NSW · Kempsey Council
Hat Head, NSW, 2440
Desirability index
#945 among Country & regional suburbs
Suburb snapshot
Hat Head is a small locality in the Kempsey area, home to around 365 residents (2021 Census). Recent indicators show 4,099 offences in Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 with relatively stable year-on-year trends (+5%), roughly 11230.1 offences per 1,000 residents, median weekly rent around $480 (flats $380, houses $490), limited but present public transport access, and notable planning and development activity on record. Use the sections below for detailed population, safety, schools, and local activity data.
Population
- Population
- 365
- Median age
- 60
- Median household income / week
- $990
- Dwelling vacancy
- 49.8%
- Unoccupied private dwellings
- 164 of 329
- Median monthly mortgage
- $1,860
- Employment rate
- 39.7%
- Dwelling mix (houses / semi / flats)
- 11 / 8 / 3
Data sources & freshness
- 2021 Census — General Community Profile — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 Census release
The 2026 Census runs in August 2026; suburb-level updates are expected from mid-2027.
Housing
- Flats / units (January to March 2026)
- $380
- Houses (January to March 2026)
- $490
- All types (January to March 2026)
- $480
- Rental bonds lodged (January to March 2026)
- 112
Median weekly rent from NSW DCJ rent tables. Figures can be unreliable where few bonds were lodged in the quarter.
Data sources & freshness
- DCJ rent tables — NSW Department of Communities and Justice · Period: January to March 2026 · Updated on site · Quarterly releases
Crime & safety
- Total offences (Jan 2025 to Dec 2025)
- 4,099
- Against the person
- 1,083
- Against property
- 1,585
- Rate per 1,000 residents
- 11,230.1
- Person-crime prevalence
- About 1 in 1 residents
- State safety percentile
- 72.5th (lower crime is better)
- Year-on-year change
- +4.9%
Most common offence types
- Breach Apprehended Violence Order264
- Breach Bail Conditions556
- Domestic Violence Related Assault317
- Intimidation, Stalking And Harassment411
- Malicious Damage To Property362
Data sources & freshness
- BOCSAR postcode crime statistics — NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research · Period: Jan 2024 to Dec 2024 → Jan 2025 to Dec 2025; Jan 2025 to Dec 2025 · Updated on site · Rolling 12-month windows
Public transport
4 public transport stops in this suburb
- Gap St Hat Head
- Gap St Hat Head
- Vine St At Day St
- Vine St At Day St
Data sources & freshness
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Period: current · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
Planning & development
Development applications from NSW Planning Portal (lodged 2020–2026).
63 planning-related records
2026· 4 proposals
June 2026
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure9 BORONIA AVENUE HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered club2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
May 2026
- Change of use of land or a building or the classification of a building under the Building Code of Australia; Emergency services facility2A MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Under Assessment
February 2026
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Swimming pool35 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2025· 8 proposals
December 2025
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure2 VINE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure48 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2025
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Residential Accommodation97 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Demolition; Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation32 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
June 2025
- Erection of a new structure; Garage, carport or carparking space49 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2025
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences; Garage, carport or carparking space93 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed; Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure16 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2024· 14 proposals
November 2024
- Temporary building, structure or use; Market1 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Balcony, deck, patio, terrace or verandah18 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
October 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support10 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
August 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facilityMRYTLE ST HAT HEADDetermined
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation area; Other Infrastructure; Infrastructure2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2024
- Shed; Erection of a new structure43 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
June 2024
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Carport8 OAK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2024
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Tourist and visitor accommodation11 CREEK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure6 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
February 2024
- Erection of a new structure; Recreation area; Other Infrastructure; Infrastructure2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
January 2024
- Dwelling house; Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure18 HUTCHESON STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling house; Erection of a new structure; Residential Accommodation12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2023· 15 proposals
December 2023
- Erection of a new structure; Earthworks, retaining walls and structural support; Fences; Swimming pool1 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
October 2023
- Shed; Erection of a new structure43 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
September 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development32 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
August 2023
- Pools / decks / fencing10 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed24 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
July 2023
- Dwelling; Pools / decks / fencing12 LEDGE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Withdrawn
June 2023
- Dwelling8 MOWONG CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential development30 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Dwelling32 MARLIN CIRCUIT HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Pools / decks / fencing11 CREEK STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
- Shed11 BREAM CLOSE HAT HEAD 2440Determined
May 2023
- Dwelling56 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
April 2023
- Alterations and additions to residential development89 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
March 2023
- Shed30 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Determined
2022· 15 proposals
15 proposals lodged in 2022. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
2021· 7 proposals
7 proposals lodged in 2021. Individual listings are kept for the most recent proposals.
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Period: 2020–2026; 2021; 2022… · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
Amenities
No OpenStreetMap amenities mapped for this suburb yet.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap amenities — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Socio-economic (SEIFA)
- IRSAD decile (2021)
- 3/10
- IRSD decile (2021)
- 3/10
SEIFA indexes from ABS 2021. Decile 10 = most advantaged / least disadvantaged in Australia.
Data sources & freshness
- SEIFA 2021 (IRSAD / IRSD) — Australian Bureau of Statistics · Period: 2021 · Updated on site · 2021 SEIFA release
Hazards
- Bushfire planning zone
- Overlay applies
Bushfire overlay checked at suburb centroid via NSW bush fire prone land mapping.
Data sources & freshness
- Hazard planning overlays — State government hazard layers · Period: current · Updated on site
Green cover
- Parks & woodland (OSM)
- 1
- Parks (OSM)
- 1
OpenStreetMap parks and natural woodland features mapped within the suburb boundary.
Data sources & freshness
- OpenStreetMap green cover features — OpenStreetMap contributors · Period: current · Updated on site · Weekly refresh
Desirability index
- Desirability score
- 0.1/100
- Cohort rank
- #945 among Country & regional suburbs
Data sources & freshness
- Suburb Guide desirability index — Suburb Guide (derived score) · Period: current · Updated on site · Derived from source metrics
Recent changes
- Gap St Hat Headtransport
- Gap St Hat Headtransport
- Vine St At Day Sttransport
- Vine St At Day Sttransport
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning32 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 14 Sep 2023 · Withdrawn
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning30 BAY STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 23 Jun 2023 · Determined
- Alterations and additions to residential developmentplanning89 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 21 Apr 2023 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Community facilityplanningMRYTLE ST HAT HEADLodged 19 Aug 2024 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Fences; Garage, carport or carparking spaceplanning93 STRAIGHT STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 16 Apr 2025 · Determined
- Alterations or additions to an existing building or structure; Registered clubplanning2 MYRTLE STREET HAT HEAD 2440Lodged 01 Jun 2026 · Under Assessment
Data sources & freshness
- Online DA development application register — NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure · Updated on site · Daily open-data feed (applications from Oct 2018)
- GTFS public transport stops — State transport authority open-data feeds · Updated on site · GTFS static feed
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