Dondingalong vs South Kempsey

South Kempsey is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 51 in Dondingalong. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Dondingalong, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Dondingalong: a median of $620,000, against $415,000 in South Kempsey, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Dondingalong tends to suit couples, while South Kempsey suits families with children 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

  • Dondingalong carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 97/100)
  • South Kempsey has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

South Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($320,000 vs $665,000)
  • has cheaper houses ($415,000 vs $620,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

South Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 11%)
  • has cheaper rent ($270/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

South Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • sits closer to the CBD (421.4 km vs 432.2 km)
  • has a shorter drive in (289 min vs 296 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Dondingalong

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • carries lower crime risk (57/100 vs 97/100)

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

Investors

South Kempsey

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (13.1% vs 7.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Dondingalong South Kempsey
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.

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Walkability 0 / 0
Dondingalong — Walkability: 0/100 South Kempsey — Walkability: 0/100
Safety 43 / 3
Dondingalong — Safety: 43/100 South Kempsey — Safety: 3/100
Low fire risk 46 / 33
Dondingalong — Low fire risk: 46/100 South Kempsey — Low fire risk: 33/100

Demographics

South Kempsey has more residents (2,604 vs 712); Dondingalong rents higher ($330/wk vs $270/wk).

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Population 712 2,604
+266% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.2% +13.1%
Median age 51 42
Median household income $60,528/yr
+8% vs other
 $55,848/yr
Median weekly rent $330/wk
+18% vs other
 $270/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Dondingalong South Kempsey
0-4 5.2% / 5.6%
Dondingalong — 0-4: 5.2% South Kempsey — 0-4: 5.6%
5-14 9.6% / 15.4%
Dondingalong — 5-14: 9.6% South Kempsey — 5-14: 15.4%
15-19 6.0% / 7.0%
Dondingalong — 15-19: 6.0% South Kempsey — 15-19: 7.0%
20-24 4.9% / 4.6%
Dondingalong — 20-24: 4.9% South Kempsey — 20-24: 4.6%
25-34 9.0% / 10.5%
Dondingalong — 25-34: 9.0% South Kempsey — 25-34: 10.5%
35-44 7.4% / 10.8%
Dondingalong — 35-44: 7.4% South Kempsey — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 13.8% / 12.9%
Dondingalong — 45-54: 13.8% South Kempsey — 45-54: 12.9%
55-64 21.8% / 14.2%
Dondingalong — 55-64: 21.8% South Kempsey — 55-64: 14.2%
65-74 14.3% / 11.6%
Dondingalong — 65-74: 14.3% South Kempsey — 65-74: 11.6%
75-84 6.2% / 6.1%
Dondingalong — 75-84: 6.2% South Kempsey — 75-84: 6.1%
85+ 1.4% / 1.4%
Dondingalong — 85+: 1.4% South Kempsey — 85+: 1.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (21.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Dondingalong 46.4% couple families
Dondingalong — Couple Families: 46.4% Dondingalong — Lone Person: 35.1% Dondingalong — One Parent Families: 13.7% Dondingalong — Group Household: 3.0% Dondingalong — Other Families: 1.8%
South Kempsey 31.2% couple families
South Kempsey — Couple Families: 31.2% South Kempsey — Lone Person: 34.7% South Kempsey — One Parent Families: 24.9% South Kempsey — Group Household: 7.1% South Kempsey — Other Families: 2.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Dondingalong 11.2% renting
Dondingalong — Owned Outright: 51.4% Dondingalong — Mortgage: 37.5% Dondingalong — Renting: 11.2%
South Kempsey 34.5% renting
South Kempsey — Owned Outright: 36.0% South Kempsey — Mortgage: 29.5% South Kempsey — Renting: 34.5%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Certificate III & IV 23.0% / 15.6%
Dondingalong — Certificate III & IV: 23.0% South Kempsey — Certificate III & IV: 15.6%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.6% / 5.0%
Dondingalong — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.6% South Kempsey — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0%
Bachelor Degree 6.7% / 5.1%
Dondingalong — Bachelor Degree: 6.7% South Kempsey — Bachelor Degree: 5.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / 1.2%
Dondingalong — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% South Kempsey — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / 0.3%
Dondingalong — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% South Kempsey — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.0%).

