Fairfield vs Penrith

Fairfield and Penrith are two nearby New South Wales areas with different demographic and layout profiles. Penrith has a far larger First Nations population, with 10,987 people compared to 1,561 in Fairfield. First Nations residents in Penrith also have much higher typical incomes, with household earnings of $1,880 compared to $1,244 in Fairfield. In contrast, Fairfield is more accessible by foot; it has more street intersections per square kilometre and a higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of public transport (97.5%) and schools (90.2%).

Both areas are very walkable and have similar First Nations unemployment rates, around 7% to 8%. These two places have tracked together on accessibility over time, as the gaps in walkability and proximity to parks and health services have remained small or barely changed. While Fairfield has a higher share of homes near public transport, Penrith has a larger share of homes within a 15-minute walk of parks.