West Kempsey, NSW: suburb profile

The population of West Kempsey NSW is 5,073 according to the 2021 Census. The median personal income in West Kempsey is $493 per week ($25,636 per year). Median rent in West Kempsey is $290 per week ($1,257 per month). West Kempsey has a median age of 40 years, older than the national median of 38. West Kempsey has a population density of 538 people per km².

The most common overseas birthplace in West Kempsey is England. The most common religion is No religion (36.0% of residents). After English, the most spoken language is Malayalam. The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Kempsey is $1,170.

There were 441 recorded offences in West Kempsey in 2025-26, a rate of 87 offences per 1,000 people. The most common offence category was other against property (183 offences).

Population
5,073
Census 2021
Median income
$493/wk
Personal, Census 2021
Median rent
$290/wk
Weekly, Census 2021
Median age
40years
Census 2021

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

West Kempsey vs the typical NSW suburb

The median personal income in West Kempsey is $493 a week, 36% below the typical NSW suburb ($765). That ranks 2,044th of 2,150 NSW suburbs with 200 or more residents. Median rent is $290 a week, $95 less than the typical NSW suburb. Rent takes 31.4% of the median household income here, against 22.6% in the typical NSW suburb. The median resident is 40, 3 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.
MeasureWest KempseyTypical NSWDifferenceTypical Australia
Personal income$493/wk$765/wk −36%$766/wk
Household income$925/wk$1,704/wk −46%$1,637/wk
Rent$290/wk$385/wk −25%$330/wk
Mortgage repayment$1,170/mo$1,965/mo −40%$1,733/mo
Median age4043 −3 yrs42
Rent share of household income31.4%22.6% +8.8 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 West Kempsey, the typical NSW suburb and the typical Australian suburb.

West Kempsey Population

5,073 residents at the 2021 Census.

West Kempsey Median Income & Rent

Median Income
$493/wk
$25,636 per year
Ranked 8,265 of 14,663
Median Rent
$290/wk
$1,257 per month
Ranked 5,154 of 14,663
Median Age
40years
2 years older than the national median
Mortgage
$1,170/mo
Avg household size: 2.3 · 0.8 per bedroom

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

West Kempsey Rent Prices & Affordability

31% of median household income goes on median rent

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

Household income $925/wk
Median rent $290/wk
Rent to income 31.4%

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

Median rent in West Kempsey against your income

About $4,008 a month
Median rent $290/wk
Left after rent $635/wk
Rent share 31.4%

West Kempsey Schools

6
schools nearby
4
government
893
avg ICSEA score
2,514
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 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

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

All schools near West Kempsey, with a map

West Kempsey Map

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

West Kempsey, New South Wales: 31.0606°S, 152.8329°E

West Kempsey Circle size: offences per 1,000 residents Schools (6)

People in West Kempsey

Demographics

Gender Split

Male 46.1% (2,338) Female 53.9% (2,739)

Population Density

538
people per km²
5,073 people · 9.4 km²

Households

2.3
Avg household size
0.8
Persons per bedroom
$1,213
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
1.6%
Philippines
0.8%
New Zealand
0.6%
India
0.5%
Germany
0.3%
Nepal
0.2%
Scotland
0.2%

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

Most common languages at home other than English

Malayalam
0.6%
Australian Indigenous Languages
0.5%
Tagalog
0.4%
Nepali
0.2%
Mandarin
0.1%
Filipino
0.1%
Cantonese
0.1%

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

Ancestry

Australian
39.9%
English
38.7%
Australian Aboriginal
19.2%
Irish
9.8%
Scottish
7.4%
German
2.8%
Filipino
1.1%
Indian
0.8%
Italian
0.7%
Dutch
0.6%
Maori
0.5%

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
36.0%
Catholic
21.3%
Anglican
16.7%
Not stated
12.2%
Uniting Church
4.2%
Christian (other)
1.8%
Presbyterian and Reformed
1.7%
Christnty Sevnth dy Advntst
1.5%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G14 Religion by SAL

Indigenous Population

20.6%
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander

Source: ABS Census 2021, G07 Indigenous Status by SAL

Marital Status

Married
29.6% 1,192
Separated
5.3% 213
Divorced
11.7% 471
Widowed
10.1% 408
Never married
43.3% 1,743

Source: ABS Census 2021, G05 Marital Status by SAL

Family Structure

Couple: children under 15
29.6%
One parent: children under 15
24.6%
Couple: no children
24.3%
One parent: no children under 15
12.6%
Couple: no children under 15
8.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G29 Family Composition by SAL

Household Size

1 person
34.0%
2 persons
33.0%
3 persons
13.1%
4 persons
10.8%
5 persons
5.0%
6+ persons
4.0%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G35 Household Size by SAL

Homes in West Kempsey

Housing Tenure

Of the 1,851 occupied private dwellings in West Kempsey at the 2021 Census, 39.6% were rented, 33.1% owned outright and 24.6% owned with a mortgage.

