Frederickton vs Kempsey

Kempsey is the younger of the two, with a median age of 43 against 49 in Frederickton. In both, most homes are detached houses. In Frederickton, the large majority of households own their home. In Kempsey, about half of households rent and most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Frederickton: a median of $535,000, against $375,000 in Kempsey, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Frederickton tends to suit older residents, while Kempsey suits renters, people living alone, 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

Frederickton

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more separate houses rather than flats (94% vs 68%)
  • is already more of a family suburb (55% vs 40%)
  • carries lower crime risk (75/100 vs 100/100)
  • But Kempsey has more parks and reserves (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Kempsey

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($375,000 vs $535,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (54% vs 24%)
  • has cheaper rent ($253/wk vs $330/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kempsey

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • sits closer to the CBD (423 km vs 431.5 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 5 things we measure here

  • Frederickton has more residents already 65 and over (33% vs 18%)
  • Kempsey has more units and townhouses to downsize into (32% vs 6%)

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

Investors

Too close to call

Nothing among the 1 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Frederickton and 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.

Frederickton 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.

Frederickton Kempsey
Walkability 10 / 15
Frederickton — Walkability: 10/100 Kempsey — Walkability: 15/100
Safety 25 / 0
Frederickton — Safety: 25/100 Kempsey — Safety: 0/100
Low fire risk 66 / 100
Frederickton — Low fire risk: 66/100 Kempsey — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Frederickton has more residents (1,452 vs 483); Frederickton rents higher ($330/wk vs $253/wk).

Frederickton Kempsey
Population 1,452
+67% vs other
 483
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +4.4% +1.9%
Median age 49 43
Median household income $57,928/yr
+21% vs other
 $45,812/yr
Median weekly rent $330/wk
+23% vs other
 $253/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Frederickton Kempsey
0-4 5.2% / 5.0%
Frederickton — 0-4: 5.2% Kempsey — 0-4: 5.0%
5-14 11.3% / 11.2%
Frederickton — 5-14: 11.3% Kempsey — 5-14: 11.2%
15-19 5.9% / 5.6%
Frederickton — 15-19: 5.9% Kempsey — 15-19: 5.6%
20-24 5.2% / 5.8%
Frederickton — 20-24: 5.2% Kempsey — 20-24: 5.8%
25-34 9.7% / 13.5%
Frederickton — 25-34: 9.7% Kempsey — 25-34: 13.5%
35-44 7.8% / 10.8%
Frederickton — 35-44: 7.8% Kempsey — 35-44: 10.8%
45-54 10.8% / 14.7%
Frederickton — 45-54: 10.8% Kempsey — 45-54: 14.7%
55-64 11.8% / 16.6%
Frederickton — 55-64: 11.8% Kempsey — 55-64: 16.6%
65-74 14.9% / 10.1%
Frederickton — 65-74: 14.9% Kempsey — 65-74: 10.1%
75-84 9.7% / 6.8%
Frederickton — 75-84: 9.7% Kempsey — 75-84: 6.8%
85+ 8.2% / 1.2%
Frederickton — 85+: 8.2% Kempsey — 85+: 1.2%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (16.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Frederickton 39.2% lone person
Frederickton — Lone Person: 39.2% Frederickton — One Parent Families: 24.6% Frederickton — Couple Families: 30.8% Frederickton — Group Household: 2.8% Frederickton — Other Families: 2.5%
Kempsey 55.0% lone person
Kempsey — Lone Person: 55.0% Kempsey — One Parent Families: 24.0% Kempsey — Couple Families: 16.4% Kempsey — Group Household: 4.7% Kempsey — Other Families: 0.0%
Lone Person One Parent Families Couple Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Frederickton 24.2% renting
Frederickton — Owned Outright: 43.1% Frederickton — Mortgage: 32.7% Frederickton — Renting: 24.2%
Kempsey 53.6% renting
Kempsey — Owned Outright: 30.4% Kempsey — Mortgage: 16.0% Kempsey — Renting: 53.6%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Frederickton Kempsey
Certificate III & IV 19.4% / 15.1%
Frederickton — Certificate III & IV: 19.4% Kempsey — Certificate III & IV: 15.1%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.4% / 5.8%
Frederickton — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.4% Kempsey — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.8%
Bachelor Degree 3.6% / 5.2%
Frederickton — Bachelor Degree: 3.6% Kempsey — Bachelor Degree: 5.2%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.2% / 1.0%
Frederickton — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.2% Kempsey — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.0%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 0.6%
Frederickton — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Kempsey — Postgraduate Degree: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.4%).

