Kembla Grange vs Brownsville

Kembla Grange is the younger of the two, with a median age of 29 against 44 in Brownsville. In both, most households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Kembla Grange, most households are couple families. In Brownsville, about half of households are people living alone. Houses cost more in Kembla Grange: a median of $2 million, against $842,000 in Brownsville, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Kembla Grange tends to suit young adults, families with children, and couples, while Brownsville 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

Kembla Grange

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • is already more of a family suburb (78% vs 45%)
  • has more separate houses rather than flats (81% vs 57%)

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

  • Kembla Grange leaves households under less mortgage stress (21% vs 34%)
  • Brownsville has cheaper houses ($841,500 vs $2,000,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Brownsville

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper rent ($320/wk vs $570/wk)
  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (37% vs 22%)
  • But Kembla Grange leaves renters under less rental stress (22% vs 28%)

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

Commuting to the city

Brownsville

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 8/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Brownsville

ahead on 3 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (44/100 vs 8/100)
  • has more residents already 65 and over (24% vs 6%)
  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (43% vs 20%)

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 -1.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kembla Grange Brownsville
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.

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Walkability 8 / 44
Kembla Grange — Walkability: 8/100 Brownsville — Walkability: 44/100
Safety 15 / 18
Kembla Grange — Safety: 15/100 Brownsville — Safety: 18/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kembla Grange — Low fire risk: 100/100 Brownsville — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kembla Grange has more residents (1,452 vs 524); Kembla Grange has higher household incomes ($133,848 vs $60,320).

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Population 1,452
+64% vs other
 524
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +476.2% -1.9%
Median age 29 44
Median household income $133,848/yr
+55% vs other
 $60,320/yr
Median weekly rent $570/wk
+44% vs other
 $320/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kembla Grange Brownsville
0-4 13.1% / 4.4%
Kembla Grange — 0-4: 13.1% Brownsville — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 13.9% / 10.5%
Kembla Grange — 5-14: 13.9% Brownsville — 5-14: 10.5%
15-19 5.7% / 5.0%
Kembla Grange — 15-19: 5.7% Brownsville — 15-19: 5.0%
20-24 5.9% / 5.7%
Kembla Grange — 20-24: 5.9% Brownsville — 20-24: 5.7%
25-34 22.9% / 13.0%
Kembla Grange — 25-34: 22.9% Brownsville — 25-34: 13.0%
35-44 16.9% / 11.6%
Kembla Grange — 35-44: 16.9% Brownsville — 35-44: 11.6%
45-54 8.4% / 11.1%
Kembla Grange — 45-54: 8.4% Brownsville — 45-54: 11.1%
55-64 6.5% / 14.5%
Kembla Grange — 55-64: 6.5% Brownsville — 55-64: 14.5%
65-74 4.5% / 11.5%
Kembla Grange — 65-74: 4.5% Brownsville — 65-74: 11.5%
75-84 1.5% / 10.5%
Kembla Grange — 75-84: 1.5% Brownsville — 75-84: 10.5%
85+ 0.3% / 1.9%
Kembla Grange — 85+: 0.3% Brownsville — 85+: 1.9%

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

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

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 — Other Families: 2.6% Kembla Grange — Group Household: 2.8%
Brownsville 22.6% couple families
Brownsville — Couple Families: 22.6% Brownsville — Lone Person: 50.8% Brownsville — One Parent Families: 22.6% Brownsville — Other Families: 2.3% Brownsville — Group Household: 1.7%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Other Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kembla Grange 21.7% renting
Kembla Grange — Owned Outright: 12.8% Kembla Grange — Mortgage: 65.5% Kembla Grange — Renting: 21.7%
Brownsville 36.8% renting
Brownsville — Owned Outright: 28.2% Brownsville — Mortgage: 35.0% Brownsville — Renting: 36.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Certificate III & IV 17.1% / 20.0%
Kembla Grange — Certificate III & IV: 17.1% Brownsville — Certificate III & IV: 20.0%
Bachelor Degree 12.8% / 5.3%
Kembla Grange — Bachelor Degree: 12.8% Brownsville — Bachelor Degree: 5.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 8.6% / 7.8%
Kembla Grange — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 8.6% Brownsville — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.8%
Postgraduate Degree 3.2% / 0.8%
Kembla Grange — Postgraduate Degree: 3.2% Brownsville — Postgraduate Degree: 0.8%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 1.7% / 1.1%
Kembla Grange — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.7% Brownsville — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 1.1%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (20.0%).

