At the , Kempsey Shire had a high proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people residing within its boundaries; being 11.1 per cent of the resident population, more than four times the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent.
In Kempsey Shire, there was a substantial presence of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents, accounting for 11.1 per cent of the population; this proportion was more than four times higher than the national and state averages of 2.5 per cent.