Kempsey crime rate and Crime Score · New South Wales council area
Kempsey is a council area in New South Wales with about 31,950 residents. It has a Crime Score 76 out of 100 (high), 38th of 362 councils nationally.
The score blends national percentile ranks for each published offence category with fixed severity weights; here it is driven most by assault (81st percentile), break-ins (87th percentile), sexual offences (78th percentile). Five years earlier the same basis gave 81.
In 2025-26: violent 2,407 per 100,000 (+13% vs five years earlier); property 6,119 per 100,000 (-6% vs five years earlier); break-ins 933 per 100,000 (-30% vs five years earlier); theft 2,319 per 100,000 (+2% vs five years earlier). For violent crime that is 15th of 129 New South Wales councils with data, highest first.
Unemployment in the Kempsey council area is 7.2% (New South Wales 4.9%), Census, 10 August 2021. Social housing makes up 3.7% of occupied homes (186 public and 236 community-housing dwellings at the 2021 Census; New South Wales 4.2%). An estimated 188 people were homeless on Census night 2021, 60.2 per 10,000 residents (New South Wales 43.4), apportioned from ABS Statistical Area Level 2 counts. 8.6% of residents were born overseas (New South Wales 31%), most often in England, New Zealand, Philippines. Modelled estimates for 2026-27, not measurements: unemployment about 7.1% (confidence 79 of 100); social housing about 3.4% of homes; about 59.2 homeless people per 10,000 residents; about 8.7% born overseas. Confidence falls with distance from the last published figure, and the map's Estimates toggle shows every year back to 1994-95.
| Offences | Per 100,000 | Count | 5-yr change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent | 2,407 | 769 | +13% |
| Property | 6,119 | 1,955 | -6% |
| Break-ins | 933 | 298 | -30% |
| Theft | 2,319 | 741 | +2% |
Questions
Is Kempsey safe?
Kempsey recorded 2,410 violent offences per 100,000 residents in 2025-26, 2.1 times the New South Wales rate (1,150) and about 88% higher than the national rate (1,280). Its Crime Score is 76.2 out of 100 (high), 38th of 362 councils. These are offences recorded by police per resident: they describe the area as a whole, not the risk on any particular street, and places with a busy centre record more because offences are counted where they happen.
How many break-ins are there in Kempsey?
298 break-ins were recorded in 2025-26: 933 per 100,000 residents, 3.1 times the New South Wales rate (301).
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Suburbs in the Kempsey council area
Aldavilla · Arakoon · Austral Eden · Barraganyatti · Bellbrook · Bellimbopinni · Belmore River · Burnt Bridge · Clybucca · Collombatti · Comara · Corangula · Crescent Head · Deep Creek · Dondingalong · East Kempsey · Euroka · Fishermans Reach · Frederickton · Gladstone · Grassy Head · Greenhill · Hampden Hall · Hat Head · Hickeys Creek · Jerseyville · Kempsey · Kinchela · Kundabung · Millbank · Mooneba · Moparrabah · Mungay Creek · Old Station · Pola Creek · Rainbow Reach · Seven Oaks · Sherwood · Skillion Flat · Smithtown · South Kempsey · South West Rocks · Stuarts Point · Summer Island · Temagog · Toorooka · Turners Flat · Verges Creek · West Kempsey · Willawarrin · Willi Willi · Wittitrin · Yarrahapinni · Yarravel · Yessabah
Postcodes in the Kempsey council area
australiancrimerate.com.au/council/nsw-kempsey/ · Australian Crime Map