Other tenure type
0.6% 11 dwellings
Owned outright
33.1% 613 dwellings
Owned with mortgage
24.6% 456 dwellings
Rented
39.6% 733 dwellings
Tenure type not stated
2.4% 44 dwellings

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

Dwelling Types

Separate house
97.2%
Semi-detached (1 storey)
1.8%
Semi-detached (2+ storey)
0.9%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G36 Dwelling Structure by SAL

Number of Bedrooms

1 bedroom
6.0%
2 bedrooms
21.3%
3 bedrooms
52.0%
4 bedrooms
17.7%
5 bedrooms
2.1%
6+ bedrooms
0.8%

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

Monthly Mortgage Repayments

$0-$299/mo
4.4%
$300-$449/mo
4.0%
$450-$599/mo
2.3%
$600-$799/mo
9.3%
$800-$999/mo
13.3%
$1,000-$1,399/mo
36.2%
$1,400-$1,799/mo
18.5%
$1,800-$2,399/mo
8.6%
$2,400-$2,999/mo
1.9%
$3,000-$3,999/mo
1.4%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G38 Mortgage Repayment by SAL

Car Ownership

0 vehicles
11.0%
1 vehicle
45.8%
2 vehicles
30.0%
3 vehicles
8.9%
4+ vehicles
4.5%

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

Work, income and education in West Kempsey

Employment

Employed full-time
21.1% 731 people
Employed part-time
16.1% 556 people
Unemployed
5.3% 185 people
Not in labour force
57.5% 1,992 people

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

Occupation

Community & Personal Service
26.7%
Professionals
21.1%
Technicians & Trade Workers
11.5%
Clerical & Administrative
10.5%
Labourers
9.6%
Managers
9.0%
Sales Workers
7.6%
Machinery Operators & Drivers
4.1%

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

Weekly Household Income

Nil/Negative/wk
1.7%
$1-$149/wk
1.0%
$150-$299/wk
2.6%
$300-$399/wk
4.3%
$400-$499/wk
14.7%
$500-$649/wk
8.0%
$650-$799/wk
11.2%
$800-$999/wk
10.7%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
9.3%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
8.2%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
6.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
5.0%
$2,000-$2,499/wk
7.9%
$2,500-$2,999/wk
3.7%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
2.2%
$3,500-$3,999/wk
1.2%
$4,000+/wk
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G33 Household Income by SAL

Personal Weekly Income Distribution

$0 or less/wk
11.3%
$1-$149/wk
3.7%
$150-$299/wk
10.0%
$300-$399/wk
8.7%
$400-$499/wk
9.9%
$500-$649/wk
6.0%
$650-$799/wk
11.4%
$800-$999/wk
12.6%
$1,000-$1,249/wk
10.6%
$1,250-$1,499/wk
6.0%
$1,500-$1,749/wk
4.1%
$1,750-$1,999/wk
2.2%
$2,000-$2,999/wk
2.6%
$3,000-$3,499/wk
0.2%
$3,500+/wk
0.6%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G17 Personal Income by SAL

How People Get to Work

Car (driver)
73.2%
Did not go to work
10.8%
Car (passenger)
9.0%
Walked only
3.8%
Truck
1.2%
Bus
0.6%
Taxi/Rideshare
0.5%
Other
0.4%
Motorbike/Scooter
0.3%
Bicycle
0.2%

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

Education Level

Year 10 or equivalent
39.8%
Year 12 or equivalent
35.9%
Year 9 or equivalent
15.3%
Year 11 or equivalent
8.9%

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
59.7%
Advanced Diploma/Diploma
15.4%
Bachelor Degree
14.8%
Certificate I/II
4.3%
Graduate Diploma/Certificate
3.4%
Postgraduate Degree
2.5%

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

Field of Study

Society & Culture
21.5%
Management & Commerce
20.9%
Health
15.6%
Engineering
11.5%
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
8.9%
Education
8.4%
Architecture & Building
7.0%
Agriculture & Environment
2.5%
Information Technology
2.2%
Natural & Physical Sciences
0.9%
Creative Arts
0.6%

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

School & University Attendance

Primary: Government
30.4%
Secondary: Government
21.6%
Vocational Education
12.9%
Pre-school
10.5%
Primary: Catholic
7.7%
Secondary: Catholic
7.4%
Primary: Other Non-Govt
5.5%
Secondary: Other Non-Govt
4.0%

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
75.4%
Has need for assistance
14.0%
Need for assistance not stated
10.6%

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

Long-term Health Conditions

Mental health
767
Arthritis
231
Asthma
224
Lung condition
201
Diabetes
187
Heart disease
166
Stroke
125
Cancer
96
Kidney disease
94
Dementia
28

