Kiama vs Shellharbour, NSW suburb comparison
Which suburb suits you better?
Side-by-side comparison of 16 categories from official government and open data.
| Category | Kiama | Shellharbour |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 70.0/100 | 61.6/100 |
| Housing (desirability) | 36.8/100 | 62.5/100 |
| Crime rate | 35.3 / 1k | 81.2 / 1k |
| Schools & preschools | 3 | 3 |
| Parks & reserves | 13 | 10 |
| Public transport stops | 114 | 58 |
| Walkability | 100.0/100 | 75.0/100 |
| Nearby amenities | 530 | 182 |
| Planning activity | 52 | 10 |
| Population | 7,904 | 3,520 |
| SEIFA (IRSAD decile) | 9/10 | 6/10 |
Quick verdicts
- Best for retireesKiama
- Best for familiesKiama
- Best for beach lifestyleKiama
- Best for investmentShellharbour
- Best for best valueShellharbour
Comparison summary
Kiama and Shellharbour offer different strengths across official suburb data. Kiama leads on more comparison categories overall. Overall score favours Kiama; Housing (desirability) favours Shellharbour; Crime rate favours Kiama. Quick verdicts: Retirees → Kiama, Families → Kiama, Beach lifestyle → Kiama, Investment → Shellharbour.