South Kempsey vs Verges Creek

South Kempsey is the younger of the two, with a median age of 42 against 46 in Verges Creek. In both, most households own their home and the large majority of homes are detached houses. In Verges Creek, about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Verges Creek: a median of $980,000, against $415,000 in South Kempsey, though rent is higher in South Kempsey. On these figures, South Kempsey tends to suit people living alone and buyers on a tighter budget, while Verges Creek 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

Verges Creek

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 97/100)
  • is already more of a family suburb (66% vs 56%)
  • But South Kempsey has more schools inside the suburb (4 vs 0)

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

First-home buyers

South Kempsey

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has cheaper land ($320,000 vs $772,500)
  • has cheaper houses ($415,000 vs $980,000)

Weighs house prices, land prices, and mortgage stress.

Renters

They split

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

  • South Kempsey has a bigger rental market to choose from (34% vs 7%)
  • Verges Creek leaves renters under less rental stress (17% vs 25%)

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

Commuting to the city

They split

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

  • South Kempsey sits closer to the CBD (421.4 km vs 426.9 km)
  • Verges Creek is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

Verges Creek

ahead on 2 of the 5 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (12/100 vs 0/100)
  • carries lower crime risk (73/100 vs 97/100)

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

Investors

Verges Creek

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (27.9% vs 13.1%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

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

South Kempsey Verges Creek
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.

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Walkability 0 / 12
South Kempsey — Walkability: 0/100 Verges Creek — Walkability: 12/100
Safety 3 / 27
South Kempsey — Safety: 3/100 Verges Creek — Safety: 27/100
Low fire risk 33 / 43
South Kempsey — Low fire risk: 33/100 Verges Creek — Low fire risk: 43/100

Demographics

South Kempsey has more residents (2,604 vs 298); Verges Creek has higher household incomes ($79,300 vs $55,848).

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Population 2,604
+89% vs other
 298
Population trend (2016 → 2021) +13.1% +27.9%
Median age 42 46
Median household income $55,848/yr $79,300/yr
+42% vs other
Median weekly rent $270/wk
+6% vs other
 $255/wk

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

South Kempsey Verges Creek
0-4 5.6% / 3.7%
South Kempsey — 0-4: 5.6% Verges Creek — 0-4: 3.7%
5-14 15.4% / 15.1%
South Kempsey — 5-14: 15.4% Verges Creek — 5-14: 15.1%
15-19 7.0% / 7.7%
South Kempsey — 15-19: 7.0% Verges Creek — 15-19: 7.7%
20-24 4.6% / 3.4%
South Kempsey — 20-24: 4.6% Verges Creek — 20-24: 3.4%
25-34 10.5% / 7.7%
South Kempsey — 25-34: 10.5% Verges Creek — 25-34: 7.7%
35-44 10.8% / 13.1%
South Kempsey — 35-44: 10.8% Verges Creek — 35-44: 13.1%
45-54 12.9% / 12.8%
South Kempsey — 45-54: 12.9% Verges Creek — 45-54: 12.8%
55-64 14.2% / 15.1%
South Kempsey — 55-64: 14.2% Verges Creek — 55-64: 15.1%
65-74 11.6% / 13.8%
South Kempsey — 65-74: 11.6% Verges Creek — 65-74: 13.8%
75-84 6.1% / 6.4%
South Kempsey — 75-84: 6.1% Verges Creek — 75-84: 6.4%
85+ 1.4% / 1.3%
South Kempsey — 85+: 1.4% Verges Creek — 85+: 1.3%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (15.4%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

South Kempsey 31.2% couple families
South Kempsey — Couple Families: 31.2% South Kempsey — Lone Person: 34.7% South Kempsey — One Parent Families: 24.9% South Kempsey — Group Household: 7.1% South Kempsey — Other Families: 2.2%
Verges Creek 51.6% couple families
Verges Creek — Couple Families: 51.6% Verges Creek — Lone Person: 23.4% Verges Creek — One Parent Families: 14.1% Verges Creek — Group Household: 4.7% Verges Creek — Other Families: 6.2%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household Other Families

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

South Kempsey 34.5% renting
South Kempsey — Owned Outright: 36.0% South Kempsey — Mortgage: 29.5% South Kempsey — Renting: 34.5%
Verges Creek 6.8% renting
Verges Creek — Owned Outright: 51.1% Verges Creek — Mortgage: 42.0% Verges Creek — Renting: 6.8%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Qualifications

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

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Certificate III & IV 15.6% / 22.8%
South Kempsey — Certificate III & IV: 15.6% Verges Creek — Certificate III & IV: 22.8%
Bachelor Degree 5.1% / 6.0%
South Kempsey — Bachelor Degree: 5.1% Verges Creek — Bachelor Degree: 6.0%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 5.0% / 4.4%
South Kempsey — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 5.0% Verges Creek — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 4.4%
Postgraduate Degree 1.2% / 1.3%
South Kempsey — Postgraduate Degree: 1.2% Verges Creek — Postgraduate Degree: 1.3%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.3% / —
South Kempsey — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.3% Verges Creek — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (22.8%).

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.

