Townsville vs Townsville - Surrounds

Townsville and Townsville - Surrounds are nearby Queensland areas with a stark contrast in how people get around and live. Townsville is very walkable, with 90% of homes within a 10 minute walk of public transport and 66.1% near groceries. In contrast, Townsville - Surrounds is car-dependent, where only 1.7% of homes are near public transport. There are also big differences for First Nations residents; in Townsville, the typical First Nations person is 23, and 47.5% finished Year 12, while in Townsville - Surrounds, the typical age is far older at 32 and only 21.6% finished Year 12.

These two areas share a similar landscape, with both having roughly the same mean terrain slope. The gap in First Nations outcomes is a key difference, as Townsville has a far higher share of people who speak a First Nations language, at 13.5% compared to just 1.8% in Townsville - Surrounds. This is consistent with Townsville having a far larger First Nations population, with 7,375 people compared to 1,330 in the surrounds.