Swan vs Northam

Swan and Northam are two Western Australian areas with very different levels of accessibility and First Nations outcomes. Swan is more walkable, with 84.7% of homes within a 10-minute walk of public transport compared to just 13.4% in Northam. First Nations outcomes are also far stronger in Swan, where 38.2% of First Nations people finished Year 12 and the typical household income is $1,726. In Northam, only 21.1% finished Year 12 and the typical household income is much lower at $1,098.

Both areas share a similar landscape with a mean terrain slope of around 6%. The gap in access to public transport is far wider than the gap for other amenities, as Swan's walkability score is somewhat walkable while Northam is mostly car-dependent. This difference in connectivity is consistent with the fact that Northam has more homes within a 15-minute walk of a school, at 73.5% compared to 66.2% in Swan.