Abbey vs Kealy

Kealy is the younger of the two, with a median age of 30 against 42 in Abbey. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Abbey tends to suit older residents, while Kealy suits young adults.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Kealy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 34/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs mortgage stress.

Renters

Too close to call

Nothing among the 3 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Abbey

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 14/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Abbey

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (21% vs 10%)
  • is more walkable (23/100 vs 14/100)
  • But Kealy carries lower crime risk (10/100 vs 34/100)

Weighs smaller dwellings, who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Kealy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (192.2% vs 3.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Abbey and Kealy drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Abbey Kealy
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Abbey Kealy
Walkability 23 / 14
Abbey — Walkability: 23/100 Kealy — Walkability: 14/100
Safety 66 / 90
Abbey — Safety: 66/100 Kealy — Safety: 90/100
Low fire risk 64 / 63
Abbey — Low fire risk: 64/100 Kealy — Low fire risk: 63/100
Low flood risk 15 / 100
Abbey — Low flood risk: 15/100 Kealy — Low flood risk: 100/100

Demographics

Abbey skews older (42 vs 30).

Abbey Kealy
Population 1,321
+15% vs other
 1,119
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +3.6% +192.2%
Median age 42 30
Median household income $90,324/yr $98,540/yr
+9% vs other
Median weekly rent $410/wk $420/wk
+2% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Abbey Kealy
0-4 6.0% / 10.3%
Abbey — 0-4: 6.0% Kealy — 0-4: 10.3%
5-14 16.4% / 15.9%
Abbey — 5-14: 16.4% Kealy — 5-14: 15.9%
15-19 5.9% / 4.6%
Abbey — 15-19: 5.9% Kealy — 15-19: 4.6%
20-24 3.8% / 7.1%
Abbey — 20-24: 3.8% Kealy — 20-24: 7.1%
25-34 7.6% / 22.2%
Abbey — 25-34: 7.6% Kealy — 25-34: 22.2%
35-44 13.4% / 15.2%
Abbey — 35-44: 13.4% Kealy — 35-44: 15.2%
45-54 14.0% / 8.5%
Abbey — 45-54: 14.0% Kealy — 45-54: 8.5%
55-64 12.8% / 7.1%
Abbey — 55-64: 12.8% Kealy — 55-64: 7.1%
65-74 13.9% / 6.6%
Abbey — 65-74: 13.9% Kealy — 65-74: 6.6%
75-84 4.8% / 2.6%
Abbey — 75-84: 4.8% Kealy — 75-84: 2.6%
85+ 2.0% / 0.4%
Abbey — 85+: 2.0% Kealy — 85+: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.2%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Abbey 53.4% couple families
Abbey — Couple Families: 53.4% Abbey — Lone Person: 26.7% Abbey — One Parent Families: 15.5% Abbey — Group Household: 3.0% Abbey — Other Families: 1.4%
Kealy 52.6% couple families
Kealy — Couple Families: 52.6% Kealy — Lone Person: 26.7% Kealy — One Parent Families: 15.1% Kealy — Group Household: 5.6% Kealy — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Abbey 24.5% renting
Abbey — Owned Outright: 39.6% Abbey — Mortgage: 35.9% Abbey — Renting: 24.5%
Kealy 23.5% renting
Kealy — Owned Outright: 14.7% Kealy — Mortgage: 61.9% Kealy — Renting: 23.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Abbey Kealy
Certificate III & IV 20.0% / 21.2%
Abbey — Certificate III & IV: 20.0% Kealy — Certificate III & IV: 21.2%
Bachelor Degree 11.7% / 8.8%
Abbey — Bachelor Degree: 11.7% Kealy — Bachelor Degree: 8.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.7% / 6.8%
Abbey — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.7% Kealy — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.5% / 0.9%
Abbey — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.5% Kealy — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.9%
Postgraduate Degree 1.9% / 0.8%
Abbey — Postgraduate Degree: 1.9% Kealy — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.2%).

