Belmore River vs Hat Head

Belmore River is the younger of the two, with a median age of 51 against 60 in Hat 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 Hat Head, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Hat Head: a median of $1.1 million, against $748,000 in Belmore River, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Belmore River tends to suit families with children, couples, and buyers on a tighter budget, while Hat Head suits people living alone and older residents.

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 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (34/100 vs 77/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (62% vs 38%)

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

First-home buyers

Belmore River

ahead on 2 of the 2 things we measure here

  • leaves households under less mortgage stress (23% vs 43%)
  • has cheaper houses ($748,000 vs $1,100,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Belmore River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (18% vs 28%)
  • has cheaper rent ($230/wk vs $275/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Belmore River

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (299 min vs 312 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (446.9 km vs 455.8 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 77/100)
  • Hat Head has more residents already 65 and over (37% vs 29%)

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

Investors

Hat Head

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (17.4% vs -0.4%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Belmore River and Hat 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 Hat 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 Hat Head
Walkability 0 / 0
Belmore River — Walkability: 0/100 Hat Head — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 66 / 23
Belmore River — Safety: 66/100 Hat Head — Safety: 23/100
Low fire risk 32 / 25
Belmore River — Low fire risk: 32/100 Hat Head — Low fire risk: 25/100

Demographics

Hat Head has more residents (365 vs 268); Belmore River has higher household incomes ($67,184 vs $51,480).

Belmore River Hat Head
Population 268 365
+36% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.4% +17.4%
Median age 51 60
Median household income $67,184/yr
+23% vs other
 $51,480/yr
Median weekly rent $230/wk $275/wk
+20% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Belmore River Hat Head
0-4 6.7% / 1.9%
Belmore River — 0-4: 6.7% Hat Head — 0-4: 1.9%
5-14 12.3% / 4.9%
Belmore River — 5-14: 12.3% Hat Head — 5-14: 4.9%
15-19 4.1% / 1.6%
Belmore River — 15-19: 4.1% Hat Head — 15-19: 1.6%
20-24 4.9% / 3.0%
Belmore River — 20-24: 4.9% Hat Head — 20-24: 3.0%
25-34 8.2% / 7.9%
Belmore River — 25-34: 8.2% Hat Head — 25-34: 7.9%
35-44 9.7% / 7.4%
Belmore River — 35-44: 9.7% Hat Head — 35-44: 7.4%
45-54 10.8% / 8.2%
Belmore River — 45-54: 10.8% Hat Head — 45-54: 8.2%
55-64 18.7% / 26.3%
Belmore River — 55-64: 18.7% Hat Head — 55-64: 26.3%
65-74 20.1% / 23.6%
Belmore River — 65-74: 20.1% Hat Head — 65-74: 23.6%
75-84 8.6% / 11.8%
Belmore River — 75-84: 8.6% Hat Head — 75-84: 11.8%
85+ — / 1.9%
Belmore River — 85+: not among its largest Hat Head — 85+: 1.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (26.3%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Belmore River 37.5% lone person
Belmore River — Lone Person: 37.5% Belmore River — Couple Families: 57.1% Belmore River — One Parent Families: 5.4% Belmore River — Group Household: 0.0%
Hat Head 56.0% lone person
Hat Head — Lone Person: 56.0% Hat Head — Couple Families: 25.0% Hat Head — One Parent Families: 13.0% Hat Head — Group Household: 6.0%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household

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%
Hat Head 19.5% renting
Hat Head — Owned Outright: 61.0% Hat Head — Mortgage: 19.5% Hat Head — Renting: 19.5%
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 Hat Head
England 1.9% / 3.0%
Belmore River — England: 1.9% Hat Head — England: 3.0%
Malaysia — / 1.4%
Belmore River — Malaysia: not among its largest Hat Head — Malaysia: 1.4%
Germany — / 1.4%
Belmore River — Germany: not among its largest Hat Head — Germany: 1.4%
New Zealand — / 1.1%
Belmore River — New Zealand: not among its largest Hat Head — New Zealand: 1.1%
Netherlands — / 0.8%
Belmore River — Netherlands: not among its largest Hat Head — Netherlands: 0.8%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.0%).

Qualifications

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

Belmore River Hat Head
Certificate III & IV 20.5% / 21.6%
Belmore River — Certificate III & IV: 20.5% Hat Head — Certificate III & IV: 21.6%
Bachelor Degree 5.2% / 13.7%
Belmore River — Bachelor Degree: 5.2% Hat Head — Bachelor Degree: 13.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 4.9% / 5.2%
Belmore River — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.9% Hat Head — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.2%
Postgraduate Degree — / 3.6%
Belmore River — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest Hat Head — Postgraduate Degree: 3.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate — / 2.7%
Belmore River — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest Hat Head — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.6%).

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%
Hat Head 85.5% houses
Hat Head — Houses: 85.5% Hat Head — Flats / Apartments: 9.7% Hat Head — Townhouses: 4.8%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Belmore River Hat Head
Median house price $748,000 $1,100,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both

Zoning mix

Belmore River has more rural and farming land (84% vs 3%); Hat Head has more land zoned for conservation (97% vs 16%).

Belmore River Hat Head
Environmental 16% 97%
Rural and farming 84% 3%
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 Hat Head
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Belmore River Hat Head
House price Higher than 29% of NSW Higher than 57% of NSW
Income Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 31% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 14% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 47% of NSW Higher than 53% of NSW

Liveability

Belmore River Hat Head
Grade —
same for both
Score —
same for both
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
same for both

Risk profile

Hat Head carries more crime risk (77 vs 34).

Belmore River Hat Head
Bushfire Moderate
68/100
 High
75/100
Crime Low
34/100
 High
77/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
28/100
 Moderate
50/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Belmore River Hat Head
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

Belmore River Hat Head
Parks & reserves 0 1
Beaches 0 3
Waterways 3
same for both

Mobility

Hat Head sits further from the CBD (455.8 km vs 446.9 km).

Belmore River Hat Head
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 446.9 km 455.8 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 299 min 312 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 Hat Head
Car (driver) 73.6% / 80.3%
Belmore River — Car (driver): 73.6% Hat Head — Car (driver): 80.3%
Worked from Home 18.4% / 9.4%
Belmore River — Worked from Home: 18.4% Hat Head — Worked from Home: 9.4%
Walked Only 4.6% / 5.1%
Belmore River — Walked Only: 4.6% Hat Head — Walked Only: 5.1%
Car (passenger) 3.4% / 5.1%
Belmore River — Car (passenger): 3.4% Hat Head — Car (passenger): 5.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (80.3%).

Setting

Belmore River Hat Head
Elevation 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 17 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 5.3 km 1.9 km
2.7 km to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Belmore River Hat Head
Connectivity score 29/100 30/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
119 premises
 0%
271 premises

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

Belmore River Hat 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

Hat Head

Coastal Retirees Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Belmore River

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

Other comparisons with Hat Head

Hat Head vs Kinchela
Full data on Belmore River Full data on Hat Head
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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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