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.
At the , Kempsey Shire had a substantial proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living 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.