Haines vs Nepean Bay
Haines is the younger of the two, with a median age of 46 against 51 in Nepean Bay. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Haines, about half of households are couple families. In Nepean Bay, most households are people living alone. On these figures, Haines tends to suit families with children and couples, while Nepean Bay suits people living alone.
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
Haines
ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here
- has more parks and reserves (11 vs 4)
- is already more of a family suburb (70% vs 34%)
- carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 35/100)
Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.
First-home buyers
Haines
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- leaves households under less mortgage stress (17% vs 25%)
Weighs mortgage stress.
Renters
Haines
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- leaves renters under less rental stress (15% vs 27%)
- has cheaper rent ($192/wk vs $235/wk)
Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.
Commuting to the city
Haines
ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here
- has a shorter drive in (188 min vs 199 min)
- sits closer to the CBD (164.7 km vs 173.2 km)
Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.
Downsizers and retirees
Haines
ahead on the one thing that separates them
- carries lower crime risk (20/100 vs 35/100)
Weighs 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
Haines and Nepean Bay drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.
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.
Demographics
Haines has higher household incomes ($66,300 vs $45,500); Nepean Bay rents higher ($235/wk vs $192/wk).
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 163 +14% vs other | 140 |
| Population trend (2016 → 2021) | +6.5% | +6.9% |
| Median age | 46 | 51 |
| Median household income | $66,300/yr +31% vs other | $45,500/yr |
| Median weekly rent | $192/wk | $235/wk +22% vs other |
Age profile
Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).
Who lives together
Household composition, 2021 Census.
Who owns and who rents
Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.
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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (11.4%).
Qualifications
Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.9%).
What people live in
Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.
Property market
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Median house price | — | $440,000 |
| Median unit price | — same for both | |
| Median land price | — | $90,500 |
Zoning mix
Haines has more rural and farming land (92% vs 62%); Nepean Bay has more land zoned for conservation (37% vs 8%).
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Rural and farming | 92% | 62% |
| Environmental | 8% | 37% |
| 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
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| New dwellings approved | 48 across Kangaroo Island same for both | |
| Approvals change year on year | -12% same for both | |
Ranking within SA
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| House price | — same for both | |
| Income | Higher than 34% of SA | Higher than 10% of SA |
| Schools | — same for both | |
| Walkability | Higher than 25% of SA | Higher than 2% of SA |
| Affordability | — same for both | |
| EV adoption | Higher than 45% of SA | Higher than 44% of SA |
| NBN connectivity | Higher than 33% of SA | Higher than 50% of SA |
Liveability
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | — same for both | |
| Score | — same for both | |
| Socio-economic band | mid-range socio-economic decile 6/10 same for both | |
Risk profile
Nepean Bay carries more flood risk (69 vs 25); Nepean Bay carries more crime risk (35 vs 20).
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Bushfire | Moderate 47/100 | Moderate 41/100 |
| Crime | Low 20/100 | Low 35/100 |
| Flood | Low 25/100 | Moderate 69/100 |
| Coastal erosion | Low 21/100 | Moderate 52/100 |
| Aircraft noise | None 0/100 same for both | |
| Industrial facilities nearby | 0 within 5 km same for both | |
Schools
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
Amenities in the suburb
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Cafes & restaurants | 1 | 0 |
| Parks & reserves | 11 | 4 |
| Waterways | 15 | 0 |
Mobility
Nepean Bay sits further from the CBD (173.2 km vs 164.7 km).
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Walkability score | 0/100 same for both | |
| Distance to Adelaide | 164.7 km | 173.2 km +5% vs other |
| Drive time (normal traffic) | 188 min | 199 min |
| Public transport score | 21/100 same for both | |
| Peak arrivals per hour | 2.0 7-9am + 5-7pm same for both | |
| Median peak wait | 1 min scheduled, not actual same for both | |
| Electric vehicle share | 0.4% postcode 5223 same for both | |
| Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings | 54 postcode 5223 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.
Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.2%).
Setting
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 12 m above sea level, at the suburb centre | 18 m above sea level, at the suburb centre |
| Distance to the ocean | 7.2 km | 420 m |
NBN connectivity
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Connectivity score | 22/100 | 30/100 |
| Most common technology | Satellite (Sky Muster) | Fixed wireless |
| Full-fibre (FTTP) share | 0% 33 premises | 0% 97 premises |
Climate
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual rainfall | 412 mm same for both | |
| Summer max (Jan) | — same for both | |
| Winter min (Jul) | — same for both | |
Council rates
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Average residential rate | $1,908/yr same for both | |
| Council | Kangaroo Island same for both | |
Federal electorate
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Division | Mayo same for both | |
| Member | Rebekha Sharkie same for both | |
| Party | Centre Alliance same for both | |
First Home Owner Grant
| Haines | Nepean Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Grant amount | $15,000 same for both | |
| Property price cap | — same for both | |
| Eligibility | New same for both | |
Tags
Haines
Nepean Bay
More comparisons
Other comparisons with Haines
Other comparisons with Nepean Bay
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.