Kelso vs White Rock

In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Kelso, about half of households are couple families. In White Rock, most households are couple families. Houses cost more in White Rock: a median of $1.84 million, against $810,000 in Kelso, though rent is higher in Kelso. On these figures, Kelso tends to suit buyers on a tighter budget, while White Rock 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

Kelso

ahead on 3 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more parks and reserves (15 vs 0)
  • has more childcare (6 vs 0)
  • has more schools inside the suburb (3 vs 1)
  • But White Rock carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 85/100)

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

First-home buyers

Kelso

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($810,000 vs $1,844,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

White Rock

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • leaves renters under less rental stress (12% vs 21%)
  • has cheaper rent ($310/wk vs $360/wk)
  • But Kelso has a bigger rental market to choose from (28% vs 5%)

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

Commuting to the city

Kelso

ahead on 3 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (42/100 vs 19/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (170 min vs 181 min)
  • sits closer to the CBD (203.5 km vs 210.6 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

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

  • Kelso is more walkable (42/100 vs 19/100)
  • White Rock carries lower crime risk (12/100 vs 85/100)

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

Investors

Kelso

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (11.9% vs 1.3%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kelso White Rock
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.

Kelso White Rock
Walkability 42 / 19
Kelso — Walkability: 42/100 White Rock — Walkability: 19/100
Safety 15 / 88
Kelso — Safety: 15/100 White Rock — Safety: 88/100
Low fire risk 100 / 81
Kelso — Low fire risk: 100/100 White Rock — Low fire risk: 81/100

Demographics

Kelso has more residents (10,039 vs 807); White Rock has higher household incomes ($133,224 vs $90,324).

Kelso White Rock
Population 10,039
+92% vs other
 807
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +11.9% +1.3%
Median age 36 38
Median household income $90,324/yr $133,224/yr
+47% vs other
Median weekly rent $360/wk
+14% vs other
 $310/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kelso White Rock
0-4 6.9% / 3.0%
Kelso — 0-4: 6.9% White Rock — 0-4: 3.0%
5-14 15.6% / 17.0%
Kelso — 5-14: 15.6% White Rock — 5-14: 17.0%
15-19 7.0% / 19.6%
Kelso — 15-19: 7.0% White Rock — 15-19: 19.6%
20-24 5.9% / 3.7%
Kelso — 20-24: 5.9% White Rock — 20-24: 3.7%
25-34 13.0% / 4.5%
Kelso — 25-34: 13.0% White Rock — 25-34: 4.5%
35-44 12.0% / 10.5%
Kelso — 35-44: 12.0% White Rock — 35-44: 10.5%
45-54 12.3% / 15.4%
Kelso — 45-54: 12.3% White Rock — 45-54: 15.4%
55-64 10.6% / 11.3%
Kelso — 55-64: 10.6% White Rock — 55-64: 11.3%
65-74 8.9% / 8.4%
Kelso — 65-74: 8.9% White Rock — 65-74: 8.4%
75-84 5.5% / 4.1%
Kelso — 75-84: 5.5% White Rock — 75-84: 4.1%
85+ 2.4% / 1.1%
Kelso — 85+: 2.4% White Rock — 85+: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (19.6%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kelso 45.0% couple families
Kelso — Couple Families: 45.0% Kelso — Lone Person: 28.1% Kelso — One Parent Families: 22.2% Kelso — Group Household: 3.2% Kelso — Other Families: 1.4%
White Rock 72.0% couple families
White Rock — Couple Families: 72.0% White Rock — Lone Person: 17.7% White Rock — One Parent Families: 10.4% White Rock — Group Household: 0.0% White Rock — Other Families: 0.0%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kelso 28.4% renting
Kelso — Owned Outright: 32.6% Kelso — Mortgage: 39.0% Kelso — Renting: 28.4%
White Rock 5.1% renting
White Rock — Owned Outright: 47.0% White Rock — Mortgage: 47.9% White Rock — Renting: 5.1%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kelso White Rock
Certificate III & IV 18.0% / 14.9%
Kelso — Certificate III & IV: 18.0% White Rock — Certificate III & IV: 14.9%
Bachelor Degree 8.9% / 12.0%
Kelso — Bachelor Degree: 8.9% White Rock — Bachelor Degree: 12.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 6.3% / 6.3%
Kelso — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3% White Rock — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 6.3%
Postgraduate Degree 2.2% / 4.3%
Kelso — Postgraduate Degree: 2.2% White Rock — Postgraduate Degree: 4.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.3% / 1.7%
Kelso — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.3% White Rock — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.0%).

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.