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.

Kembla Grange Brownsville
England 2.2% / 7.1%
Kembla Grange — England: 2.2% Brownsville — England: 7.1%
India 2.4% / 0.8%
Kembla Grange — India: 2.4% Brownsville — India: 0.8%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.1%
Kembla Grange — New Zealand: 1.0% Brownsville — New Zealand: 1.1%
Scotland — / 1.9%
Kembla Grange — Scotland: not among its largest Brownsville — Scotland: 1.9%
Thailand 0.7% / 1.1%
Kembla Grange — Thailand: 0.7% Brownsville — Thailand: 1.1%
Philippines 0.3% / 1.0%
Kembla Grange — Philippines: 0.3% Brownsville — Philippines: 1.0%
Ireland 0.8% / —
Kembla Grange — Ireland: 0.8% Brownsville — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.1%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kembla Grange 81.1% houses
Kembla Grange — Houses: 81.1% Kembla Grange — Townhouses: 20.0% Kembla Grange — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Brownsville 57.0% houses
Brownsville — Houses: 57.0% Brownsville — Townhouses: 16.1% Brownsville — Flats / Apartments: 26.9%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Median house price $2,000,000 $841,500
Median unit price — $517,500
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) — 54 days
from 3 sales

Zoning mix

Brownsville has more land zoned for conservation (57% vs 31%); Kembla Grange has more industrially zoned land (24% vs 0%).

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Environmental 31% 57%
Industrial 24% 0%
Residential 12% 20%
Parks and recreation 17% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 8% 10%
Rural and farming 7% 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

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

Ranking within NSW

Kembla Grange Brownsville
House price Higher than 85% of NSW Higher than 43% of NSW
Income Higher than 90% of NSW Higher than 22% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 51% of NSW Higher than 80% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 34% of NSW
same for both
EV adoption Higher than 82% of NSW Higher than 67% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 96% of NSW Higher than 100% of NSW

Liveability

Brownsville is more walkable (44 vs 8); Kembla Grange scores higher overall (50 vs 39).

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Grade B C
Score 50/100 39/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 9/10
 below-average income
decile 2/10

Risk profile

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime High
85/100
 High
82/100
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 8
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Kembla Grange Brownsville
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, 9.1 km
 1
UOW Wollongong, 9.7 km
Full-time students aged 15–24 1.7% 1.3%

Amenities in the suburb

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 4 2
Childcare 1 0
Fuel stations 0 1
Waterways 4 0

Mobility

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Walkability score 8/100 44/100
Distance to Sydney 94.3 km 94.4 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 87 min 85 min
Public transport score 79/100
Bus
 36/100
Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 48.0
7-9am + 5-7pm
 6.5
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 1 min
scheduled, not actual
same for both
Electric vehicle share 1.1%
postcode 2526
 0.7%
postcode 2530
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2526
 54
postcode 2530

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.

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Car (driver) 68.4% / 63.5%
Kembla Grange — Car (driver): 68.4% Brownsville — Car (driver): 63.5%
Worked from Home 27.4% / 25.3%
Kembla Grange — Worked from Home: 27.4% Brownsville — Worked from Home: 25.3%
Walked Only 2.0% / 6.2%
Kembla Grange — Walked Only: 2.0% Brownsville — Walked Only: 6.2%
Car (passenger) 2.2% / 5.1%
Kembla Grange — Car (passenger): 2.2% Brownsville — Car (passenger): 5.1%

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

Setting

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Elevation 40 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 0 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 7.7 km 7.5 km

NBN connectivity

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Connectivity score 94/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 90%
951 premises
 100%
286 premises

Climate

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

Air quality (annual mean)

Kembla Grange Brownsville
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

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

Federal electorate

Kembla Grange Brownsville
Division Whitlam
same for both
Member Carol Berry
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

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

Tags

Kembla Grange

Family Premium Townhouses Young Families

Brownsville

Quiet

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kembla Grange

Kembla Grange vs Dapto Kembla Grange vs Berkeley Kembla Grange vs Kanahooka Kembla Grange vs Unanderra Kembla Grange vs Farmborough Heights Kembla Grange vs Dombarton

Other comparisons with Brownsville

Brownsville vs Dapto Brownsville vs Berkeley Brownsville vs Kanahooka
Full data on Kembla Grange Full data on Brownsville
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.

Save this page for later

We'll email you a link to this page so you can finish reading it on any device. We use your address once to send it and don't keep it.

or