Kearsley vs Neath

Kearsley is the younger of the two, with a median age of 38 against 55 in Neath. In both, the large majority of households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kearsley, about half of households are couple families. In Neath, most households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Kearsley: a median of $770,000, against $615,000 in Neath, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Kearsley tends to suit families with children and couples, while Neath suits people living alone, older residents, 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

Kearsley

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools rated above their peers (1 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (68% vs 35%)
  • carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 91/100)

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

First-home buyers

They split

one each way, out of the 2 things we measure here

  • Kearsley leaves households under less mortgage stress (25% vs 33%)
  • Neath has cheaper houses ($615,000 vs $770,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

one each way, out of the 3 things we measure here

  • Kearsley leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 32%)
  • Neath has cheaper rent ($255/wk vs $315/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kearsley

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a shorter drive in (114 min vs 119 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (148.7 km vs 152.9 km)
  • But Neath is more walkable (26/100 vs 17/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Neath

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more residents already 65 and over (35% vs 14%)
  • is more walkable (26/100 vs 17/100)
  • But Kearsley carries lower crime risk (72/100 vs 91/100)

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

Investors

Kearsley

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (-2.7% vs -12.2%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kearsley Neath
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.

Kearsley Neath
Walkability 17 / 26
Kearsley — Walkability: 17/100 Neath — Walkability: 26/100
Safety 28 / 9
Kearsley — Safety: 28/100 Neath — Safety: 9/100
Low fire risk 26 / 20
Kearsley — Low fire risk: 26/100 Neath — Low fire risk: 20/100

Demographics

Kearsley has more residents (838 vs 430); Kearsley has higher household incomes ($76,284 vs $41,184).

Kearsley Neath
Population 838
+49% vs other
 430
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.7% -12.2%
Median age 38 55
Median household income $76,284/yr
+46% vs other
 $41,184/yr
Median weekly rent $315/wk
+19% vs other
 $255/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kearsley Neath
0-4 5.3% / 5.1%
Kearsley — 0-4: 5.3% Neath — 0-4: 5.1%
5-14 13.6% / 8.4%
Kearsley — 5-14: 13.6% Neath — 5-14: 8.4%
15-19 8.0% / 3.0%
Kearsley — 15-19: 8.0% Neath — 15-19: 3.0%
20-24 5.8% / 5.1%
Kearsley — 20-24: 5.8% Neath — 20-24: 5.1%
25-34 12.4% / 8.4%
Kearsley — 25-34: 12.4% Neath — 25-34: 8.4%
35-44 11.0% / 9.3%
Kearsley — 35-44: 11.0% Neath — 35-44: 9.3%
45-54 14.9% / 10.9%
Kearsley — 45-54: 14.9% Neath — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 13.8% / 15.1%
Kearsley — 55-64: 13.8% Neath — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 10.1% / 19.8%
Kearsley — 65-74: 10.1% Neath — 65-74: 19.8%
75-84 4.4% / 12.3%
Kearsley — 75-84: 4.4% Neath — 75-84: 12.3%
85+ — / 2.6%
Kearsley — 85+: not among its largest Neath — 85+: 2.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.8%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kearsley 29.7% lone person
Kearsley — Lone Person: 29.7% Kearsley — Couple Families: 45.3% Kearsley — One Parent Families: 22.2% Kearsley — Group Household: 2.8% Kearsley — Other Families: 0.0%
Neath 57.0% lone person
Neath — Lone Person: 57.0% Neath — Couple Families: 18.1% Neath — One Parent Families: 16.8% Neath — Group Household: 5.4% Neath — Other Families: 2.7%
Lone Person Couple Families One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kearsley 14.3% renting
Kearsley — Owned Outright: 40.9% Kearsley — Mortgage: 44.8% Kearsley — Renting: 14.3%
Neath 11.2% renting
Neath — Owned Outright: 52.7% Neath — Mortgage: 36.2% Neath — Renting: 11.2%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kearsley Neath
Certificate III & IV 23.5% / 20.0%
Kearsley — Certificate III & IV: 23.5% Neath — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.0% / 7.0%
Kearsley — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0% Neath — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.0%
Bachelor Degree 3.8% / 2.1%
Kearsley — Bachelor Degree: 3.8% Neath — Bachelor Degree: 2.1%
Postgraduate Degree 1.1% / —
Kearsley — Postgraduate Degree: 1.1% Neath — Postgraduate Degree: not among its largest
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.4% / —
Kearsley — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.4% Neath — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.5%).

