Abernethy vs Kearsley

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Abernethy, most households are couple families. In Kearsley, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Abernethy: a median of $838,000, against $770,000 in Kearsley, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Abernethy tends to suit couples.

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

Abernethy

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 72/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (77% vs 68%)
  • But Kearsley has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Abernethy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 25%)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kearsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($315/wk vs $360/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Too close to call

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

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Abernethy

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (49/100 vs 72/100)

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

Investors

Kearsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-2.7% vs -8.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Abernethy Kearsley
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.

Abernethy Kearsley
Walkability 10 / 17
Abernethy — Walkability: 10/100 Kearsley — Walkability: 17/100
Safety 51 / 28
Abernethy — Safety: 51/100 Kearsley — Safety: 28/100
Low fire risk 54 / 26
Abernethy — Low fire risk: 54/100 Kearsley — Low fire risk: 26/100

Demographics

Kearsley has more residents (838 vs 317); Abernethy has higher household incomes ($107,588 vs $76,284).

Abernethy Kearsley
Population 317 838
+164% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -8.9% -2.7%
Median age 37 38
Median household income $107,588/yr
+29% vs other
 $76,284/yr
Median weekly rent $360/wk
+12% vs other
 $315/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Abernethy Kearsley
0-4 4.7% / 5.3%
Abernethy — 0-4: 4.7% Kearsley — 0-4: 5.3%
5-14 13.6% / 13.6%
Abernethy — 5-14: 13.6% Kearsley — 5-14: 13.6%
15-19 9.5% / 8.0%
Abernethy — 15-19: 9.5% Kearsley — 15-19: 8.0%
20-24 3.5% / 5.8%
Abernethy — 20-24: 3.5% Kearsley — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 12.9% / 12.4%
Abernethy — 25-34: 12.9% Kearsley — 25-34: 12.4%
35-44 11.4% / 11.0%
Abernethy — 35-44: 11.4% Kearsley — 35-44: 11.0%
45-54 20.8% / 14.9%
Abernethy — 45-54: 20.8% Kearsley — 45-54: 14.9%
55-64 12.3% / 13.8%
Abernethy — 55-64: 12.3% Kearsley — 55-64: 13.8%
65-74 7.3% / 10.1%
Abernethy — 65-74: 7.3% Kearsley — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 2.5% / 4.4%
Abernethy — 75-84: 2.5% Kearsley — 75-84: 4.4%
85+ 0.9% / —
Abernethy — 85+: 0.9% Kearsley — 85+: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Abernethy 55.4% couple families
Abernethy — Couple Families: 55.4% Abernethy — Lone Person: 18.9% Abernethy — One Parent Families: 21.6% Abernethy — Other Families: 4.1% Abernethy — Group Household: 0.0%
Kearsley 45.3% couple families
Kearsley — Couple Families: 45.3% Kearsley — Lone Person: 29.7% Kearsley — One Parent Families: 22.2% Kearsley — Other Families: 0.0% Kearsley — Group Household: 2.8%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Abernethy 8.4% renting
Abernethy — Owned Outright: 29.5% Abernethy — Mortgage: 62.1% Abernethy — Renting: 8.4%
Kearsley 14.3% renting
Kearsley — Owned Outright: 40.9% Kearsley — Mortgage: 44.8% Kearsley — Renting: 14.3%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

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.

Abernethy Kearsley
England 2.8% / 1.4%
Abernethy — England: 2.8% Kearsley — England: 1.4%
Philippines 1.6% / 0.6%
Abernethy — Philippines: 1.6% Kearsley — Philippines: 0.6%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.1%
Abernethy — New Zealand: 0.9% Kearsley — New Zealand: 1.1%
South Africa — / 0.5%
Abernethy — South Africa: not among its largest Kearsley — South Africa: 0.5%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.8%).

Qualifications

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

Abernethy Kearsley
Certificate III & IV 26.8% / 23.5%
Abernethy — Certificate III & IV: 26.8% Kearsley — Certificate III & IV: 23.5%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.0% / 5.0%
Abernethy — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.0% Kearsley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0%
Bachelor Degree 5.0% / 3.8%
Abernethy — Bachelor Degree: 5.0% Kearsley — Bachelor Degree: 3.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 0.4%
Abernethy — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Kearsley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4%
Postgraduate Degree — / 1.1%
Abernethy — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Kearsley — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.8%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Abernethy 101.0% houses
Abernethy — Houses: 101.0% Abernethy — Townhouses: 0.0%
Kearsley 98.6% houses
Kearsley — Houses: 98.6% Kearsley — Townhouses: 1.7%
Houses Townhouses

Property market

Abernethy Kearsley
Median house price $837,500 $770,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 4 sales
 43 days
from 9 sales

Zoning mix

Abernethy has more land zoned for conservation (64% vs 9%); Kearsley has more rural and farming land (66% vs 35%).

Abernethy Kearsley
Rural and farming 35% 66%
Environmental 64% 9%
Residential 0% 17%
Infrastructure and transport 1% 7%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Abernethy Kearsley
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Abernethy Kearsley
House price Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 27% of NSW
Income Higher than 73% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 88% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW

Liveability

Abernethy Kearsley
Grade — D
Score — 17/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Kearsley carries more bushfire risk (74 vs 46); Kearsley carries more crime risk (72 vs 49).

Abernethy Kearsley
Bushfire Moderate
46/100
 High
74/100
Crime Moderate
49/100
 High
72/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 2
within 5 km

Schools

Abernethy Kearsley
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0 1
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Abernethy

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Schools in Kearsley

  • Kearsley Public School Government · Primary above peers

Amenities in the suburb

Abernethy Kearsley
Parks & reserves 1 2
Waterways 1 2

Mobility

Abernethy Kearsley
Walkability score 10/100 17/100
Distance to Sydney 149.4 km 148.7 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 113 min 114 min
Public transport score 27/100
Bus
 37/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 11.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
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.

Abernethy Kearsley
Car (driver) 82.4% / 79.4%
Abernethy — Car (driver): 82.4% Kearsley — Car (driver): 79.4%
Worked from Home 17.6% / 13.6%
Abernethy — Worked from Home: 17.6% Kearsley — Worked from Home: 13.6%
Car (passenger) — / 5.1%
Abernethy — Car (passenger): not among its largest Kearsley — Car (passenger): 5.1%
Train — / 0.9%
Abernethy — Train: not among its largest Kearsley — Train: 0.9%
Walked Only — / 0.9%
Abernethy — Walked Only: not among its largest Kearsley — Walked Only: 0.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (82.4%).

Setting

Abernethy Kearsley
Elevation 84 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 30.9 km 33.7 km

NBN connectivity

Abernethy Kearsley
Connectivity score 29/100 60/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
128 premises
 31%
328 premises

Climate

Abernethy Kearsley
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Abernethy Kearsley
PM2.5 6.1 µg/m³ 6.3 µg/m³
PM10 16.5 µg/m³ 17.5 µg/m³
NO₂ 0.53 pphm 0.72 pphm

Council rates

Abernethy Kearsley
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Abernethy Kearsley
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Abernethy Kearsley
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Abernethy

Acreage River

Kearsley

Acreage

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Abernethy

Abernethy vs Kitchener Abernethy vs Quorrobolong Abernethy vs Elrington

Other comparisons with Kearsley

Kearsley vs Cessnock Kearsley vs Aberdare Kearsley vs Kitchener Kearsley vs Neath Kearsley vs Elrington
Full data on Abernethy Full data on Kearsley
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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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