East Kempsey vs Verges Creek

East Kempsey is the younger of the two, with a median age of 41 against 46 in Verges Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In East Kempsey, about half of households are people living alone. In Verges Creek, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Verges Creek: a median of $980,000, against $630,000 in East Kempsey, though rent is higher in East Kempsey. On these figures, East Kempsey tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Verges Creek suits 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

Verges Creek

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 48%)
  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 90/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 84%)
  • But East Kempsey has more parks and reserves (4 vs 1)

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

First-home buyers

East Kempsey

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($630,000 vs $980,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Verges Creek

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 27%)
  • has cheaper rent ($255/wk vs $300/wk)
  • But East Kempsey has a bigger rental market to choose from (35% vs 7%)

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

Commuting to the city

East Kempsey

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 12/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (282 min vs 289 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (421.4 km vs 426.9 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

East Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (16% vs 4%)
  • is more walkable (37/100 vs 12/100)
  • But Verges Creek carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 90/100)

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

Investors

Verges Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.9% vs -1.6%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

East Kempsey Verges Creek
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.

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Walkability 37 / 12
East Kempsey — Walkability: 37/100 Verges Creek — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 10 / 27
East Kempsey — Safety: 10/100 Verges Creek — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 100 / 43
East Kempsey — Low fire risk: 100/100 Verges Creek — Low fire risk: 43/100

Demographics

East Kempsey has more residents (1,336 vs 298); Verges Creek has higher household incomes ($79,300 vs $58,032).

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Population 1,336
+78% vs other
 298
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -1.6% +27.9%
Median age 41 46
Median household income $58,032/yr $79,300/yr
+37% vs other
Median weekly rent $300/wk
+15% vs other
 $255/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

East Kempsey Verges Creek
0-4 6.5% / 3.7%
East Kempsey — 0-4: 6.5% Verges Creek — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 13.2% / 15.1%
East Kempsey — 5-14: 13.2% Verges Creek — 5-14: 15.1%
15-19 5.7% / 7.7%
East Kempsey — 15-19: 5.7% Verges Creek — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 5.4% / 3.4%
East Kempsey — 20-24: 5.4% Verges Creek — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 11.8% / 7.7%
East Kempsey — 25-34: 11.8% Verges Creek — 25-34: 7.7%
35-44 11.1% / 13.1%
East Kempsey — 35-44: 11.1% Verges Creek — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 11.1% / 12.8%
East Kempsey — 45-54: 11.1% Verges Creek — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 12.6% / 15.1%
East Kempsey — 55-64: 12.6% Verges Creek — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 12.2% / 13.8%
East Kempsey — 65-74: 12.2% Verges Creek — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 7.0% / 6.4%
East Kempsey — 75-84: 7.0% Verges Creek — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 3.2% / 1.3%
East Kempsey — 85+: 3.2% Verges Creek — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

East Kempsey 27.0% couple families
East Kempsey — Couple Families: 27.0% East Kempsey — Lone Person: 47.8% East Kempsey — One Parent Families: 21.1% East Kempsey — Group Household: 2.9% East Kempsey — Other Families: 1.2%
Verges Creek 51.6% couple families
Verges Creek — Couple Families: 51.6% Verges Creek — Lone Person: 23.4% Verges Creek — One Parent Families: 14.1% Verges Creek — Group Household: 4.7% Verges Creek — Other Families: 6.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

East Kempsey 35.2% renting
East Kempsey — Owned Outright: 35.2% East Kempsey — Mortgage: 29.7% East Kempsey — Renting: 35.2%
Verges Creek 6.8% renting
Verges Creek — Owned Outright: 51.1% Verges Creek — Mortgage: 42.0% Verges Creek — Renting: 6.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Certificate III & IV 19.1% / 22.8%
East Kempsey — Certificate III & IV: 19.1% Verges Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.8%
Bachelor Degree 7.3% / 6.0%
East Kempsey — Bachelor Degree: 7.3% Verges Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.7% / 4.4%
East Kempsey — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.7% Verges Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 0.5% / 1.3%
East Kempsey — Postgraduate Degree: 0.5% Verges Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / —
East Kempsey — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% Verges Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

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.

East Kempsey Verges Creek
England 1.4% / 2.0%
East Kempsey — England: 1.4% Verges Creek — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 0.7% / 1.3%
East Kempsey — New Zealand: 0.7% Verges Creek — New Zealand: 1.3%
Germany 0.5% / 1.3%
East Kempsey — Germany: 0.5% Verges Creek — Germany: 1.3%
Thailand 0.4% / 1.0%
East Kempsey — Thailand: 0.4% Verges Creek — Thailand: 1.0%
Netherlands — / 1.3%
East Kempsey — Netherlands: not among its largest Verges Creek — Netherlands: 1.3%
Philippines 1.1% / —
East Kempsey — Philippines: 1.1% Verges Creek — Philippines: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

East Kempsey 84.3% houses
East Kempsey — Houses: 84.3% East Kempsey — Flats / Apartments: 9.9% East Kempsey — Townhouses: 5.9%
Verges Creek 96.0% houses
Verges Creek — Houses: 96.0% Verges Creek — Flats / Apartments: 4.0% Verges Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Median house price $630,000 $980,000
Median unit price $415,000 —
Median land price — $772,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 39 days
from 10 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Verges Creek has more rural and farming land (84% vs 65%); East Kempsey has more land zoned for conservation (12% vs 0%).

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Rural and farming 65% 84%
Residential 19% 15%
Environmental 12% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 4% 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

East Kempsey Verges Creek
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.

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Houses 4.3%
$565/wk on $687K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

East Kempsey Verges Creek
House price Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Income Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 77% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 85% of NSW —

Liveability

East Kempsey is more walkable (37 vs 12).

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Grade D —
Score 29/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

Verges Creek carries more bushfire risk (57 vs 0); East Kempsey carries more crime risk (90 vs 73).

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Bushfire None
0/100
 Moderate
57/100
Crime High
90/100
 High
73/100
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 4
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in East Kempsey

  • Kempsey East Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Verges Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Parks & reserves 4 1
Waterways 1
same for both

Mobility

Verges Creek sits further from the CBD (426.9 km vs 421.4 km).

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Walkability score 37/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 421.4 km 426.9 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 282 min 289 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.

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Car (driver) 79.7% / 85.1%
East Kempsey — Car (driver): 79.7% Verges Creek — Car (driver): 85.1%
Car (passenger) 9.0% / 8.8%
East Kempsey — Car (passenger): 9.0% Verges Creek — Car (passenger): 8.8%
Worked from Home 7.4% / 6.1%
East Kempsey — Worked from Home: 7.4% Verges Creek — Worked from Home: 6.1%
Walked Only 3.3% / —
East Kempsey — Walked Only: 3.3% Verges Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.7% / —
East Kempsey — Bus: 0.7% Verges Creek — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.1%).

Setting

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Elevation 5 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 14.7 km 10.9 km

NBN connectivity

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Connectivity score 61/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 29%
666 premises
 0%
128 premises

Council rates

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

East Kempsey Verges Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

East Kempsey

Affordable

Verges Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with East Kempsey

East Kempsey vs South Kempsey East Kempsey vs Kempsey East Kempsey vs Hampden Hall

Other comparisons with Verges Creek

Verges Creek vs South Kempsey Verges Creek vs Belmore River Verges Creek vs Pola Creek Verges Creek vs Hampden Hall
Full data on East Kempsey Full data on Verges Creek
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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