Bombo vs Kiama

Bombo is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 52 in Kiama. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Bombo, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Bombo: a median of $2 million, against $1.59 million in Kiama, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Bombo tends to suit couples, while Kiama suits people living alone, older residents, and buyers on a tighter budget.

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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Bombo has more separate houses rather than flats (86% vs 55%)
  • Kiama has more parks and reserves (17 vs 2)

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

First-home buyers

Kiama

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,595,000 vs $2,000,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Bombo leaves renters under less rental stress (24% vs 30%)
  • Kiama has cheaper rent ($478/wk vs $610/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Bombo sits closer to the CBD (120 km vs 123 km)
  • Kiama is more walkable (84/100 vs 41/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kiama

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (45% vs 14%)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (32% vs 15%)
  • But Bombo carries lower crime risk (46/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Bombo

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (56.2% vs 14.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Bombo Kiama
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.

Bombo Kiama
Walkability 41 / 84
Bombo — Walkability: 41/100 Kiama — Walkability: 84/100
Safety 54 / 41
Bombo — Safety: 54/100 Kiama — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Bombo — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kiama — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kiama has more residents (7,904 vs 175); Bombo has higher household incomes ($134,888 vs $81,744).

Bombo Kiama
Population 175 7,904
+4417% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +56.2% +14.9%
Median age 40 52
Median household income $134,888/yr
+39% vs other
 $81,744/yr
Median weekly rent $610/wk
+22% vs other
 $478/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Bombo Kiama
0-4 5.7% / 4.4%
Bombo — 0-4: 5.7% Kiama — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 9.7% / 10.1%
Bombo — 5-14: 9.7% Kiama — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 10.3% / 4.5%
Bombo — 15-19: 10.3% Kiama — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 5.1% / 3.8%
Bombo — 20-24: 5.1% Kiama — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 12.0% / 9.1%
Bombo — 25-34: 12.0% Kiama — 25-34: 9.1%
35-44 12.0% / 10.0%
Bombo — 35-44: 12.0% Kiama — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 20.0% / 10.9%
Bombo — 45-54: 20.0% Kiama — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 7.4% / 14.9%
Bombo — 55-64: 7.4% Kiama — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 11.4% / 16.5%
Bombo — 65-74: 11.4% Kiama — 65-74: 16.5%
75-84 1.7% / 11.0%
Bombo — 75-84: 1.7% Kiama — 75-84: 11.0%
85+ 2.3% / 4.9%
Bombo — 85+: 2.3% Kiama — 85+: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Bombo 69.7% couple families
Bombo — Couple Families: 69.7% Bombo — Lone Person: 21.2% Bombo — One Parent Families: 0.0% Bombo — Group Household: 9.1% Bombo — Other Families: 0.0%
Kiama 37.5% couple families
Kiama — Couple Families: 37.5% Kiama — Lone Person: 44.7% Kiama — One Parent Families: 12.9% Kiama — Group Household: 3.4% Kiama — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Bombo 25.5% renting
Bombo — Owned Outright: 29.1% Bombo — Mortgage: 45.5% Bombo — Renting: 25.5%
Kiama 24.0% renting
Kiama — Owned Outright: 48.6% Kiama — Mortgage: 27.4% Kiama — Renting: 24.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Bombo Kiama
Certificate III & IV 18.9% / 14.7%
Bombo — Certificate III & IV: 18.9% Kiama — Certificate III & IV: 14.7%
Bachelor Degree 16.6% / 16.6%
Bombo — Bachelor Degree: 16.6% Kiama — Bachelor Degree: 16.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 10.5%
Bombo — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% Kiama — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5%
Postgraduate Degree 2.9% / 6.0%
Bombo — Postgraduate Degree: 2.9% Kiama — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 2.3% / 3.3%
Bombo — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 2.3% Kiama — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.9%).

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.

Bombo Kiama
England 6.3% / 6.3%
Bombo — England: 6.3% Kiama — England: 6.3%
Scotland 2.3% / 0.8%
Bombo — Scotland: 2.3% Kiama — Scotland: 0.8%
South Africa 1.7% / 0.6%
Bombo — South Africa: 1.7% Kiama — South Africa: 0.6%
New Zealand — / 1.4%
Bombo — New Zealand: not among its largest Kiama — New Zealand: 1.4%
Germany — / 0.7%
Bombo — Germany: not among its largest Kiama — Germany: 0.7%
China — / 0.6%
Bombo — China: not among its largest Kiama — China: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Bombo 86.4% houses
Bombo — Houses: 86.4% Bombo — Townhouses: 13.6% Bombo — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Kiama 55.4% houses
Kiama — Houses: 55.4% Kiama — Townhouses: 24.1% Kiama — Flats / Apartments: 20.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Bombo Kiama
Median house price $2,000,000 $1,595,000
Median unit price — $905,000
Median land price — $870,000
Typical days to sell (houses) — 33 days
from 77 sales

Zoning mix

Bombo Kiama
Rural and farming 42% 35%
Residential 5% 34%
Infrastructure and transport 26% 6%
Environmental 17% 11%
Parks and recreation 8% 10%
Commercial 0% 3%
Planning zones cover 98% of Bombo and 100% of Kiama. The rest is unzoned land such as water or road reserve.
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

Bombo Kiama
New dwellings approved 159
across Kiama
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Bombo Kiama
Houses — 2.6%
$850/wk on $1.68M
Units — 3.3%
$675/wk on $1.05M

Ranking within NSW

Bombo Kiama
House price Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Income Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 50% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 18% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 88% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 100% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 9% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Kiama is more walkable (84 vs 41).

Bombo Kiama
Grade — B
Score — 56/100
Socio-economic band advantaged area
decile 8/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Kiama carries more crime risk (59 vs 46).

Bombo Kiama
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Moderate
46/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion Low
26/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 3
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Bombo Kiama
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Bombo

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

Schools in Kiama

  • Kiama High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Kiama Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Bombo Kiama
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 40
Parks & reserves 2 17
Childcare 0 6
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 2 3
Waterways 0 9

Mobility

Kiama sits further from the CBD (123 km vs 120 km).

Bombo Kiama
Walkability score 41/100 84/100
Distance to Sydney 120 km 123 km
+2% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 106 min
same for both
Public transport score 43/100
Rail · Bus
 81/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 7.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 57.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 7.5 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2533
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2533
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.

Bombo Kiama
Car (driver) 75.3% / 59.1%
Bombo — Car (driver): 75.3% Kiama — Car (driver): 59.1%
Worked from Home 24.7% / 32.3%
Bombo — Worked from Home: 24.7% Kiama — Worked from Home: 32.3%
Walked Only — / 4.1%
Bombo — Walked Only: not among its largest Kiama — Walked Only: 4.1%
Car (passenger) — / 2.8%
Bombo — Car (passenger): not among its largest Kiama — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Train — / 1.0%
Bombo — Train: not among its largest Kiama — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (75.3%).

Setting

Bombo Kiama
Elevation 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 426 m
665 m to a named beach
 986 m
976 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Bombo Kiama
Connectivity score 100/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 100%
86 premises
 100%
4,900 premises

Climate

Bombo Kiama
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Bombo Kiama
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Bombo Kiama
Average residential rate $1,898/yr
same for both
Council Kiama
same for both

Federal electorate

Bombo Kiama
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Bombo Kiama
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Bombo

Beach Coastal Parks Premium Professionals Trains

Kiama

Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Parks Professionals Retirees Townhouses Transport Hub Village Feel

More comparisons

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Bombo vs Kiama Downs

Other comparisons with Kiama

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Full data on Bombo Full data on Kiama
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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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