Farmborough Heights vs Kembla Grange

Kembla Grange is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 38 in Farmborough Heights. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and most households are couple families. Houses cost more in Kembla Grange: a median of $2 million, against $1.02 million in Farmborough Heights, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Farmborough Heights tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while Kembla Grange suits young adults and families with children.

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

Farmborough Heights

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 85/100)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (96% vs 81%)

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

First-home buyers

Farmborough Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($1,020,000 vs $2,000,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Farmborough Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper rent ($450/wk vs $570/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Farmborough Heights

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Farmborough Heights

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (56/100 vs 8/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (28/100 vs 85/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (17% vs 6%)
  • But Kembla Grange has more units and townhouses to downsize into (20% vs 4%)

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

Investors

Kembla Grange

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (476.2% vs -0.5%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
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.

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Walkability 56 / 8
Farmborough Heights — Walkability: 56/100 Kembla Grange — Walkability: 8/100
Safety 72 / 15
Farmborough Heights — Safety: 72/100 Kembla Grange — Safety: 15/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Farmborough Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kembla Grange — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Farmborough Heights has more residents (4,179 vs 1,452); Farmborough Heights skews older (38 vs 29).

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Population 4,179
+65% vs other
 1,452
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -0.5% +476.2%
Median age 38 29
Median household income $116,168/yr $133,848/yr
+15% vs other
Median weekly rent $450/wk $570/wk
+27% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
0-4 7.5% / 13.1%
Farmborough Heights — 0-4: 7.5% Kembla Grange — 0-4: 13.1%
5-14 12.0% / 13.9%
Farmborough Heights — 5-14: 12.0% Kembla Grange — 5-14: 13.9%
15-19 6.2% / 5.7%
Farmborough Heights — 15-19: 6.2% Kembla Grange — 15-19: 5.7%
20-24 5.7% / 5.9%
Farmborough Heights — 20-24: 5.7% Kembla Grange — 20-24: 5.9%
25-34 13.0% / 22.9%
Farmborough Heights — 25-34: 13.0% Kembla Grange — 25-34: 22.9%
35-44 12.9% / 16.9%
Farmborough Heights — 35-44: 12.9% Kembla Grange — 35-44: 16.9%
45-54 13.5% / 8.4%
Farmborough Heights — 45-54: 13.5% Kembla Grange — 45-54: 8.4%
55-64 11.6% / 6.5%
Farmborough Heights — 55-64: 11.6% Kembla Grange — 55-64: 6.5%
65-74 9.3% / 4.5%
Farmborough Heights — 65-74: 9.3% Kembla Grange — 65-74: 4.5%
75-84 5.3% / 1.5%
Farmborough Heights — 75-84: 5.3% Kembla Grange — 75-84: 1.5%
85+ 2.8% / 0.3%
Farmborough Heights — 85+: 2.8% Kembla Grange — 85+: 0.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.9%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Farmborough Heights 60.4% couple families
Farmborough Heights — Couple Families: 60.4% Farmborough Heights — Lone Person: 22.5% Farmborough Heights — One Parent Families: 14.1% Farmborough Heights — Group Household: 2.6% Farmborough Heights — Other Families: 0.4%
Kembla Grange 65.9% couple families
Kembla Grange — Couple Families: 65.9% Kembla Grange — Lone Person: 16.5% Kembla Grange — One Parent Families: 12.2% Kembla Grange — Group Household: 2.8% Kembla Grange — Other Families: 2.6%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Farmborough Heights 13.0% renting
Farmborough Heights — Owned Outright: 38.5% Farmborough Heights — Mortgage: 48.5% Farmborough Heights — Renting: 13.0%
Kembla Grange 21.7% renting
Kembla Grange — Owned Outright: 12.8% Kembla Grange — Mortgage: 65.5% Kembla Grange — Renting: 21.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Certificate III & IV 17.0% / 17.1%
Farmborough Heights — Certificate III & IV: 17.0% Kembla Grange — Certificate III & IV: 17.1%
Bachelor Degree 13.3% / 12.8%
Farmborough Heights — Bachelor Degree: 13.3% Kembla Grange — Bachelor Degree: 12.8%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 9.0% / 8.6%
Farmborough Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 9.0% Kembla Grange — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6%
Postgraduate Degree 4.7% / 3.2%
Farmborough Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 4.7% Kembla Grange — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.9% / 1.7%
Farmborough Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.9% Kembla Grange — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

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.

