Belmore River vs Crescent Head

In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Belmore River, most households are couple families. In Crescent Head, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Crescent Head: a median of $1.2 million, against $748,000 in Belmore River, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Belmore River tends to suit couples and buyers on a tighter budget, while Crescent Head suits people living alone.

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

Belmore River

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 84/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 46%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (95% vs 82%)
  • But Crescent Head has more parks and reserves (5 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Belmore River

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($748,000 vs $1,200,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Belmore River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($230/wk vs $320/wk)
  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 24%)

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

Commuting to the city

Crescent Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (437.8 km vs 446.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Belmore River carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 84/100)
  • Crescent Head has more units and townhouses to downsize into (18% vs 5%)

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

Investors

Crescent Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (6.7% vs -0.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Belmore River Crescent Head
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.

Belmore River Crescent Head
Walkability 0 / 0
Belmore River — Walkability: 0/100 Crescent Head — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 66 / 16
Belmore River — Safety: 66/100 Crescent Head — Safety: 16/100
Low fire risk 32 / 24
Belmore River — Low fire risk: 32/100 Crescent Head — Low fire risk: 24/100

Demographics

Crescent Head has more residents (1,633 vs 268); Crescent Head rents higher ($320/wk vs $230/wk).

Belmore River Crescent Head
Population 268 1,633
+509% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.4% +6.7%
Median age 51 50
Median household income $67,184/yr $68,484/yr
+2% vs other
Median weekly rent $230/wk $320/wk
+39% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Belmore River Crescent Head
0-4 6.7% / 4.8%
Belmore River — 0-4: 6.7% Crescent Head — 0-4: 4.8%
5-14 12.3% / 10.4%
Belmore River — 5-14: 12.3% Crescent Head — 5-14: 10.4%
15-19 4.1% / 4.3%
Belmore River — 15-19: 4.1% Crescent Head — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 4.9% / 3.4%
Belmore River — 20-24: 4.9% Crescent Head — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 8.2% / 9.0%
Belmore River — 25-34: 8.2% Crescent Head — 25-34: 9.0%
35-44 9.7% / 10.1%
Belmore River — 35-44: 9.7% Crescent Head — 35-44: 10.1%
45-54 10.8% / 12.9%
Belmore River — 45-54: 10.8% Crescent Head — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 18.7% / 18.7%
Belmore River — 55-64: 18.7% Crescent Head — 55-64: 18.7%
65-74 20.1% / 17.5%
Belmore River — 65-74: 20.1% Crescent Head — 65-74: 17.5%
75-84 8.6% / 6.5%
Belmore River — 75-84: 8.6% Crescent Head — 75-84: 6.5%
85+ — / 1.6%
Belmore River — 85+: not among its largest Crescent Head — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Belmore River 57.1% couple families
Belmore River — Couple Families: 57.1% Belmore River — Lone Person: 37.5% Belmore River — One Parent Families: 5.4% Belmore River — Group Household: 0.0% Belmore River — Other Families: 0.0%
Crescent Head 30.0% couple families
Crescent Head — Couple Families: 30.0% Crescent Head — Lone Person: 46.5% Crescent Head — One Parent Families: 16.3% Crescent Head — Group Household: 6.3% Crescent Head — Other Families: 0.9%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Belmore River 18.2% renting
Belmore River — Owned Outright: 54.5% Belmore River — Mortgage: 27.3% Belmore River — Renting: 18.2%
Crescent Head 24.9% renting
Crescent Head — Owned Outright: 52.0% Crescent Head — Mortgage: 23.0% Crescent Head — Renting: 24.9%
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.

