Port Stephens vs Taree

Port Stephens and Taree are two New South Wales regions with different levels of accessibility. Port Stephens is somewhat walkable, with 83.7% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport and 83.3% near a park. In contrast, Taree is mostly car-dependent, where only 62.3% of homes are near public transport and 62.9% are near a park. This difference is reflected in the street layout, as Port Stephens has far more intersections per square kilometre than Taree.

Both areas have tracked similarly since 2011 in how many homes are within a 15-minute walk of schools or groceries, with both sitting around 42% to 43%. They also share a similar proportion of people who speak a First Nations language. However, a gap remains in outcomes for First Nations residents; typical household income is well higher in Port Stephens at $1,617, while Taree is lower than most areas at $1,205. This is consistent with the First Nations unemployment rate, which is well higher in Taree at 13.8%.