Cowra vs Southern Tablelands

Cowra and Southern Tablelands are two regional New South Wales areas with different profiles for First Nations residents. In Southern Tablelands, First Nations household income is well higher at $1,736, while in Cowra it is $1,215. This gap is mirrored in employment and education, with the First Nations unemployment rate well higher in Cowra at 14.4% compared to 7.7% in Southern Tablelands. Additionally, Year 12 completion for First Nations people is far higher in Southern Tablelands at 35.2%, while it is 24.4% in Cowra.

These differences in social outcomes persist as the two areas share similar physical layouts, with both being mostly car-dependent and having nearly identical terrain slopes. The gaps in local access are more varied; while Southern Tablelands has a far higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries (35.4% vs 23.7%) and health services (28.3% vs 18.3%), Cowra is well higher for those within walking distance of schools (53.1% vs 44.5%) and parks (64.8% vs 61.6%).