Kelso White Rock
England 1.4% / 2.2%
Kelso — England: 1.4% White Rock — England: 2.2%
New Zealand 0.9% / 0.7%
Kelso — New Zealand: 0.9% White Rock — New Zealand: 0.7%
Scotland 0.4% / 0.6%
Kelso — Scotland: 0.4% White Rock — Scotland: 0.6%
South Africa 0.3% / 0.5%
Kelso — South Africa: 0.3% White Rock — South Africa: 0.5%
India 0.6% / —
Kelso — India: 0.6% White Rock — India: not among its largest
Philippines 0.5% / —
Kelso — Philippines: 0.5% White Rock — Philippines: not among its largest
Sri Lanka — / 0.4%
Kelso — Sri Lanka: not among its largest White Rock — Sri Lanka: 0.4%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.2%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kelso 92.6% houses
Kelso — Houses: 92.6% Kelso — Townhouses: 6.3% Kelso — Flats / Apartments: 1.1%
White Rock 99.5% houses
White Rock — Houses: 99.5% White Rock — Townhouses: 0.0% White Rock — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kelso White Rock
Median house price $810,000 $1,844,000
Median unit price $280,000 —
Median land price $410,000 —
Typical days to sell (houses) 37 days
from 135 sales
 40 days
from 6 sales

Zoning mix

White Rock has more rural and farming land (94% vs 58%).

Kelso White Rock
Rural and farming 58% 94%
Residential 23% 6%
Industrial 9% 0%
Parks and recreation 7% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 2% 0%
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

Kelso White Rock
New dwellings approved 177
across Bathurst
same for both
Approvals change year on year -23%
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.

Kelso White Rock
Houses 4.0%
$655/wk on $859K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Kelso White Rock
House price Higher than 30% of NSW Higher than 83% of NSW
Income Higher than 58% of NSW Higher than 90% of NSW
Schools Higher than 4% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 79% of NSW Higher than 69% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 40% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 43% of NSW Higher than 44% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 71% of NSW —

Liveability

Kelso is more walkable (42 vs 19); White Rock scores higher overall (64 vs 34).

Kelso White Rock
Grade C B
Score 34/100 64/100
Socio-economic band below-average income
decile 3/10
 very advantaged area
decile 10/10

Risk profile

White Rock carries more bushfire risk (19 vs 0); Kelso carries more crime risk (85 vs 12).

Kelso White Rock
Bushfire None
0/100
 Low
19/100
Crime High
85/100
 Low
12/100
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 9
within 5 km
 5
within 5 km

Schools

Kelso White Rock
Inside the suburb 3 1
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 1
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Kelso

  • Denison College of Secondary Education, Kelso High Campus Government · Secondary at peers
  • Holy Family Catholic Primary School Kelso Catholic · Primary at peers
  • Kelso Public School Government · Primary below peers

Schools in White Rock

  • Scots All Saints College Independent · Combined at peers

Amenities in the suburb

Kelso White Rock
Supermarkets 2 0
Cafes & restaurants 2 0
Parks & reserves 15 0
Childcare 6 0
GPs 1 0
Pharmacies 1 0
Fuel stations 6 0
Waterways 42 2

Mobility

White Rock sits further from the CBD (210.6 km vs 203.5 km).

Kelso White Rock
Walkability score 42/100 19/100
Distance to Sydney 203.5 km 210.6 km
+3% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 170 min 181 min
Public transport score 76/100
Bus
 26/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 123.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
 7.8
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 0 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 0.4%
postcode 2795
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2795
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.

Kelso White Rock
Car (driver) 79.8% / 70.2%
Kelso — Car (driver): 79.8% White Rock — Car (driver): 70.2%
Worked from Home 11.6% / 19.1%
Kelso — Worked from Home: 11.6% White Rock — Worked from Home: 19.1%
Car (passenger) 6.3% / 7.7%
Kelso — Car (passenger): 6.3% White Rock — Car (passenger): 7.7%
Walked Only 1.7% / 2.2%
Kelso — Walked Only: 1.7% White Rock — Walked Only: 2.2%
Bus 0.1% / 0.9%
Kelso — Bus: 0.1% White Rock — Bus: 0.9%
Bicycle 0.3% / —
Kelso — Bicycle: 0.3% White Rock — Bicycle: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (79.8%).

Setting

Kelso White Rock
Elevation 683 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 660 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre

NBN connectivity

Kelso White Rock
Connectivity score 78/100 66/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 61%
4,953 premises
 47%
254 premises

Climate

Kelso White Rock
Annual rainfall 644 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 28.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 1.2°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kelso White Rock
PM2.5 5.3 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 —
same for both
NO₂ —
same for both

Council rates

Kelso White Rock
Average residential rate $1,301/yr
same for both
Council Bathurst
same for both

Federal electorate

Kelso White Rock
Division Calare
same for both
Member Andrew Gee
same for both
Party Independent
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kelso White Rock
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kelso

Family Regional Centre River

White Rock

Acreage Premium Students

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kelso

Kelso vs Bathurst Kelso vs West Bathurst Kelso vs Eglinton Kelso vs Raglan Kelso vs Gormans Hill Kelso vs Brewongle

Other comparisons with White Rock

White Rock vs Gormans Hill White Rock vs The Lagoon White Rock vs Brewongle
Full data on Kelso Full data on White Rock
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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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