Rockingham vs Busselton

Busselton and Rockingham are both Western Australian hubs, but they differ significantly in how people get around. Rockingham is far more walkable, with 75.6% of homes within a 15-minute walk of a school compared to only 28.1% in Busselton. Rockingham is also much better connected, with 51.4% of homes in a 15-minute-city walkshed and a street connectivity score of 80, while Busselton is mostly car-dependent with a score of 4. Rockingham has a far larger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, numbering 3,579 compared to 797 in Busselton.

Everyday life in both places shares a similar level of First Nations language use, with about 7% of people speaking such a language. In Rockingham, First Nations unemployment is well higher than in Busselton, though Busselton has a well higher rate of Year 12 completion for First Nations residents at 43.2%. While Rockingham has slightly older First Nations residents and a little higher typical household income for this group, both areas have seen their walkability and amenity gaps remain distinct as they grow.