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.

Kearsley Neath
England 1.4% / 3.3%
Kearsley — England: 1.4% Neath — England: 3.3%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.4%
Kearsley — New Zealand: 1.1% Neath — New Zealand: 1.4%
Scotland — / 1.9%
Kearsley — Scotland: not among its largest Neath — Scotland: 1.9%
Philippines 0.6% / 1.2%
Kearsley — Philippines: 0.6% Neath — Philippines: 1.2%
Netherlands — / 0.7%
Kearsley — Netherlands: not among its largest Neath — Netherlands: 0.7%
South Africa 0.5% / —
Kearsley — South Africa: 0.5% Neath — South Africa: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (3.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kearsley 98.6% houses
Kearsley — Houses: 98.6% Kearsley — Townhouses: 1.7% Kearsley — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Neath 95.9% houses
Neath — Houses: 95.9% Neath — Townhouses: 2.1% Neath — Flats / Apartments: 2.1%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kearsley Neath
Median house price $770,000 $615,000
Median unit price — $360,000
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 43 days
from 9 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Neath has more land zoned for conservation (28% vs 9%).

Kearsley Neath
Rural and farming 66% 64%
Environmental 9% 28%
Residential 17% 5%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 2%
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

Kearsley Neath
New dwellings approved 719
across Cessnock
same for both
Approvals change year on year -31%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Kearsley Neath
House price Higher than 27% of NSW Higher than 21% of NSW
Income Higher than 44% of NSW Higher than 5% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 73% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 34% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 70% of NSW Higher than 68% of NSW

Liveability

Neath is more walkable (26 vs 17).

Kearsley Neath
Grade D —
Score 17/100 —
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 2/10
 high-need area
decile 1/10

Risk profile

Neath carries more crime risk (91 vs 72).

Kearsley Neath
Bushfire High
74/100
 High
80/100
Crime High
72/100
 High
91/100
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 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kearsley Neath
Inside the suburb 1 0
Rated above peers 1 0
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0
same for both

Schools in Kearsley

  • Kearsley Public School Government · Primary above peers

Schools in Neath

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

Amenities in the suburb

Kearsley Neath
Parks & reserves 2 0
Waterways 2 0

Mobility

Neath sits further from the CBD (152.9 km vs 148.7 km).

Kearsley Neath
Walkability score 17/100 26/100
Distance to Sydney 148.7 km 152.9 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 114 min 119 min
Public transport score 37/100
Bus
 77/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 11.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 39.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2325
 0.4%
postcode 2326
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 51
postcode 2325
 56
postcode 2326

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.

Kearsley Neath
Car (driver) 79.4% / 85.8%
Kearsley — Car (driver): 79.4% Neath — Car (driver): 85.8%
Worked from Home 13.6% / 11.3%
Kearsley — Worked from Home: 13.6% Neath — Worked from Home: 11.3%
Car (passenger) 5.1% / 2.8%
Kearsley — Car (passenger): 5.1% Neath — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Train 0.9% / —
Kearsley — Train: 0.9% Neath — Train: not among its largest
Walked Only 0.9% / —
Kearsley — Walked Only: 0.9% Neath — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.8%).

Setting

Kearsley Neath
Elevation 60 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 43 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 33.7 km 33.0 km

NBN connectivity

Kearsley Neath
Connectivity score 60/100 55/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 31%
328 premises
 18%
263 premises

Climate

Kearsley Neath
Annual rainfall 804 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 30.0°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 5.1°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kearsley Neath
PM2.5 6.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 17.5 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.72 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Kearsley Neath
Average residential rate $1,405/yr
same for both
Council Cessnock
same for both

Federal electorate

Kearsley Neath
Division Hunter
same for both
Member Dan Repacholi
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kearsley Neath
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kearsley

Acreage

Neath

Acreage Affordable Quiet Retirees

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kearsley

Kearsley vs Cessnock Kearsley vs Aberdare Kearsley vs Kitchener Kearsley vs Abernethy Kearsley vs Elrington

Other comparisons with Neath

Neath vs Cessnock Neath vs Abermain Neath vs Aberdare Neath vs Elrington
Full data on Kearsley Full data on Neath
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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