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Abbey Kealy
England 6.8% / 6.3%
Abbey — England: 6.8% Kealy — England: 6.3%
New Zealand 2.0% / 2.8%
Abbey — New Zealand: 2.0% Kealy — New Zealand: 2.8%
South Africa 1.1% / 1.9%
Abbey — South Africa: 1.1% Kealy — South Africa: 1.9%
Scotland 0.8% / 0.7%
Abbey — Scotland: 0.8% Kealy — Scotland: 0.7%
Nepal — / 0.8%
Abbey — Nepal: not among its largest Kealy — Nepal: 0.8%
Philippines — / 0.7%
Abbey — Philippines: not among its largest Kealy — Philippines: 0.7%
Sri Lanka 0.5% / —
Abbey — Sri Lanka: 0.5% Kealy — Sri Lanka: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Abbey 95.6% houses
Abbey — Houses: 95.6% Abbey — Flats / Apartments: 0.9% Abbey — Townhouses: 3.5%
Kealy 91.9% houses
Kealy — Houses: 91.9% Kealy — Flats / Apartments: 5.6% Kealy — Townhouses: 2.5%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Abbey Kealy
Median house price $1,737,500 —
Median unit price $1,100,000 —
Median land price $1,150,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 31 days
from 9 sales
 —

Development activity

Abbey Kealy
New dwellings approved 440
across Busselton
same for both
Approvals change year on year +9%
same for both

Gross rental yield

Gross — before strata, rates, management, insurance and vacancy. From median advertised rents and median asking prices over the last 6 months. How we calculate.

Abbey Kealy
Houses 2.8%
$870/wk on $1.6M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within WA

Abbey Kealy
House price —
same for both
Income Higher than 54% of WA Higher than 66% of WA
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 76% of WA Higher than 73% of WA
Affordability —
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 44% of WA Higher than 45% of WA
NBN connectivity Higher than 78% of WA Higher than 98% of WA
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 4% of WA —

Liveability

Abbey is more walkable (23 vs 14); Kealy scores higher overall (55 vs 34).

Abbey Kealy
Grade C B
Score 34/100 55/100
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Abbey carries more flood risk (85 vs 0); Abbey carries more crime risk (34 vs 10).

Abbey Kealy
Bushfire Low
36/100
 Low
37/100
Crime Low
34/100
 Low
10/100
Flood High
85/100
 None
0/100
Coastal erosion High
75/100
 None
0/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Abbey Kealy
Inside the suburb 0
same for both
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Amenities in the suburb

Abbey Kealy
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 1 2
Beaches 1 0
Waterways 5 1

Mobility

Abbey Kealy
Walkability score 23/100 14/100
Distance to Perth 232.9 km 233.5 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 156 min 155 min
Public transport score 35/100
Bus
 23/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 2.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
 14 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 6280
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 58
postcode 6280
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Abbey Kealy
Car (driver) 78.4% / 83.5%
Abbey — Car (driver): 78.4% Kealy — Car (driver): 83.5%
Worked from Home 10.9% / 4.5%
Abbey — Worked from Home: 10.9% Kealy — Worked from Home: 4.5%
Car (passenger) 5.0% / 8.2%
Abbey — Car (passenger): 5.0% Kealy — Car (passenger): 8.2%
Bus 2.3% / 2.5%
Abbey — Bus: 2.3% Kealy — Bus: 2.5%
Walked Only 1.6% / 1.2%
Abbey — Walked Only: 1.6% Kealy — Walked Only: 1.2%
Bicycle 1.7% / —
Abbey — Bicycle: 1.7% Kealy — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (83.5%).

Setting

Abbey Kealy
Elevation 7 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 809 m
922 m to a named beach
 1.1 km
2.4 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Abbey Kealy
Connectivity score 65/100 99/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 36%
669 premises
 98%
454 premises

Climate

Abbey Kealy
Annual rainfall 624 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Council rates

Abbey Kealy
Average residential rate $3,028/yr
same for both
Council Busselton
same for both

Federal electorate

Abbey Kealy
Division Forrest
same for both
Member Ben Small
same for both
Party Liberal
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Abbey Kealy
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $800,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Abbey

Acreage Beach Coastal Family Premium Quiet River

Kealy

Acreage Coastal Family Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Abbey

Abbey vs Broadwater Abbey vs Vasse Abbey vs Siesta Park

Other comparisons with Kealy

Kealy vs Vasse Kealy vs Marybrook Kealy vs Siesta Park
Full data on Abbey Full data on Kealy
Unlock full address-level data — $29/month

Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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