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.

Frederickton Kempsey
England 2.3% / 0.6%
Frederickton — England: 2.3% Kempsey — England: 0.6%
India 1.1% / —
Frederickton — India: 1.1% Kempsey — India: not among its largest
Germany 0.3% / 0.8%
Frederickton — Germany: 0.3% Kempsey — Germany: 0.8%
China — / 1.0%
Frederickton — China: not among its largest Kempsey — China: 1.0%
Philippines — / 0.8%
Frederickton — Philippines: not among its largest Kempsey — Philippines: 0.8%
Nepal — / 0.8%
Frederickton — Nepal: not among its largest Kempsey — Nepal: 0.8%
Thailand — / 0.8%
Frederickton — Thailand: not among its largest Kempsey — Thailand: 0.8%
New Zealand 0.6% / —
Frederickton — New Zealand: 0.6% Kempsey — New Zealand: not among its largest
Scotland 0.4% / —
Frederickton — Scotland: 0.4% Kempsey — Scotland: not among its largest
Brazil 0.4% / —
Frederickton — Brazil: 0.4% Kempsey — Brazil: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Frederickton 94.2% houses
Frederickton — Houses: 94.2% Frederickton — Flats / Apartments: 3.3% Frederickton — Townhouses: 2.5%
Kempsey 68.0% houses
Kempsey — Houses: 68.0% Kempsey — Flats / Apartments: 27.0% Kempsey — Townhouses: 5.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

Frederickton Kempsey
Median house price $535,000 $375,000
Median unit price — $330,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 83 days
from 21 sales
 85 days
from 7 sales

Zoning mix

Kempsey has more land zoned for conservation (34% vs 2%); Frederickton has more rural and farming land (83% vs 52%).

Frederickton Kempsey
Rural and farming 83% 52%
Environmental 2% 34%
Residential 11% 1%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 5%
Commercial 0% 4%
Parks and recreation 0% 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

Frederickton Kempsey
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Frederickton Kempsey
House price Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 12% of NSW
Income Higher than 18% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 55% of NSW Higher than 65% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 7% of NSW
same for both
NBN connectivity Higher than 64% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW

Liveability

Frederickton Kempsey
Grade D —
Score 19/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
same for both

Risk profile

Frederickton carries more bushfire risk (34 vs 0); Kempsey carries more crime risk (100 vs 75).

Frederickton Kempsey
Bushfire Low
34/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
75/100
 High
100/100
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
 4
within 5 km

Schools

Frederickton Kempsey
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 Frederickton

  • Frederickton Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in Kempsey

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

Amenities in the suburb

Frederickton Kempsey
Supermarkets 0 5
Cafes & restaurants 2 9
Parks & reserves 0 4
Childcare 4 2
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 3
Banks & Bank@Post 0 5
Fuel stations 0 6
Waterways 3 1

Mobility

Frederickton sits further from the CBD (431.5 km vs 423 km).

Frederickton Kempsey
Walkability score 10/100 15/100
Distance to Sydney 431.5 km
+2% vs other
 423 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 285 min 284 min
Public transport score 23/100
Bus
 45/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 4.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 12.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 3 min
scheduled, not actual
 2 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.

Frederickton Kempsey
Car (driver) 86.0% / 64.2%
Frederickton — Car (driver): 86.0% Kempsey — Car (driver): 64.2%
Walked Only 0.9% / 20.3%
Frederickton — Walked Only: 0.9% Kempsey — Walked Only: 20.3%
Car (passenger) 5.5% / 10.6%
Frederickton — Car (passenger): 5.5% Kempsey — Car (passenger): 10.6%
Worked from Home 6.9% / 4.9%
Frederickton — Worked from Home: 6.9% Kempsey — Worked from Home: 4.9%
Bus 0.7% / —
Frederickton — Bus: 0.7% Kempsey — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (86.0%).

Setting

Frederickton Kempsey
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 -1 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 16.9 km 16.5 km

NBN connectivity

Frederickton Kempsey
Connectivity score 42/100 55/100
Most common technology Fixed wireless Fibre to the node
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 17%
671 premises
 19%
678 premises

Council rates

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

Federal electorate

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

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Frederickton

Acreage Affordable Retirees

Kempsey

Affordable Easy Commute

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Frederickton

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Other comparisons with Kempsey

Kempsey vs West Kempsey Kempsey vs South Kempsey Kempsey vs East Kempsey Kempsey vs Austral Eden Kempsey vs Pola Creek Kempsey vs Hampden Hall
Full data on Frederickton Full data on 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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