South Kempsey Verges Creek
England 1.0% / 2.0%
South Kempsey — England: 1.0% Verges Creek — England: 2.0%
New Zealand 1.0% / 1.3%
South Kempsey — New Zealand: 1.0% Verges Creek — New Zealand: 1.3%
Germany 0.4% / 1.3%
South Kempsey — Germany: 0.4% Verges Creek — Germany: 1.3%
Netherlands — / 1.3%
South Kempsey — Netherlands: not among its largest Verges Creek — Netherlands: 1.3%
Thailand — / 1.0%
South Kempsey — Thailand: not among its largest Verges Creek — Thailand: 1.0%
Philippines 0.8% / —
South Kempsey — Philippines: 0.8% Verges Creek — Philippines: not among its largest
China 0.3% / —
South Kempsey — China: 0.3% Verges Creek — China: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (2.0%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

South Kempsey 90.4% houses
South Kempsey — Houses: 90.4% South Kempsey — Flats / Apartments: 8.9% South Kempsey — Townhouses: 0.7%
Verges Creek 96.0% houses
Verges Creek — Houses: 96.0% Verges Creek — Flats / Apartments: 4.0% Verges Creek — Townhouses: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments Townhouses

Property market

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Median house price $415,000 $980,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price $320,000 $772,500
Typical days to sell (houses) 52 days
from 28 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Verges Creek has more rural and farming land (84% vs 64%); South Kempsey has more land zoned for conservation (11% vs 0%).

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Rural and farming 64% 84%
Residential 14% 15%
Environmental 11% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 5% 1%
Industrial 4% 0%
Parks and recreation 1% 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

South Kempsey Verges Creek
New dwellings approved 144
across Kempsey
same for both
Approvals change year on year +380%
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.

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Houses 4.7%
$550/wk on $610K
 —
Units —
same for both

Ranking within NSW

South Kempsey Verges Creek
House price Higher than 13% of NSW Higher than 42% of NSW
Income Higher than 16% of NSW Higher than 46% of NSW
Schools Higher than 28% of NSW —
Walkability Higher than 35% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 8% of NSW Higher than 7% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 68% of NSW Higher than 47% of NSW
Rental yield (houses) Higher than 94% of NSW —

Liveability

Verges Creek is more walkable (12 vs 0).

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Grade D —
Score 8/100 —
Socio-economic band high-need area
decile 1/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 5/10

Risk profile

South Kempsey carries more crime risk (97 vs 73); South Kempsey carries more bushfire risk (67 vs 57).

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Bushfire Moderate
67/100
 Moderate
57/100
Crime High
97/100
 High
73/100
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 3
within 5 km
 0
within 5 km

Schools

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Inside the suburb 4 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 2 0
Rated below peers 2 0

Schools in South Kempsey

  • Kempsey Adventist School Independent · Combined at peers
  • Melville High School Government · Secondary at peers
  • Kempsey South Public School Government · Primary below peers
  • Macleay Vocational College Independent · Secondary · Special school below peers

Schools in Verges Creek

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

Amenities in the suburb

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Cafes & restaurants 1 0
Parks & reserves 3 1
Childcare 2 0
Fuel stations 5 0
EV chargers 1 0
Waterways 10 1

Mobility

Verges Creek sits further from the CBD (426.9 km vs 421.4 km).

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Walkability score 0/100 12/100
Distance to Sydney 421.4 km 426.9 km
+1% vs other
Drive time (normal traffic) 289 min
same for both
Electric vehicle share 0.1%
postcode 2440
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 53
postcode 2440
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.

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Car (driver) 81.3% / 85.1%
South Kempsey — Car (driver): 81.3% Verges Creek — Car (driver): 85.1%
Car (passenger) 6.4% / 8.8%
South Kempsey — Car (passenger): 6.4% Verges Creek — Car (passenger): 8.8%
Worked from Home 8.3% / 6.1%
South Kempsey — Worked from Home: 8.3% Verges Creek — Worked from Home: 6.1%
Walked Only 3.5% / —
South Kempsey — Walked Only: 3.5% Verges Creek — Walked Only: not among its largest
Bus 0.6% / —
South Kempsey — Bus: 0.6% Verges Creek — Bus: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (85.1%).

Setting

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Elevation 34 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 23 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 13.7 km 10.9 km

NBN connectivity

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Connectivity score 54/100 29/100
Most common technology Fibre to the node Fixed wireless
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 26%
1,298 premises
 0%
128 premises

Council rates

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Average residential rate $1,447/yr
same for both
Council Kempsey
same for both

Federal electorate

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Division Cowper
same for both
Member Pat Conaghan
same for both
Party The Nationals
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

South Kempsey Verges Creek
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

South Kempsey

Acreage Affordable

Verges Creek

Rural

More comparisons

Other comparisons with South Kempsey

South Kempsey vs West Kempsey South Kempsey vs Crescent Head South Kempsey vs East Kempsey South Kempsey vs Dondingalong South Kempsey vs Kundabung South Kempsey vs Kempsey

Other comparisons with Verges Creek

Verges Creek vs East Kempsey Verges Creek vs Belmore River Verges Creek vs Pola Creek Verges Creek vs Hampden Hall
Full data on South Kempsey Full data on Verges Creek
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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