lung condition
47
Kidney disease
21
Cancer
19
Stroke
11
Dementia
5

Source: ABS Census 2021, G19 Long-term Health Conditions by SAL

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.9% 168
Did not provide
83.1% 826

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
14.6% 147
Not a volunteer
85.4% 859

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Previously served
4.2% 42
Never served
95.8% 947

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
28.5%
1 child
16.0%
2 children
25.9%
3 children
14.8%
4 children
13.4%
5+ children
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G28 Children Ever Born by SAL

When Migrants Arrived

1951: 1960
7
1961: 1970
13
1971: 1980
13
1981: 1990
10
1991: 2000
10
2001: 2010
10
2011: 2015
8
2016
6
2019
3
2021
4

Source: ABS Census 2021, G10 Year of Arrival by SAL

Population Mobility

13.9%
moved in the last year
40.2%
moved in the last 5 years
4.7%
unemployment rate (Census)
53.1%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
1,055
Moved: same area (SA2)
73
Moved from NSW
68
Moved from overseas
11
Moved from QLD
10
Moved from VIC
3

Source: ABS Census 2021, G44 Address 1 Year Ago by SAL

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
17.2%
5: 14 hours
28.8%
15: 29 hours
15.2%
30+ hours
10.1%
Did not do domestic work
28.8%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G24 Unpaid Domestic Work by SAL

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
71.9%
Step family: no other children
14.0%
Blended family: no other children
14.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

East Kempsey Crime Statistics

34 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Theft
9
Assault
7
Other Against Property
7
Other Against Person
5
Property Damage
4
Domestic Violence
1
Drug Offences
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Source: NSW BOCSAR (bocsar.nsw.gov.au).

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

Aberdeen (NSW)
Income: $716/wk Rent: $280/wk $20/wk less rent
Lake Cargelligo
Income: $641/wk Rent: $170/wk $130/wk less rent
The Rock
Income: $636/wk Rent: $245/wk $55/wk less rent
South Kempsey
Income: $527/wk Rent: $270/wk $30/wk less rent
Coolamon
Income: $746/wk Rent: $270/wk $30/wk less rent
Bolton Point
Income: $623/wk Rent: $267/wk $33/wk less rent
Molong
Income: $727/wk Rent: $270/wk $30/wk less rent
Wallerawang
Income: $666/wk Rent: $275/wk $25/wk less rent

Suburbs near East Kempsey

The closest suburb to East Kempsey is West Kempsey, 2.9 km away.

West Kempsey
2.9 km away · income $493/wk · rent $290/wk
South Kempsey
4.4 km away · income $527/wk · rent $270/wk
Frederickton
6.3 km away · income $565/wk · rent $330/wk
Aldavilla
8.8 km away · income $624/wk · rent $350/wk
Yarravel
9.5 km away · income $605/wk · rent $340/wk
Summer Island
15.5 km away · income $919/wk · rent $450/wk

Compare East Kempsey

Frequently Asked Questions About East Kempsey

What is the population of East Kempsey NSW?

The population of East Kempsey NSW is 1,336 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 356 people per km². East Kempsey is ranked #3,556 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in East Kempsey?

The median personal income in East Kempsey NSW is $635 per week, or $33,020 per year. The median household income is $1,116 per week. Family income is $1,422 per week. East Kempsey is ranked #6,527 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in East Kempsey?

Median rent in East Kempsey NSW is $300 per week ($1,300 per month). Rent represents 26.9% of household income, which is considered moderate. East Kempsey ranks #4,529 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in East Kempsey?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in East Kempsey NSW is $1,252. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in East Kempsey?

The median age in East Kempsey NSW is 41 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is East Kempsey a good suburb to live in?

East Kempsey is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 1,336. The median income is $635/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (26.9% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

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Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 11357. All dollar figures in AUD.