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.

Dondingalong South Kempsey
England 3.7% / 1.0%
Dondingalong — England: 3.7% South Kempsey — England: 1.0%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.0%
Dondingalong — New Zealand: 1.0% South Kempsey — New Zealand: 1.0%
Philippines 0.4% / 0.8%
Dondingalong — Philippines: 0.4% South Kempsey — Philippines: 0.8%
South Africa 0.4% / —
Dondingalong — South Africa: 0.4% South Kempsey — South Africa: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.4%
Dondingalong — Germany: not among its largest South Kempsey — Germany: 0.4%
China — / 0.3%
Dondingalong — China: not among its largest South Kempsey — China: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.7%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Dondingalong 100.4% houses
Dondingalong — Houses: 100.4% Dondingalong — Flats / Apartments: 0.0% Dondingalong — Townhouses: 0.0%
South Kempsey 90.4% houses
South Kempsey — Houses: 90.4% South Kempsey — Flats / Apartments: 8.9% South Kempsey — Townhouses: 0.7%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Median house price $620,000 $415,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $665,000 $320,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 40 days
from 4 sales
 52 days
from 28 sales

Zoning mix

Dondingalong has more rural and farming land (84% vs 64%).

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Rural and farming 84% 64%
Residential 3% 14%
Environmental 13% 11%
Infrastructure and transport 0% 5%
Industrial 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 0% 1%
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

Dondingalong South Kempsey
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.

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Houses — 4.7%
$550/wk on $610K
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Dondingalong South Kempsey
House price Higher than 24% of NSW Higher than 13% of NSW
Income Higher than 22% of NSW Higher than 16% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 28% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 32% of NSW Higher than 35% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW Higher than 8% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 48% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 94% of NSW

Liveability

Dondingalong scores higher overall (19 vs 8).

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Grade D
same for both
Score 19/100 8/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

South Kempsey carries more crime risk (97 vs 57); South Kempsey carries more bushfire risk (67 vs 54).

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Bushfire Moderate
54/100
 Moderate
67/100
Crime Moderate
57/100
 High
97/100
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
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Inside the suburb 0 4
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0 2
Rated below peers 0 2

Schools in Dondingalong

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

Schools in South Kempsey

  • Kempsey Adventist School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Melville High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Kempsey South Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Macleay Vocational College Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 0 3
Childcare 0 2
Fuel stations 0 5
EV chargers 0 1
Waterways 7 10

Mobility

Dondingalong sits further from the CBD (432.2 km vs 421.4 km).

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Walkability score 0/100
same for both
Distance to Sydney 432.2 km
+2% vs other
 421.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 296 min 289 min
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 47/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
 21.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
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.

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Car (driver) 76.0% / 81.3%
Dondingalong — Car (driver): 76.0% South Kempsey — Car (driver): 81.3%
Worked from Home 14.3% / 8.3%
Dondingalong — Worked from Home: 14.3% South Kempsey — Worked from Home: 8.3%
Car (passenger) 7.0% / 6.4%
Dondingalong — Car (passenger): 7.0% South Kempsey — Car (passenger): 6.4%
Walked Only 1.6% / 3.5%
Dondingalong — Walked Only: 1.6% South Kempsey — Walked Only: 3.5%
Bus 1.2% / 0.6%
Dondingalong — Bus: 1.2% South Kempsey — Bus: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (81.3%).

Setting

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Elevation 105 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 22.6 km 13.7 km

NBN connectivity

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Connectivity score 29/100 54/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 0%
304 premises
 26%
1,298 premises

Council rates

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Dondingalong South Kempsey
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Dondingalong

Affordable Rural

South Kempsey

Acreage Affordable

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Dondingalong

Dondingalong vs Aldavilla Dondingalong vs Kundabung Dondingalong vs Euroka Dondingalong vs Sherwood Dondingalong vs Gum Scrub Dondingalong vs Yessabah

Other comparisons with South Kempsey

South Kempsey vs West Kempsey South Kempsey vs Crescent Head South Kempsey vs East Kempsey South Kempsey vs Kundabung South Kempsey vs Kempsey South Kempsey vs Euroka
Full data on Dondingalong Full data on South Kempsey
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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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