Kiama Heights vs Kiama

Kiama Heights is the younger of the two, with a median age of 47 against 52 in Kiama. In both, the large majority of households own their home and most homes are detached houses. In Kiama Heights, about half of households are couple families. On these figures, Kiama Heights tends to suit families with children and couples, while Kiama 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

They split

one each way, out of the 6 things we measure here

  • Kiama Heights carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 59/100)
  • Kiama has more parks and reserves (17 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

Too close to call

Nothing among the 2 things we measure here separates them by enough to be worth acting on.

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Kiama

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (24% vs 13%)
  • has cheaper rent ($478/wk vs $540/wk)

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

Commuting to the city

Kiama

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (84/100 vs 17/100)
  • sits closer to the CBD (123 km vs 132.1 km)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Kiama

ahead on 4 of the 5 things we measure here

  • has more units and townhouses to downsize into (45% vs 7%)
  • has more GPs (4 vs 0)
  • is more walkable (84/100 vs 17/100)
  • But Kiama Heights carries lower crime risk (14/100 vs 59/100)

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

Investors

Kiama

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (14.9% vs 7.9%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

Kiama Heights Kiama
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.

Kiama Heights Kiama
Walkability 17 / 84
Kiama Heights — Walkability: 17/100 Kiama — Walkability: 84/100
Safety 86 / 41
Kiama Heights — Safety: 86/100 Kiama — Safety: 41/100
Low fire risk 100 / 100
Kiama Heights — Low fire risk: 100/100 Kiama — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Kiama has more residents (7,904 vs 878); Kiama Heights rents higher ($540/wk vs $478/wk).

Kiama Heights Kiama
Population 878 7,904
+800% vs other
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +7.9% +14.9%
Median age 47 52
Median household income $91,416/yr
+11% vs other
 $81,744/yr
Median weekly rent $540/wk
+11% vs other
 $478/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Kiama Heights Kiama
0-4 6.0% / 4.4%
Kiama Heights — 0-4: 6.0% Kiama — 0-4: 4.4%
5-14 12.5% / 10.1%
Kiama Heights — 5-14: 12.5% Kiama — 5-14: 10.1%
15-19 4.7% / 4.5%
Kiama Heights — 15-19: 4.7% Kiama — 15-19: 4.5%
20-24 3.5% / 3.8%
Kiama Heights — 20-24: 3.5% Kiama — 20-24: 3.8%
25-34 8.8% / 9.1%
Kiama Heights — 25-34: 8.8% Kiama — 25-34: 9.1%
35-44 12.4% / 10.0%
Kiama Heights — 35-44: 12.4% Kiama — 35-44: 10.0%
45-54 10.4% / 10.9%
Kiama Heights — 45-54: 10.4% Kiama — 45-54: 10.9%
55-64 15.7% / 14.9%
Kiama Heights — 55-64: 15.7% Kiama — 55-64: 14.9%
65-74 18.5% / 16.5%
Kiama Heights — 65-74: 18.5% Kiama — 65-74: 16.5%
75-84 6.5% / 11.0%
Kiama Heights — 75-84: 6.5% Kiama — 75-84: 11.0%
85+ 1.4% / 4.9%
Kiama Heights — 85+: 1.4% Kiama — 85+: 4.9%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.5%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Kiama Heights 52.6% couple families
Kiama Heights — Couple Families: 52.6% Kiama Heights — Lone Person: 27.9% Kiama Heights — One Parent Families: 15.8% Kiama Heights — Group Household: 2.1% Kiama Heights — Other Families: 1.6%
Kiama 37.5% couple families
Kiama — Couple Families: 37.5% Kiama — Lone Person: 44.7% Kiama — One Parent Families: 12.9% Kiama — Group Household: 3.4% Kiama — Other Families: 1.5%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Kiama Heights 12.9% renting
Kiama Heights — Owned Outright: 50.5% Kiama Heights — Mortgage: 36.7% Kiama Heights — Renting: 12.9%
Kiama 24.0% renting
Kiama — Owned Outright: 48.6% Kiama — Mortgage: 27.4% Kiama — Renting: 24.0%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

Kiama Heights Kiama
Bachelor Degree 18.3% / 16.6%
Kiama Heights — Bachelor Degree: 18.3% Kiama — Bachelor Degree: 16.6%
Certificate III & IV 13.8% / 14.7%
Kiama Heights — Certificate III & IV: 13.8% Kiama — Certificate III & IV: 14.7%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 11.3% / 10.5%
Kiama Heights — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 11.3% Kiama — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.5%
Postgraduate Degree 6.2% / 6.0%
Kiama Heights — Postgraduate Degree: 6.2% Kiama — Postgraduate Degree: 6.0%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 3.0% / 3.3%
Kiama Heights — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.0% Kiama — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 3.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (18.3%).

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.

Kiama Heights Kiama
England 6.9% / 6.3%
Kiama Heights — England: 6.9% Kiama — England: 6.3%
New Zealand 1.1% / 1.4%
Kiama Heights — New Zealand: 1.1% Kiama — New Zealand: 1.4%
Scotland 1.0% / 0.8%
Kiama Heights — Scotland: 1.0% Kiama — Scotland: 0.8%
South Africa 1.0% / 0.6%
Kiama Heights — South Africa: 1.0% Kiama — South Africa: 0.6%
Italy 1.1% / —
Kiama Heights — Italy: 1.1% Kiama — Italy: not among its largest
Germany — / 0.7%
Kiama Heights — Germany: not among its largest Kiama — Germany: 0.7%
China — / 0.6%
Kiama Heights — China: not among its largest Kiama — China: 0.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (6.9%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Kiama Heights 93.2% houses
Kiama Heights — Houses: 93.2% Kiama Heights — Townhouses: 5.0% Kiama Heights — Flats / Apartments: 1.9%
Kiama 55.4% houses
Kiama — Houses: 55.4% Kiama — Townhouses: 24.1% Kiama — Flats / Apartments: 20.5%
Houses Townhouses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Kiama Heights Kiama
Median house price $1,515,000 $1,595,000
Median unit price — $905,000
Median land price — $870,000
Typical days to sell (houses) 50 days
from 10 sales
 33 days
from 77 sales

House price by bedroom count

Only bed counts both suburbs published enough sales for. Sale counts are shown because the buckets differ in depth.