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
England 3.7% / 2.2%
Farmborough Heights — England: 3.7% Kembla Grange — England: 2.2%
India 0.7% / 2.4%
Farmborough Heights — India: 0.7% Kembla Grange — India: 2.4%
New Zealand 0.9% / 1.0%
Farmborough Heights — New Zealand: 0.9% Kembla Grange — New Zealand: 1.0%
Ireland 0.4% / 0.8%
Farmborough Heights — Ireland: 0.4% Kembla Grange — Ireland: 0.8%
Italy 1.1% / —
Farmborough Heights — Italy: 1.1% Kembla Grange — Italy: not among its largest
Thailand — / 0.7%
Farmborough Heights — Thailand: not among its largest Kembla Grange — Thailand: 0.7%
Scotland 0.6% / —
Farmborough Heights — Scotland: 0.6% Kembla Grange — Scotland: not among its largest

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

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Farmborough Heights 95.6% houses
Farmborough Heights — Houses: 95.6% Farmborough Heights — Townhouses: 3.3% Farmborough Heights — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
Kembla Grange 81.1% houses
Kembla Grange — Houses: 81.1% Kembla Grange — Townhouses: 20.0% Kembla Grange — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Median house price $1,020,000 $2,000,000
Median unit price $750,000 —
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 17 days
from 15 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Kembla Grange has more industrially zoned land (24% vs 0%).

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Residential 48% 12%
Environmental 29% 31%
Industrial 0% 24%
Parks and recreation 6% 17%
Rural and farming 14% 7%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 8%
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

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
New dwellings approved 1,476
across Wollongong
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
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.

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Houses 3.8%
$800/wk on $1.1M
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
House price Higher than 50% of NSW Higher than 85% of NSW
Income Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 83% of NSW Higher than 51% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 75% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 82% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 96% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 61% of NSW —

Liveability

Farmborough Heights is more walkable (56 vs 8); Farmborough Heights scores higher overall (71 vs 50).

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Grade A B
Score 71/100 50/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
same for both

Risk profile

Kembla Grange carries more crime risk (85 vs 28).

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
28/100
 High
85/100
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 10
within 5 km
 8
within 5 km

Schools

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
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
Universities within 10 km 1
UOW Wollongong, 7.8 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 9.1 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.8% 1.7%

Amenities in the suburb

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Cafes & restaurants 0 1
Parks & reserves 5 4
Childcare 1
same for both
Waterways 7 4

Mobility

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Walkability score 56/100 8/100
Distance to Sydney 93.2 km 94.3 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 88 min 87 min
Public transport score 75/100
Bus
 79/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 81.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 48.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 2526
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2526
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.

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Car (driver) 61.5% / 68.4%
Farmborough Heights — Car (driver): 61.5% Kembla Grange — Car (driver): 68.4%
Worked from Home 33.2% / 27.4%
Farmborough Heights — Worked from Home: 33.2% Kembla Grange — Worked from Home: 27.4%
Car (passenger) 3.8% / 2.2%
Farmborough Heights — Car (passenger): 3.8% Kembla Grange — Car (passenger): 2.2%
Walked Only 0.6% / 2.0%
Farmborough Heights — Walked Only: 0.6% Kembla Grange — Walked Only: 2.0%
Train 0.5% / —
Farmborough Heights — Train: 0.5% Kembla Grange — Train: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.4%).

Setting

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Elevation 127 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.7 km 7.7 km

NBN connectivity

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Connectivity score 60/100 94/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fibre to the premises
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 28%
1,537 premises
 90%
951 premises

Climate

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
PM2.5 5.9 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 19.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.45 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Average residential rate $1,751/yr
same for both
Council Wollongong
same for both

Federal electorate

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Division Cunningham Whitlam
Member Alison Byrnes Carol Berry
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Farmborough Heights

Large Blocks Parks

Kembla Grange

Family Premium Townhouses Young Families

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Farmborough Heights

Farmborough Heights vs Unanderra Farmborough Heights vs Cordeaux Heights Farmborough Heights vs Mount Kembla Farmborough Heights vs Kembla Heights

Other comparisons with Kembla Grange

Kembla Grange vs Dapto Kembla Grange vs Berkeley Kembla Grange vs Kanahooka Kembla Grange vs Unanderra Kembla Grange vs Brownsville Kembla Grange vs Dombarton
Full data on Farmborough Heights Full data on Kembla Grange
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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