Parkes vs Orange

Parkes and Orange are two regional centres in New South Wales. Orange is far more walkable, with 62.5% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed compared to 51.9% in Parkes. Orange also has much better access to basic needs, as more homes are within a 15-minute walk of public transport (87.8% versus 70.2%), parks (89.2% versus 77.0%), and schools (74.0% versus 66.5%). Orange has a far larger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, though the unemployment rate for First Nations people is well higher in Parkes at 13.0% compared to 9.5% in Orange.

Both areas share a similar rate of First Nations people finishing Year 12, which sits around 30% to 31%. They also have nearly the same amount of people who speak a First Nations language and very similar terrain slopes. While Orange has a little higher walkability score, both are described as somewhat walkable. These two areas have tracked closely in these respects, maintaining a steady pattern of similarity in education and language across the region.