What does $400 weekly rent get in South West Rocks versus Kempsey right now?
The options are limited. One unit is a short walk to the beach and shops, but you share the backyard and laundry.
Ellie Chamberlain
March 31, 2026
As of Tuesday afternoon, only eight properties were available to rent in Kempsey and South West Rocks for $400 or under per week, which is around the median rental price for the area.
The median household income is about $1,000 a week. When you take into account the current cost of fuel, groceries and utilities, there’s not much left to play with, leaving many residents in this Mid North Coast LGA under rental stress.
And as the Macleay Valley grows and people are priced out of major cities, it is becoming ever more difficult to keep a roof over your head.
Buying a home remains a distant dream for residents on low income, and those looking for a lease are competing with holiday lettings.
The Mid North Coaster compared one coastal town in Kempsey LGA – the tourist destination of South West Rocks – with the inland town of Kempsey, to see how far your money goes.
Coastal choices: If you’re looking for a rental in South West Rocks for $400 or less per week you’ve got two choices – a one bedroom unit or a three bedroom house.
The unit is a short walk to the beach and shops, has a bath tub and water is included in the rent. The catch: you share the backyard and laundry.
The house is across the road from the local primary school and has a single lock-up garage.
There’s also a fully-furnished one-bedroom unit in Arakoon – a suburb with the same postcode as South West Rocks. It’s available for $380 per week.
The one bedroom unit is located on Landsborough Street, South West Rocks. Image credit: Realestate.com.au
Inland reality: Head 30km inland to Kempsey and you have six options for $400 or less per week, and they’re only suitable for singles or couples.
There are one-bedroom units in the CBD – on West Kempsey’s Elbow Street and Smith Street closer to the Macleay River – as well as one in South Kempsey, all for $350 per week or less.
The cheapest rental on offer is a one-bedder unit for $295 per week on the east side.
If you’re looking for a two-bedroom option, there’s two units in South Kempsey – one on Bloomfield street and the other on Goonbi Street.
Described as “ 1 tidy bathroom/laundry” on Stone’s website for the Goonbi Street unit.
Show me the stats: According to PropTrack , the Median rental price for units in Kempsey is $340 p/w. That’s a 6.3 per cent increase in the past 12 months.
For South West Rocks, the median rental price sits at $400 per week – an 8.1 per cent increase over 12 months. For one-bedroom units it’s $350 per week. In the past month, five units have been available to rent in the coastal town.
Thumbnail: Landsborough unit in South West Rocks. Realestate.com.au