Kiama Heights Kiama
3 bed $1.3M / $1.23M
Kiama Heights — 3 bed: $1.3M (7 sales) Kiama — 3 bed: $1.23M (43 sales)

7 vs 43 sales

4 bed $2.4M / $1.7M
Kiama Heights — 4 bed: $2.4M (7 sales) Kiama — 4 bed: $1.7M (53 sales)

7 vs 53 sales

Zoning mix

Kiama Heights has more land zoned for conservation (53% vs 11%).

Kiama Heights Kiama
Environmental 53% 11%
Rural and farming 27% 35%
Residential 10% 34%
Parks and recreation 1% 10%
Infrastructure and transport 7% 6%
Commercial 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

Kiama Heights Kiama
New dwellings approved 159
across Kiama
same for both
Approvals change year on year -35%
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.

Kiama Heights Kiama
Houses — 2.6%
$850/wk on $1.68M
Units — 3.3%
$675/wk on $1.05M

Ranking within NSW

Kiama Heights Kiama
House price Higher than 76% of NSW Higher than 74% of NSW
Income — Higher than 50% of NSW
Schools — Higher than 18% of NSW
Walkability Higher than 67% of NSW Higher than 94% of NSW
Affordability — Higher than 21% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 87% of NSW Higher than 88% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 97% of NSW Higher than 99% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) — Higher than 9% of NSW
Rental yield (units) — Higher than 8% of NSW

Liveability

Kiama is more walkable (84 vs 17); Kiama Heights scores higher overall (69 vs 56).

Kiama Heights Kiama
Grade A B
Score 69/100 56/100
Socio-economic band very advantaged area
decile 10/10
 very advantaged area
decile 9/10

Risk profile

Kiama carries more crime risk (59 vs 14).

Kiama Heights Kiama
Bushfire None
0/100
same for both
Crime Low
14/100
 Moderate
59/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
 Low
26/100
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 0
within 5 km
 3
within 5 km

Schools

Kiama Heights Kiama
Inside the suburb 0 3
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 0
same for both
Rated below peers 0 3

Schools in Kiama Heights

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

Schools in Kiama

  • Kiama High School Government · Secondary below peers
  • Kiama Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Ss Peter and Paul Catholic Primary School Catholic · Primary below peers

Amenities in the suburb

Kiama Heights Kiama
Supermarkets 0 1
Cafes & restaurants 0 40
Parks & reserves 0 17
Childcare 1 6
GPs 0 4
Pharmacies 0 4
Police stations 0 1
Banks & Bank@Post 0 4
Fuel stations 0 1
Beaches 0 3
Waterways 0 9

Mobility

Kiama Heights sits further from the CBD (132.1 km vs 123 km).

Kiama Heights Kiama
Walkability score 17/100 84/100
Distance to Sydney 132.1 km
+7% vs other
 123 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 110 min 106 min
Public transport score 25/100
Bus
 81/100
Rail · Bus
Peak arrivals per hour 6.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
 57.2
7-9am + 5-7pm
Median peak wait 2 min
scheduled, not actual
 1 min
scheduled, not actual
Electric vehicle share 1.4%
postcode 2533
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 47
postcode 2533
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.

Kiama Heights Kiama
Car (driver) 63.9% / 59.1%
Kiama Heights — Car (driver): 63.9% Kiama — Car (driver): 59.1%
Worked from Home 32.0% / 32.3%
Kiama Heights — Worked from Home: 32.0% Kiama — Worked from Home: 32.3%
Car (passenger) 3.1% / 2.8%
Kiama Heights — Car (passenger): 3.1% Kiama — Car (passenger): 2.8%
Walked Only 0.9% / 4.1%
Kiama Heights — Walked Only: 0.9% Kiama — Walked Only: 4.1%
Train — / 1.0%
Kiama Heights — Train: not among its largest Kiama — Train: 1.0%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (63.9%).

Setting

Kiama Heights Kiama
Elevation 46 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 87 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 738 m
1.5 km to a named beach
 986 m
976 m to a named beach

NBN connectivity

Kiama Heights Kiama
Connectivity score 98/100 100/100
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 97%
410 premises
 100%
4,900 premises

Climate

Kiama Heights Kiama
Annual rainfall 974 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) —
same for both
Winter min (Jul) —
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Kiama Heights Kiama
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.3 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.37 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Kiama Heights Kiama
Average residential rate $1,898/yr
same for both
Council Kiama
same for both

Federal electorate

Kiama Heights Kiama
Division Gilmore
same for both
Member Fiona Phillips
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Kiama Heights Kiama
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Kiama Heights

Acreage Coastal Retirees

Kiama

Beach Cafe Culture Coastal Parks Professionals Retirees Townhouses Transport Hub Village Feel

More comparisons

Other comparisons with Kiama Heights

Kiama Heights vs Gerringong Kiama Heights vs Rose Valley Kiama Heights vs Saddleback Mountain

Other comparisons with Kiama

Kiama vs Kiama Downs Kiama vs Jamberoo Kiama vs Bombo Kiama vs Jerrara Kiama vs Saddleback Mountain
Full data on Kiama Heights Full data on Kiama
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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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