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

Unpaid Carers

Provided unpaid assistance
16.1% 575
Did not provide
83.9% 2,996

Source: ABS Census 2021, G25 Unpaid Assistance by SAL

Volunteering

Volunteer
12.1% 433
Not a volunteer
87.9% 3,154

Source: ABS Census 2021, G23 Voluntary Work by SAL

Military Service

Current ADF: Reserves
0.2% 7
Previously served
3.9% 141
Never served
95.9% 3,469

Source: ABS Census 2021, G22 ADF Service by SAL

Children Ever Born

No children
25.4%
1 child
12.0%
2 children
27.0%
3 children
20.3%
4 children
10.9%
5+ children
4.4%

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

When Migrants Arrived

Before 1951
13
1951: 1960
21
1961: 1970
46
1971: 1980
28
1981: 1990
30
1991: 2000
19
2001: 2010
23
2011: 2015
34
2016
9
2017
3
2018
13
2019
5
2020
3

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

Population Mobility

14.7%
moved in the last year
40.8%
moved in the last 5 years
11.3%
unemployment rate (Census)
40.2%
labour force participation

Source: ABS Census 2021, G43 Summary by SAL

Where Residents Moved From

Same address
3,786
Moved: same area (SA2)
354
Moved from NSW
238
Moved from QLD
30
Moved from overseas
11
Moved from VIC
6

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

Unpaid Domestic Work

Less than 5 hours
15.8%
5: 14 hours
21.8%
15: 29 hours
11.2%
30+ hours
10.4%
Did not do domestic work
40.9%

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

Family Blending

Intact family: no other children
71.6%
Step family: no other children
13.8%
Blended family: no other children
7.6%
Intact family: other children present
2.4%
Other couple: children only
2.4%
Blended family: other children present
2.1%

Source: ABS Census 2021, G31 Family Blending by SAL

West Kempsey Crime Statistics

441 reported offences in 2025-26, by category.

Other Against Property
183
Theft
74
Assault
67
Property Damage
44
Other Against Person
42
Drug Offences
15
Sexual Offences
9
Weapons
6
Traffic
1

Total offences by year

2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

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

Cheaper alternatives with similar incomes

South Grafton
Income: $526/wk Rent: $280/wk $10/wk less rent
Bowenfels
Income: $497/wk Rent: $185/wk $105/wk less rent
Wellington (NSW)
Income: $552/wk Rent: $230/wk $60/wk less rent
Warrawong
Income: $481/wk Rent: $270/wk $20/wk less rent
South Kempsey
Income: $527/wk Rent: $270/wk $20/wk less rent
Unanderra
Income: $563/wk Rent: $285/wk $5/wk less rent
Windale
Income: $462/wk Rent: $186/wk $104/wk less rent
Yennora
Income: $448/wk Rent: $226/wk $64/wk less rent

Suburbs near West Kempsey

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

East Kempsey
2.9 km away · income $635/wk · rent $300/wk
Frederickton
4.8 km away · income $565/wk · rent $330/wk
South Kempsey
6.7 km away · income $527/wk · rent $270/wk
Yarravel
7.0 km away · income $605/wk · rent $340/wk
Aldavilla
7.1 km away · income $624/wk · rent $350/wk
Summer Island
15.3 km away · income $919/wk · rent $450/wk

Compare West Kempsey

Frequently Asked Questions About West Kempsey

What is the population of West Kempsey NSW?

The population of West Kempsey NSW is 5,073 according to the ABS Census 2021. The suburb has a population density of 538 people per km². West Kempsey is ranked #1,548 out of 14,663 suburbs by population.

What is the median income in West Kempsey?

The median personal income in West Kempsey NSW is $493 per week, or $25,636 per year. The median household income is $925 per week. Family income is $1,213 per week. West Kempsey is ranked #8,265 by income out of 14,663 Australian suburbs.

How much is rent in West Kempsey?

Median rent in West Kempsey NSW is $290 per week ($1,257 per month). Rent represents 31.4% of household income, which is considered moderate. West Kempsey ranks #5,154 out of 14,663 suburbs by rent.

What are mortgage repayments in West Kempsey?

The median monthly mortgage repayment in West Kempsey NSW is $1,170. This data comes from the ABS Census 2021 and reflects mortgage repayments for owner-occupied dwellings.

What is the median age in West Kempsey?

The median age in West Kempsey NSW is 40 years. This is older than the national median age of 38 years.

Is West Kempsey a good suburb to live in?

West Kempsey is a suburb in New South Wales with a population of 5,073. The median income is $493/wk, which is below the typical NSW suburb ($765/wk). Rent affordability is rated as moderate (31.4% of household income). See the full suburb profile above for detailed statistics.

Explore More

Australian Average Salary Australian House Prices Sydney Cost of Living

Data: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Census of Population and Housing 2021. SA2 area: 14264. All dollar figures in AUD.