Belmore River Crescent Head
England 1.9% / 3.3%
Belmore River — England: 1.9% Crescent Head — England: 3.3%
New Zealand — / 1.2%
Belmore River — New Zealand: not among its largest Crescent Head — New Zealand: 1.2%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Belmore River — Philippines: not among its largest Crescent Head — Philippines: 0.8%
Germany — / 0.7%
Belmore River — Germany: not among its largest Crescent Head — Germany: 0.7%
South Africa — / 0.6%
Belmore River — South Africa: not among its largest Crescent Head — South Africa: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

Qualifications

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

Belmore River Crescent Head
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 19.4%
Belmore River — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Crescent Head — Certificate III & IV: 19.4%
Bachelor Degree 5.2% / 12.6%
Belmore River — Bachelor Degree: 5.2% Crescent Head — Bachelor Degree: 12.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 8.5%
Belmore River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Crescent Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.5%
Postgraduate Degree — / 2.3%
Belmore River — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Crescent Head — Postgraduate Degree: 2.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.1%
Belmore River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Crescent Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.5%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Belmore River 94.7% houses
Belmore River — Houses: 94.7% Belmore River — Flats / Apartments: 5.3% Belmore River — Townhouses: 0.0%
Crescent Head 82.3% houses
Crescent Head — Houses: 82.3% Crescent Head — Flats / Apartments: 8.8% Crescent Head — Townhouses: 8.9%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Belmore River Crescent Head
Median house price $748,000 $1,200,000
Median unit price — $665,000
Median land price — $783,500
Typical days to sell (houses) — 80 days
from 14 sales

Zoning mix

Belmore River has more rural and farming land (84% vs 39%); Crescent Head has more land zoned for conservation (60% vs 16%).

Belmore River Crescent Head
Rural and farming 84% 39%
Environmental 16% 60%
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

Belmore River Crescent Head
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
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.

Belmore River Crescent Head
Houses — 2.3%
$600/wk on $1.38M
Units — 3.5%
$465/wk on $686K

Ranking within NSW

Belmore River Crescent Head
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW
Income Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 32% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 70% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 4% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 11% of NSW

Liveability

Belmore River Crescent Head
Grade — D
Score — 17/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Crescent Head carries more crime risk (84 vs 34).

Belmore River Crescent Head
Bushfire Moderate
68/100
 High
76/100
Crime Low
34/100
 High
84/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
28/100
 Moderate
60/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Belmore River Crescent Head
Inside the suburb 0 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 1

Schools in Belmore River

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

Schools in Crescent Head

  • Crescent Head Public School Government · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Belmore River Crescent Head
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 5
Childcare 0 2
GPs 0 1
Pharmacies 0 1
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 2
Waterways 3 9

Mobility

Belmore River sits further from the CBD (446.9 km vs 437.8 km).

Belmore River Crescent Head
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 446.9 km
+2% vs other
 437.8 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 299 min 296 min
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2440
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2440
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.

Belmore River Crescent Head
Car (driver) 73.6% / 72.8%
Belmore River — Car (driver): 73.6% Crescent Head — Car (driver): 72.8%
Worked from Home 18.4% / 16.5%
Belmore River — Worked from Home: 18.4% Crescent Head — Worked from Home: 16.5%
Walked Only 4.6% / 6.4%
Belmore River — Walked Only: 4.6% Crescent Head — Walked Only: 6.4%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 4.3%
Belmore River — Car (passenger): 3.4% Crescent Head — Car (passenger): 4.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (73.6%).

Setting

Belmore River Crescent Head
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 4 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.3 km 3.7 km
3.9 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Belmore River Crescent Head
Connectivity score 29/100 61/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
119 premises
 18%
971 premises

Council rates

Belmore River Crescent Head
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

Belmore River Crescent Head
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Belmore River Crescent Head
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Belmore River

Retirees Rural

Crescent Head

Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Belmore River

Belmore River vs South Kempsey Belmore River vs Gladstone Belmore River vs Hat Head Belmore River vs Verges Creek Belmore River vs Kinchela Belmore River vs Austral Eden

Other comparisons with Crescent Head

Crescent Head vs South Kempsey Crescent Head vs Kundabung Crescent Head vs Cooperabung
Full data on Belmore River Full data on Crescent Head
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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