Kiama - Shellharbour vs Wollongong

Kiama - Shellharbour and Wollongong are two regional New South Wales areas with different layouts. Wollongong is more connected, with 82.8% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a school compared to 67.5% in Kiama - Shellharbour. It also has far more street intersections per square kilometre (43 versus 27) and a higher share of homes with a 15-minute-city walkshed. In contrast, Kiama - Shellharbour has far more homes within a 15-minute walk of health services, at 48.8% compared to 38.3% in Wollongong.

Both areas are similar in that the proportion of people who speak a First Nations language sits at 3.1%. They also share a similar walkability score and terrain slope. While Wollongong has a larger First Nations population, those in Kiama - Shellharbour have a typical household income that is a little higher ($1,798 versus $1,602). Educational outcomes also differ, with First Nations Year 12 completion well higher in Wollongong at 41.9%, which is well above the national figure.