Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker vs Loxton - Waikerie - Mid Murray

Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker and Loxton - Waikerie - Mid Murray are two South Australian regions with very different layouts. Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker is far more walkable, with 70.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a park and 55.9% near public transport. In contrast, Loxton - Waikerie - Mid Murray is more car-dependent, as only 36.4% of homes are near a park and 27.8% are close to transport. There are also notable differences for First Nations residents; in Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker, the typical household income is $1,870 and 54.9% finished Year 12, while in Loxton - Waikerie - Mid Murray, the typical household income is $1,023 and 34.6% finished Year 12.

These two areas have tracked differently since 2011, particularly regarding First Nations outcomes. First Nations unemployment is now well higher in Loxton - Waikerie - Mid Murray at 15.2%, compared to 8.2% in Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker. Both regions remain mostly car-dependent, though Adelaide Hills - Mount Barker has more people who speak a First Nations language and a larger overall First Nations population.