# Palmerston vs North-West Arnhem — 2021 Census comparison

Indigenous Area comparison · about 275 km apart

Palmerston and North-West Arnhem are two very different Northern Territory environments. Palmerston is a highly walkable area where 97.5% of homes are near public transport and the typical First Nations personal income is $788. In contrast, North-West Arnhem is mostly car-dependent and has a much lower typical First Nations personal income of $257. Educational and employment outcomes also differ sharply; First Nations Year 12 completion is far higher in Palmerston (36.0% vs 20.4%), and the First Nations unemployment rate is far higher in North-West Arnhem (33.6% vs 10.0%).

While these areas have evolved differently since 2011, they share a similar landscape with a mean terrain slope of around 4%. Cultural life differs greatly, however, as 91.0% of people in North-West Arnhem speak a First Nations language compared to 12.3% in Palmerston. While Palmerston is generally more walkable, North-West Arnhem actually has a higher share of homes within a 15-minute walk of groceries (90.5%) and health services (95.0%).

## First Nations

| Statistic | Palmerston | North-West Arnhem | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| First Nations people | 4,844 | 2,059 | 2,785 larger in Palmerston |  |
| Median age | 23 yrs | 26 yrs | 3 yrs older in North-West Arnhem |  |
| Year 12 | 36.0% | 20.4% | 15.6 pts higher in Palmerston |  |
| Unemployment | 10.0% | 33.6% | 23.5 pts higher in North-West Arnhem |  |
| Median income | $788 | $257 | $531 higher in Palmerston |  |
| Household income | $1,901 | $1,206 | $695 higher in Palmerston |  |
| Indigenous language | 12.3% | 91.0% | 78.7 pts higher in North-West Arnhem |  |

## Walkability

| Statistic | Palmerston | North-West Arnhem | Gap | Trend |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Walk score | 6.1 | 3.1 | 3.0 higher in Palmerston |  |
| Types ≤15 min | 5.8 | 3.9 | 1.9 more in Palmerston |  |
| 15-min city | 80.2% | 46.9% | 33.3 pts higher in Palmerston |  |
| Walk to shops | 69.9% | 90.5% | 20.6 pts higher in North-West Arnhem |  |
| Walk to transit | 97.5% | 0.0% | 97.5 pts higher in Palmerston |  |
| Walk to school | 88.7% | 79.6% | 9.2 pts higher in Palmerston |  |
| Walk to a park | 97.5% | 61.8% | 35.7 pts higher in Palmerston |  |
| Walk to health | 61.0% | 95.0% | 34.0 pts higher in North-West Arnhem |  |
| Intersections/km² | 95 | 0 | 95 higher in Palmerston |  |
| Mean slope | 3.8% | 4.1% | 0.3 pts higher in North-West Arnhem |  |

Interactive comparison: https://censusatlas.au/compare/iare/IARE703013/palmerston/vs/IARE704004/north-west-arnhem